In 2008, Zack Ryder made his first impact as a WWE Superstar as one of the lackeys for "Rated R Superstar" Edge. Along with lifelong friend Curt Hawkins, Ryder became a featured part of Friday Night SmackDown and even won the WWE Tag Team Championships at the Great American Bash. When the La Familia faction split up later in the year, the tandem was left with nothing to do. Eventually, they were split up and Ryder went on to adopt a new character and star on the ECW brand. Donning a headband, sunglasses and rocking a pair of tights that featured one long leg and no leg on the other, he was different and made an impact on the audience because of it. He found himself a catchphrase ("Woo, Woo, Woo) and a finishing move he could do from out of nowhere (the Rough Ryder) and looked to be a potential breakout star for the company. His biggest match to date came when he challenged Christian for the ECW Championship. He lost that match but put in a great showing. Upon being moved to Raw, however, he fell out of sight and mind. He became a jobber and lost to just about everyone put in the ring with him. Frustrated and fed up with his position on the roster, he released a series of YouTube videos that showcased his humor and desire to be a star in the business he loved while growing up in Long Island. The videos caught on and chants of "We Want Ryder" filled arenas across the globe. So loud were they that top stars such as CM Punk, John Cena and The Rock had no choice but to acknowledge them. By the end of 2011, Ryder found himself engaged in a rivalry with Dolph Ziggler over the United States Championship. The two had tremendous chemistry, had built the feud on their own via Ryder's "Z! True Long Island Story" show and were part of one of the most memorable celebrity appearances in Raw history involving High Jackman. There was a great deal of momentum behind the feud and their match at the December TLC pay-per-view was among the most anticipated on the show. Ryder won the match and celebrated with his father and friends at ringside. It felt like the crowning of a new era of WWE, one in which the company listened to the fans and rewarded hard work. Instead, Ryder's title reign ended a month later and WWE's resident Broski became the punching bag for Kane. By the summer of 2012, he was irrelevant, spending his Mondays, Tuesdays and pay-per-view Sundays in catering while lesser-deserving stars shined on WWE television. His will almost shattered, Ryder took to Twitter and other forms of social media to complain about the injustice that had befallen him. It did not help and to this day, Ryder finds himself wasting away on the undercard, working the house shows and waiting for his contract with the company to run out.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
