Jack Is Back

Sam Pierce / February 19, 2013 - 12:27pm

When it comes to wrestling, I’m a heel guy. There’s something about getting behind a heel when you’re at a live show. The rest of the crowd is booing their heads off, only to turn around and see you, the lone fan cheering for the ruthless villain. I love that feeling. At any point in wrestling, there’s often one heel who I choose to follow and support on his way to the top. This time, it’s Jack Swagger. Recently returning after a 6-month hiatus, Jack Swagger has gone through a much-needed character revamp and has already earned a main event match for the world title at WrestleMania.

Swagger’s held the gold before but his last reign, as World Heavyweight Champion, was less than successful. He only held the title for a couple months and was constantly made to look weak. After seeing his significance decrease over the following two years, Jack Swagger was taken off television. It’s no question that he had the potential to be a top superstar but WWE creative didn’t feel the same way. I can’t really complain though because his recent return to action has been awesome.

First of all, Jack has undergone a makeover. He now sports a full beard and hair that’s not held in place by copious amounts of gel. It isn’t anything drastic but enough to make you say, “yeah, there’s something different about this guy”. Subtle changes to his character have also been made. No longer is he “the all American, American, American, American, American, American, American… American. Simply put, he’s “a real American”, now. Throw in some epic new theme music that I’ve been humming ever since Elimination Chamber on Sunday and last, but certainly not least – the addition of Zeb Colter as his manager, you’ve got yourself a new and improved Jack Swagger.

We all know that Jack has a lisp and I sometimes find it hard to take what he’s saying seriously when every sentence ends with a “th” sound. Having Zeb Colter as his spokesperson is an amazing fix for this and will only do good for Swag’s persona.

WWE has gone full throttle with Jack Swagger's “true American, professional wrestler” gimmick and it’s being executed perfectly. However, usually it’s a role that’s taken on by a face. WWE is based out of the US, so one would think that a character who is from the same homeland and has the same values as the fans would be liked by them. Although, this time, it’s a different story. After winning the Elimination Chamber match to become the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, Jack Swagger will face Alberto Del Rio at WrestleMania. That’s right, the foreigner will play the face and the local will play the heel. That’s something we certainly don’t see very often.

Jack Swagger’s return has gotten me so excited, that I’ve found myself caring less and less about my previous favorite “bad guy” Dolph Ziggler. Now, that’s the work of an effective heel. However, I do look forward to a potential meeting between the two former friends, somewhere in the foreseeable future.

Jack Swagger’s return to the top could be epic and I can’t wait for him to dethrone the ever so generic Alberto Del Bore-o at WrestleMania. We, as fans, have to help Swagger through this journey. Without support, history could repeat itself and Swagger could be back to the mid-card before you can say… “We, the people!”

What do you guys think of Jack Swaggers return? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading