10 Wrestlers And Their Biggest Fears
5. Ryback And Reverse Kinesophobia
Facing the opposite direction of travel while on the bus or subway is a daily fact of life for many commuters, one that at worst might result in a bit of nausea or motion sickness. Nothing a bit of Pepto-Bismol won't fix. For others the mere thought of moving backwards is a terrifying prospect to be avoided at all costs. Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Ryback spent years paralyzed by his fear of moving backwards - and we're not talking about him sliding down the card after the end of his undefeated streak.
To Ryback's credit, in late 2015 The Big Guy devoted himself to burying his fear once and for all, completing a surprisingly graceful backflip on a trampoline after almost a hundred tries. Given his numerous struggles in facing down allegations of being dangerous in the ring and a carbon copy of Goldberg, it's probably safe to assume Ryback needed a win here. Well done, Big Guy.
Conquering a longstanding fear is a genuine triumph, even when it's accomplished by someone who looks like he could rip the trunk off an elephant. As Ryback so eloquently stated in his original Instagram post on the subject, "it is never too late to be what you want to be." Sometimes fear really is the mind-killer. Give it a stiff clothesline.