WWE Clash of Champions: Robert Roode returns to form with Ziggler
Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler opened WWE Clash of Champions by winning the Raw Tag Team Championship, but more importantly, this was Roode’s night.
Following the Kickoff Show, the 2019 edition of WWE Clash of Champions kicked off in style with Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins – who compete later in the night with the Universal Championship on the line – defending their Raw Tag Team Championship against Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler. Two pairs of strange bedfellows, if you will, formed in the span of the last month.
As many fans and critics expected going into this match, Roode and Ziggler got the title win. But rather than the win itself and what it means for the Raw tag team division going forward, what matters most is what it means for Robert Roode going forward. If nothing else, this match highlighted a return to form for the former NXT Champion. Or, rather, a return to glory.
Truth be told, Robert Roode hasn’t been Robert Roode for a very long time. When he first came to WWE, the former Impact World Champion was expected to be a bonafide main eventer from the start. Early on, he lived up to expectations with an impressive 203-day reign with the NXT Championship.
What followed was a move to the main roster where, while he’s yet to reach main event stasis quite yet, he was a solid addition to SmackDown’s midcard division and even won the United States Championship. Then, he went to Raw and his run there wasn’t so – pardon the pun – glorious.
He was essentially in limbo before joining up with Chad Gable out of necessity to win a storyline for themselves. Oops, I mean win Raw Tag Team Titles. But when Gable moved to SmackDown, it was back to limbo for Robert Roode. He briefly seemed to hint at a push following a name change and a mustache, but that lasted all of two weeks before he was back in limbo and disappeared off television. Whenever we did see him (usually to lose to someone with a storyline), it felt like he was on autopilot. Perhaps due to lack of motivation without a clear career direction.
This new pairing with Dolph Ziggler has proven to be a blessing in disguise. Not just as a means to bring him on television, but it seems like Roode has returned to form in the ring. Not sure if the new career trajectory is the sole reason or if this chemistry with Ziggler is truly kicking off, but Roode looked like a million bucks in the ring with the World Champion and his PPV challenger.
Roode was on fire tonight with every move he committed to looking crisp and smooth. Even better, Roode got the win by pinning that same champion. That in itself has to be a sign that WWE actually have bright plans for Mr. Roode going forward.
Paul Heyman has been reported to be high on Roode and if that truly is the reason for Roode’s push, then that’s great for Roode. But above all else, just putting a main event talent like him in significant storylines has done wonders for him.
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Hopefully, this pairing with Ziggler lasts awhile and with titles in their grasp, we should expect these two to stick to each other like glue for the foreseeable future. The more they play off each other, the more Roode has to do and more likely that the main event talent actually becomes a main eventer. He is just one step away from becoming glorious again.