Ryback is the 21st century answer to the Ultimate Warrior, and should only be treated as such. Until he passed away and we all had time to think, write think-pieces and talk to our friends about our favorite Warrior moments, it's likely that none of us could truly explain the phenomenon of why the Ultimate Warrior was a superstar. Similarly, it may be a generation until we can all sit down, think about the past few years of WWE programming, and allow Ryback's popularity to make sense. However, for the here and now, let's all get behind "The Big Guy" and enjoy the ride. Similar to Warrior, when Ryback cuts promos you don't so much listen as just stare in complete amazement at the spittle flying from his mouth, his seemingly cross-eyed stare, and how aggressive, red-faced and inexplicably sweaty he is. As well, no other WWE superstar looks like Ryback. Yes, with RVD gone he's the only guy wearing air-brushed tights, but from the tights, to the boots to the pads and the weight belt, he looks like a create-a-wrestler gone mad in the accessories section of WWE No Mercy for the N64. RVD-meets-Hogan-meets-Warrior-meets our collective imagination, he's a superstar with bizarre appeal and unlimited upside. Now do we want Ryback to be the WWE Champion? No. Would we want to see him chase the title or win (and immediately lose) the title after a brief run? Possibly. In now finding his niche and developing in his role, a key cog in a re-tooling WWE has (finally) hit the scene. It's feeding time!
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
