Zack Ryder Last ReZort

[Troy]

[YOUTUBE]sXULuZdiLyE[/YOUTUBE]

​

Zack Ryder is trying once again to get over using Youtube. He had an incredible run starting in 2011 thanks to the popularity of his show Long Island Iced Z! He went from not appearing on RAW and Smackdown to being a regular, winning the US title and maineventing a couple of RAWs. He was hugely over and a massive merchandise seller throughout that time. Then WWE had that Eve/Ryder/Cena weird love triangle storyline that just ended up burying him. He did have a good run though but has completely faded away in the past six months. He was one of the first to take full advantage of social media and still has a strong following there but can he actually translate that into another strong run on television.

Can he actually make it again or was it just a one off deal? Do you think that he needs to alter his gimmick at all if he is to succeed on the main roster for a long period of time? Do you think he has enough talent to warrant another strong midcard run?

 

[Andrew]

Would be nice pairing him up with Hawkins, can't really see the fans getting behind him again.

 

[Weez]

It's too bad you have the Shield running around in a gimmick that could work for Ryder. (Damn, the Hate I'm about to get for that one lol)

Don't get me wrong, I love the Shield, and they're doing amazing things, but who better to write the wrongs and injustices in the WWE? A bunch of guys who weren't on the main roster, or a bunch of unpushed guys getting looked over for too long who decided to take matters into their own hands?

Ryder needs a gimmick change. Drop the Woo Woo Woo shit, get angry (like I'm sure he really is), get Hawkins, and go have some fun. I like the guy. I think he's got charisma, and is a good hand in the ring. I think he's gotten about as far as he will get with his current gimmick, it's no longer relevant to begin with, time to refresh and reapply.

 

[Nevermore Arcanum]

Given current events on Ryder, this would be THE time for a heel turn. WAIT-WAIT-WAIT-HOLD UP! Hear me out.

I know that heel turning is the "internet thing to do", and normally I'm not a big fan of useless character shifts for no real reason (see Miz for details). In Ryder's case, however, it's not. Here's what I mean: Notice how whenever Cena enters a feud (Show, Kane, Ryback, etc.) Ryder pays the price? That would be the PERFECT catalyst for a rift (possibly even a feud) between them.

So, while I hate jumping on the "heel" bandwagon, this time it just makes sense.

 

[Dale]

The guy just needs a whole character overhaul from top to bottom, like literally drop everything that's related to his shitty old gimmick and maybe then I might have just the slightest of interests in Ryder.

 

[We Are Legion]

I gave up on him a long time ago. Just turn him heel already ffs and just let him get buried by Randy Orton so he can go out in a blaze of glory at least.

 

[PHX]

It's too bad you have the Shield running around in a gimmick that could work for Ryder. (Damn, the Hate I'm about to get for that one lol)

Don't get me wrong, I love the Shield, and they're doing amazing things, but who better to write the wrongs and injustices in the WWE? A bunch of guys who weren't on the main roster, or a bunch of unpushed guys getting looked over for too long who decided to take matters into their own hands?

Ryder needs a gimmick change. Drop the Woo Woo Woo shit, get angry (like I'm sure he really is), get Hawkins, and go have some fun. I like the guy. I think he's got charisma, and is a good hand in the ring. I think he's gotten about as far as he will get with his current gimmick, it's no longer relevant to begin with, time to refresh and reapply.

Was wondering where you were going with that opening statement but it isn't a bad thought at all. He def needs a character change playing a bitter character who has had enough. He doesn't exactly have to be heel for it either. This current character ran its course and pretty much got as far as he could have gotten with it. Now it is time for him to play a serious character to give himself a real shot in lasting in WWE.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

Not a fan of this, because now everybody knows it's all scripted bullshit owned by WWE. Needs to get rid of the Jersey Shore character because he isn't doing it very well.

 

[Chris]

Just don't care for the guy anymore. He isn't bad on the mic and can play the crowd good, decent enough in the ring, but I don't see him every being more than he is now, not even another midcard title run. It was a fun run while it lasted, his whole "getting himself over through Internet" and him finally winning the US title thing, definitely fun.

I'd say pair him back up with Hawkins, but really Hawkins deserves a better partner (but still should be in the tag division.)

 

[Killz]

The fact that always annoys me is the fact that as far as ring hands go? He can actually work from a technical and story standpoint. He's the best from a crop of jobbers and enhancement talent at actually working a match from his brief run so it frustrates me to see him still saddled with his gimmick. Fact is, he's quite entertaining and pretty funny and maybe if he wasn't forcing the gimmick his mic work would be more natural. He's still ok as it is. Definitely needs a gimmick change or an alignment change or something and to work with guys who will make him look good. Working with Dolph was a god send. He needs another good foil if he's going to have another run at the top.

I figure don't give up on a guy who had that much self-made support and can work a good match. No point letting him go unless he chose to. He could still be a player on the show.

 

[Deezy]

Maybe he should get over with a character that isn't goofy, IWC wanted Ryder and that's what WWE gave him. Should've thought that through, maineventers can use comedy, but if its the whole character than it ain't going farther than that. Like Angle was goofy, but serious'd the fuck up when push time came. Jericho floundered by using the same goofy WCW heel tactics, but after the face turn and eliminated the utter goofball elements, he started getting feuds with maineventers.

Ryder's woo woo woo schtick had a shelf life, Jersey Shore is over. He needs to serious the fuck up, don't drop the ball when given storylines and learn that mugging to the crowd doesn't impress the agents nor the boss man.

 

[DeathChamberzMusic]

The issue is WWE don't know what to do with anyone who is not in there main event plan. They have the wrestlers to build a good IC and US division but don't bother structure it

 

[Deezy]

The issue is WWE don't know what to do with anyone who is not in there main event plan. They have the wrestlers to build a good IC and US division but don't bother structure it

You do know that WWFs main focus was always the maineventers. It wasn't until Vince Russo and Ferrara got to write storylines for everyone, than it was back to basics after that, everyone else would get over by match quality Nd jotting home runs when given screen time. This place is still basically the mafia, you only get attention when you start earning or get heat. Only time the higher ups take notice.

 

[Twist of Fate]

I'd honestly say the damage is done. He had some degree of popularity and it seemed as though that actually kinda rubbed WWE the wrong way more than anything else. At the very least they seemed reluctant to take advantage of his rising popularity. And IMO with the way they handled that Cena/Eve/Ryder it was simply designed to benefit Eve and Cena at Ryder's expense, kinda sabotaging all that attention he'd been receiving by practically setting him up to fail (whether intentionally or through strong indifference). That was my opinion at the time anyway.

It doesn't matter what he does so long as WWE don't want to get behind the guy and especially now more than ever. I honestly don't think he's capable of convincing WWE to reconsider or change their stance and without any kind of backing, I really don't think fans could even bring themselves to get behind him. It's partly similar to Kofi - he had his chance and he's pretty much ended up in that dead end position that would require something significant to change it.

 

[Troy]

His current gimmick has run it's course and he desperately needs to freshen up his character to stay relevant. Start to be more serious and keep the comedy to a minimum or do a complete u-turn with it. Turn heel and go on about the lack of opportunities for him even after his hugely successful campaign before. Have him get jobbed out and then right after cut a promo about how he is going nowhere, then the next week debut the new goof free Ryder. Shouldn't be too hard to create something decent out of it, there is plenty of ammunition there after how quickly he dropped away after the heights that he reached before. The heel turn basically writes itself so even WWE creative shouldn't be able to screw it up.