WWE's 53 Wrestlers Ranked From Worst To Best

39. Zack Ryder

wwe roster
WWE.com

Pros:

1. Managed to become incredibly popular all by himself with his Internet show

2. Has lots of charisma

3. Is a natural comedy character

Cons:

1. Was de-pushed severely by WWE management, possibly because he got over without them

2. Rarely appears on WWE programming anymore

3. And when he does, it’s to lose in quick fashion

Zack Ryder is a prime example of micromanagement on steroids: no one gets over unless Vince McMahon has something to do with it; otherwise you get punished for doing things on your own.

Ryder was directionless after his split with former partner Curt Hawkins. So, instead of waiting for a storyline to be given to him, Ryder did things his way by starting his own Internet show, ‘Z! True Long Island Story.’ Filled with tongue-in-cheek jabs at his employer and genuine comedy, Ryder’ popularity soared to such a point that fans were chanting his name, very loudly at times, and so WWE reluctantly gave him a push.

However, once his mid-card push reached its zenith, WWE punished him for doing things his own way and turned him into cannon fodder for other wrestlers. Ryder has been a glorified jobber for a very long time now, to a point where some worry that he might be future endeavored soon. Hopefully he won’t, because he has some genuine comedic skills and sustained popularity that make him a useful low or mid-card act.

Final Rating: **

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Contributor

Alexander Podgorski is a writer for WhatCulture that has been a fan of professional wrestling since he was 8 years old. He loves all kinds of wrestling, from WWE and sports entertainment, to puroresu in Japan. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in Political Studies and French, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. He speaks English, French, Polish, a bit of German, and knows some odd words and phrases in half a dozen other languages.