10 Things We Learned From Matt Cardona & Brian Myers On Talk Is Jericho

2. How Ryder Changed WWE Policy Forever

John Cena Zack Ryder 2011
WWE.com

One of the best stories on the pod about real WWE life came from Curt Hawkins.

He spoke up on Ryder's behalf (Zack was a little coy about telling this tale and patting himself on the back) and said that his friend changed WWE policy forever thanks to his own efforts. Before Ryder exploded and fans trolled management with endless chants supporting him, the company would hold a grand meeting before the Raw after WrestleMania every year.

During it, they'd describe a "fresh start" and ask who was going to grab the mystical "brass ring" this year. Hawkins claims that stopped happening, mainly because they realised it was total bullsh*t. "If they don't want you to have it, then you're not gonna' have it", he said, before saying that Jericho could back him up on that.

Ryder was pretty much punished for getting himself over when WWE didn't have plans to push him. He was stealing attention away from others they did want to spotlight, and that didn't sit well with Vince McMahon or his creative team.

WWE realised they couldn't run those rah-rah speeches anymore.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.