After a long-term ankle injury halted his time in Nexus as Skip Sheffield, a new look and Goldberg II gimmick change got Ryback incredibly over with young fans. Showing up just after WrestleMania 28, Ryback went on an impressive undefeated streak and quickly became one of the companys top faces with his FEED ME MORE catchphrase, intense style and Shell Shocked finisher. At the same time, CM Punk was amidst his historical title reign, managed by Paul Heyman. After attacking Mick Foley on RAW, Ryback confronted him and began the feud. Eventually, Punk had to choose between Ryback and John Cena as Hell in a Cell opponents, with Cena stepping aside. In the match, Ryback eventually got to Punk and went on to dominate the fight, with the Second City Saint doing just enough to stay competitive. Then, out of nowhere, referee Brad Maddox helped Punk by low blowing Ryback and quick-counting the roll-up. In just 11 minutes, Rybacks 38-match streak ended thanks to Maddox. The finish made sense, keeping the title on Punk whilst ending Rybacks streak in a way that saved face. After the match, Ryback followed Punk on top of the Cell and Shell Shocked him. Not on was the match quick and part of a brand new feud, it showed that perhaps Ryback couldnt cut it as a main event player. A year later, the same fight took place but with a reversal of roles Ryback was now the heel accompanied by Heyman. The 2013 match was actually better and, in a nod to the original match, saw Punk attack Heyman post-match on top of the Cell.
From Chester-le-Street, with Newcastle as my spiritual home. 24 years old, I'm at Sunderland University studying for a Sports Journalism MA. It's all about football and WWE. Wordplay jokes and puns are also encouraged.
