For this installment of my mania series we're going back to a more recent WrestleMania. Let's go back only three years to WM28. This time we'll visit the mid card instead of the main event. The proposed match is Zack Ryder vs. Kane.
Your first instinct may be to think this match is more suited for Main Event than WrestleMania but the right story can make a match work. If you were on this forum in 2011 you may remember Zack Ryder was a favorite around here. To be honest I was never a big fan of the guy but I saw why others liked him. I thought he had a good character but I always thought it was one meant for the low mid card even though so many others thought he should have been pushed to the moon. After a year or so of ignoring Ryder's developing following in late 2011/early 2012 it looked like he was finally going to get a shot. He won the US title at TLC and all of a sudden he was best buds with John Cena. With things going his way Ryder also tried to pursue a relationship with Eve. It looked like Ryder's dreams were finally starting to come true but those dreams would quickly turn into a nightmare.
In early 2012 Kane returned from a brief hiatus and targeted John Cena. Kane attacked Ryder on several occasions just because he was Cena's friend. Eventually Kane cost Ryder his US title and nearly crippled him after a brutal attack. Eve told Ryder she just wanted to be friends and later shared an impulsive kiss with Cena while Ryder was being taken away in an ambulance after another Kane attack. Both Cena and Eve expressed immediate remorse and eventually Ryder forgave both of them but remained a target of Kane. Ryder had become an inspirational underdog that fans could relate to and they wanted to see him succeed more than ever. With all this going on during the road to WrestleMania I think Zack Ryder vs. Kane in a no holds barred match could have worked at WM28.
It's really a simple story, which often turn into the best stories. You have the beloved underdog standing up for himself against the psychotic monster in a match he has seemingly no chance to win. The way I see it is Ryder is just getting decimated which eventually brings Eve to the ring begging Kane for mercy. Kane turns his attention to Eve and slowly stalks her before grabbing her by the throat (or wrist if PG wouldn't allow a throat grab on a woman). This lights a fire under Ryder and he comes to life to save Eve. Since it's no holds barred Ryder can use chairs, trash cans, or anything else to neutralize Kane and eventually get the pin. After the match a beaten down Ryder looks at a teary eyed Eve and the two embrace, a la Randy Savage and Elizabeth at WM7, showing that they are now more than just friends. The crowd roars with approval and we have an emotional mania moment.
Why wouldn't it work? Well we are talking about Zack Ryder here. He ain't no Randy Savage and Eve ain't no Elizabeth. This is a low card guy that got a little attention for a couple weeks. It's hard to get a good spot on mania these days so I don't know that others would be pushed aside in favor of Ryder. In fact I know they wouldn't as it was Randy Orton that actually wrestled Kane at the event. I just think that match had no real feeling to it and it ended up falling flat. Obviously Orton was way higher in the pecking order than Ryder but the drama involved would have more than made up for the difference in star power. Again, I'm not a big Ryder supporter but I think the timing was right and the story was there to give him a mania moment.
What do you think? Could this match have worked at WM28 or was Ryder simply a filler guy not meant to get a solo shot at glory?
Your first instinct may be to think this match is more suited for Main Event than WrestleMania but the right story can make a match work. If you were on this forum in 2011 you may remember Zack Ryder was a favorite around here. To be honest I was never a big fan of the guy but I saw why others liked him. I thought he had a good character but I always thought it was one meant for the low mid card even though so many others thought he should have been pushed to the moon. After a year or so of ignoring Ryder's developing following in late 2011/early 2012 it looked like he was finally going to get a shot. He won the US title at TLC and all of a sudden he was best buds with John Cena. With things going his way Ryder also tried to pursue a relationship with Eve. It looked like Ryder's dreams were finally starting to come true but those dreams would quickly turn into a nightmare.
In early 2012 Kane returned from a brief hiatus and targeted John Cena. Kane attacked Ryder on several occasions just because he was Cena's friend. Eventually Kane cost Ryder his US title and nearly crippled him after a brutal attack. Eve told Ryder she just wanted to be friends and later shared an impulsive kiss with Cena while Ryder was being taken away in an ambulance after another Kane attack. Both Cena and Eve expressed immediate remorse and eventually Ryder forgave both of them but remained a target of Kane. Ryder had become an inspirational underdog that fans could relate to and they wanted to see him succeed more than ever. With all this going on during the road to WrestleMania I think Zack Ryder vs. Kane in a no holds barred match could have worked at WM28.
It's really a simple story, which often turn into the best stories. You have the beloved underdog standing up for himself against the psychotic monster in a match he has seemingly no chance to win. The way I see it is Ryder is just getting decimated which eventually brings Eve to the ring begging Kane for mercy. Kane turns his attention to Eve and slowly stalks her before grabbing her by the throat (or wrist if PG wouldn't allow a throat grab on a woman). This lights a fire under Ryder and he comes to life to save Eve. Since it's no holds barred Ryder can use chairs, trash cans, or anything else to neutralize Kane and eventually get the pin. After the match a beaten down Ryder looks at a teary eyed Eve and the two embrace, a la Randy Savage and Elizabeth at WM7, showing that they are now more than just friends. The crowd roars with approval and we have an emotional mania moment.
Why wouldn't it work? Well we are talking about Zack Ryder here. He ain't no Randy Savage and Eve ain't no Elizabeth. This is a low card guy that got a little attention for a couple weeks. It's hard to get a good spot on mania these days so I don't know that others would be pushed aside in favor of Ryder. In fact I know they wouldn't as it was Randy Orton that actually wrestled Kane at the event. I just think that match had no real feeling to it and it ended up falling flat. Obviously Orton was way higher in the pecking order than Ryder but the drama involved would have more than made up for the difference in star power. Again, I'm not a big Ryder supporter but I think the timing was right and the story was there to give him a mania moment.
What do you think? Could this match have worked at WM28 or was Ryder simply a filler guy not meant to get a solo shot at glory?
