10 Images Showcasing Precise Moments Wrestlers Got Over

2. Staring Through The Soul Of The Second City Saint

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Ryback was massively over in the autumn of 2012.

His monster push was hastened after John Cena suffered an injury in the midst of his feud with CM Punk. WWE felt nobody else but "The Big Guy" had been sufficiently built up as a credible opponent for Punk's WWE Heavyweight Title. The problem was that Ryback, though protected, was considered by many in arenas as a plagiarist. The bald head, the undefeated streak, the mute intensity - all were hallmarks of Goldberg, and fans saw through the act. A confluence of factors, however - the dearth of stars elsewhere, the reassurance that WWE had designs on pushing somebody new, Ryback's conviction of performance - all converged to generate a massive reaction at the close of the September 24, 2012 edition of Monday Night RAW.

Punk levelled Mick Foley in the backstage area after bailing from a lead pipe-wielding Cena in the ring. Punk walked away before turning back around to gloat. He froze in place. The camera panned over to a grunting Ryback. The fans popped. This was Cena's replacement, and they salivated at the prospect of new blood entering the main event scene. Whether it was the prospect of Ryback himself - or what he symbolised - remains debatable.

Later events suggest the latter, but the power of that moment was quantifiable. CM Punk Vs. Ryback drew bumper PPV business by the standards of the time.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!