Backstage Update On WWE's Plans For Jaxson Ryker

Here's what WWE has planned for the goober dribbler going forward.

Jaxson Ryker Vanilla Beardman
WWE.com

Jaxson Ryker will be pushed, promoted, and presented as a babyface going forward, reports PWInsider's Mike Johnson.

This week's episode of Raw saw WWE pipe cheers into the ThunderDome while Ryker was involved in a match with former tag team partner Elias. Per Johnson, Ryker has, indeed, turned face.

The former Marine scored a countout victory over Elias, who walked out on the match after around three minutes. Preceded by what looked to be a standard singalong Elias segment before Jaxson's interruption, it was set up the previous week, when Elias walked away from a tag match pitting him and Ryker against AJ Styles and Omos.

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Brought back to television in December 2020, long after his Forgotten Sons partnership with Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake had been dissolved, Ryker was placed alongside Elias as part of a new midcard heel act. He has since taken on the gimmick of an ex-Marine suffering from apparent PTSD, as referenced by Elias in this week's pre-match segment.

A WWE wrestler since May 2017, Ryker remains best known for a June 2020 Twitter flub that saw him attempt to capitalise on growing racial tensions in the United States to promote his wrestling catchphrase.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.