12 Ups And 15 Downs For WWE In 2016
10. Ryder’s Mania Moment
2016 did not end well for Zack Ryder, but the year did start off with a nice feel-good moment.
Inserted into an Intercontinental Championship ladder match at WrestleMania XXXII at the last minute, Ryder seemed like more of an afterthought, just there to get a Mania entrance and paycheck as a “thank you” for his dedication to the company. Instead, he got much more.
With the Miz on the verge of capturing his umpteenth IC title reign, Ryder raced up the ladder and shoved Miz off, pulling down the strap himself to leave WrestleMania as the Intercontinental Champion.
Sadly, Ryder’s title reign was purely transitional, as he lost the title the next night to the Miz (who would hold the IC title for much of 2016), but from a purely feel-good moment status, Ryder’s win delivered.