Zack Ryder's inclusion on this list is practically heartbreaking, if only because it seems to be the result of WWE giving a rather protracted middle finger to their audience. A popular saying WWE used to have, one you don't hear very much any more, involves "taking the brass ring" to rise to the top of the company. These days, unless you're scripted to take the brass ring, then you're to- as The Rock would say- "know your role and shut your mouth." That was a memo Zack Ryder received a bit too late, however. Not content with his spot near the bottom of the card, he began his own YouTube show called Z! True Long Island Story to gain some additional exposure for himself. Fans took notice and the "Ryder Revolution" soon began. WWE seemed to take some notice, as Ryder would appear on Raw more frequently. Soon, he was rubbing elbows with John Cena, and closed out 2011 by winning the United States Championship from Dolph Ziggler. Things were looking good for Ryder... and then it all came crashing down. First, he ended up as part of a feud between Kane and John Cena which also involved Eve Torres, one which saw him injured and wheelchair-bound before losing the U.S. title (while still injured) to Jack Swagger, never even receiving a proper chance to defend his title. He would get to go on to WrestleMania XXVIII as part of Teddy Long's team against that of John Laurinaitis for control of Smackdown, where Eve distracted Ryder to lose the match and delivered a low-blow afterward so powerful that it basically sent Zack back to the bottom of the card, where he's remained until today. It would seem that despite being popular with the fans, despite their signs, despite becoming one of the top sellers of merchandise for WWE, and even despite seemingly help spur the company's move towards social media, Zack Ryder just was not part of "the plan," and so WWE didn't care to make him a part of it for a longer duration. Ryder has risen and fallen, but he may yet rise again; on the October 9th, 2014 episode of WWE Superstars, he was able to pick up a victory over Heath Slater. It's not much, but maybe it's a start; the fact he was allowed to cut a promo about actually winning afterwards may yet mean that there's more on the horizon for "Long Island Iced Z."
Former Nintendo Power writer, current Nintendo Force writer. Wrote the book on Mega Man (The Robot Master Field Guide). Was once fired by Vince McMahon. Dabbles in video games, comic books, toys, and fast food curiosities. Once had a new species of exotic bird named after him. It died.
You can find more of his writings, musings, and other such things on his websites at Nyteworks.net.
