Zack Ryder's 10 Biggest Underdog Moments In WWE
6. Beating Dolph Ziggler (Raw, 19 September 2011)
The celebrities that were invited to host Raw each week were deplorable more often than not, mostly because they didn't care about the product and therefore the fans didn't care about them. But Hugh Jackman was an entirely different story.
The world-renowned actor's Raw homecoming in September 2011 was rudely interrupted by then-United States champion Dolph Ziggler, who demanded respect from Jackman. Instead, Jackman promised to put Ziggler in a match with the biggest underdog he could find, and according to the WWE Universe, that was Zack Ryder.
Through the increasing popularity of his "Z! True Long Island Story" web show, Ryder had been trying to land a spot on Raw for months. He would wrestle on the flagship here and there, but never in a meaningful match. This was his first major opportunity to prove to not only fans but also officials that he could live up to the hype when it mattered most.
Ryder had a strong showing versus Ziggler that evening, but it was a wicked right punch from Jackman to the jaw of Ziggler on the ring apron that provided Ryder with the opening he needed to score the victory. It was the ultimate endorsement for the former tag team champion as he prepared to chase the championship.