Should Zack Ryder be pushed?

[JM Punk]

Every time I see Zack Ryder in the ring, I come away impressed. I feel he has a charisma to him, and even though his gimmick is a 'Jersey Shore' knockoff, you would think the WWE would try to capitalize on it somewhat because of the popularity of that show. The few opportunities he gets, he has cut solid promos. He ditched the one legged tights for the short trunks, which to me is a more serious look. He is solid in the ring (or at least on par with the rest of the midcard roster), and I'm simply entertained every time I watch him.

The problem is that the only way that anyone can watch him is to either go to house shows, or watch Superstars, where he is a staple of that lineup. The few times he does make it to RAW, it is either part of some ridiculous story, like when he was a part of the 8 man tag match with Santino, Kozlov, Goldust, Regal, etc......or he is jobbing.

My question is simple, should Ryder get a push? I don't see any real reason not to have him at least in the midcard mix and in line for an eventual US Title shot.....

 

[LitasRevenge79]

I think he has more than proven himself. Considering he was a NXT pro, granted his rookie was the 1st voted off, but he has proven to be pretty professional as a PRO on the season. I've slowly grown to like him more and more. Watching him perform each time, I am anxious to see him in the running for a belt, whether it be a IC or US, you never know what can happen with roster changes. His arrogant charm is this charisma that I just adore, and yes, the ditching of the one legged tights has seemed to improve the maturity on him. I hope that making him a Pro this season would be a little bit of a push for him, and I would think that the WWE would be fools not to at least let him have a shot for something, I've seen him get some pops at a live event or two. He is quite the charmer and think he would do quite well, the charisma, the moves, and call me crazy, it does remind me a bit of a very new Christian from the old E&C days a bit with the annoying catch phrases.

 

[Rayne]

I confess this is a pretty shitty reason for not liking a wrestler, but I just can't get over those stupid looking tights. Yeah, it's different, I get it, but there's cool-different and stupid-different.

Beyond that I really don't have an opinion on him, which isn't a good sign for a wrestler. He needs to make me care about more than his stupid looking gear.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

If I'm not mistaken it almost seemed like they were starting a push for him a little while back. Correct me if I'm wrong, cuz I'm going straight off of memory, but didn't he compete in a 3 way on Raw for the US Title awhile back? I feel like he was getting pushed and then they stopped it.

I definitely wouldn't complain too much if they did. However, they need to change his Rough Ryder from a finishing move to a signature move. It's not finisher quality. I thought it was just a signature move, but I've been seeing him get finishes off of it lately.

 

[The Doctor]

Well, Rayne, he's changed his tights to some normal trunks, so I guess you have to like him now!

Yes, Zack Ryder should be pushed. He's young, he's talented, and he has a great unique gimmick that he plays to a T. He's funny on the mic, and as evidenced with his match with Bourne yesterday and his matches on ECW, exciting in the ring. He may never be a main event level talent, but not everyone is destined to win The Big One. He would make a very strong US Champion in the future.

 

[Coverdude]

If Zack Ryder was to get he would have to drop that whole staten island jerk thing, and have to get a new finishing move (i mean what is his anyway?) I say if a loser like the miz can ge a push than zack ryder deserves one too.

 

[marklouis]

Why not? The Miz will move into the main event picture exclusively at some point, so there will need to be contenders for the US title. You would have R-Truth as a face contender, maybe even title holder, or Evan Bourne could fill that role. You need heel contenders. DiBiase, Ryder, maybe one of the Nexus guys. I think Ryder has improved recently, so why not give him a shot.

 

[Vintage]

Lets see..

Cool Hair : check
He's from Long Island, the girls are not hot enough in Staten Island
Cool Entrance Theme: it has to be, the radio told me so.
Cool Catchphrase? WWWYKI
I mean he's Zacked, only tans one leg and calls everyone bro. I smell solid midcard champion.

Hell yeah I'd push this Jersey Shore wannabe. WWE are missing the boat on Long Island Iced Z. All he needs to do is start fist pumping a bit more and hook up with Rosa again, she made for a good snooki.
This gimmick is going to end up just like Burchills pirate gimmick, tossed to the side ignoring the obvious slam dunk since these are actually relevant to todays pop culture. Sometimes it's all about timing and this is the time to get a gimmick like this over with no effort.

 

[The King]

For sure this guy needs to be pushed. When I first saw him come out with his recent gimmick I thought he'd last about a month. Now that I've seen him in the ring, and how he can cut fairly good promos, I'm impressed. He has the look, he has charisma, and he has that theme song that gets stuck in your head every time you hear it. This guy is deserving a push.

 

[Steve Rogers]

They guy is for sure talented enough to be a fixture in the US/IC title scene, as a strong Mid-carder, maybe making occasional ME match appearances. I can not see him as World Champion though. Nothing wrong with that ether not every person who enters the E is meant to be a future World Champion.

 

[LigerBomb]

...Out a ten story window preferably. At least maybe he'd make an semi-entertaining mess on the concrete. In the ring, no such luck. The guy simply bores me most of the time. And when he doesn't I hate him. And not in the good " I'm a heel getting heat" way. More like the "X-Pac heat"/change the channel way. If I absolutely had to book him on shows it would be in comedy jobber roles that emphasis the fact that jersey shore wanna-bes are just that, losers only good for a laugh.

 

[airvar]

Really can't see a Zack Ryder push unless the Miz or Jericho turn face.. There body type, and in-character attitude is just too similar to have 3 heels floating around the mid-card on the same show like that.

If Jericho turns face, or the miz moves to the main event for good, then a ryder push could be in our future..

 

[LascoX]

I'm just not terribly impressed by Zack rider. His whole woo, woo thing to me is more of an Adam Sandler Whoopidy dooo I could really care less thing. Yes he does have tallent, but so did Stevie Ritchards and Zack reminds me alot of him. Possibly if the pushed him differently he might impress me more but the whole Jersy shore thing does absolutely nothing for me.

 

[kissfan85]

I can't get over the tights.
He may be a good wrestler but I just can't take him seriously

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

If or when Evan Bourne wins the US title...I would like to see an interesting feud, and I mean a real feud between the 2, it would give these little wrestlers a chance at some gold and i'm sure with a few good feuds the title won't be unknown or lose any prestege (spelling?)..

Zack Ryder was getting the guest host push when it ws running every week I mean he came out msot times and did something with the guest hosts...I think it was his time to get push.. i mean him nd Fox split and Fox got taste of gold before he did... Unlucky bro!!

 

[Trill Co$by]

The Miz's reality gimmick didn't work and he wasn't doing anything until they put him into the Chick Magnet gimmick and teamed him with Morrison...

Zack Ryder, IMO, is in the same boat as The Miz was. Right now, he's just not interesting to me. Yes, he has the charisma, but the gimmick he has is "meh" and that's me being nice. In all honesty, he needs something different.

His in ring work is there, but other than that I am not impressed. Maybe it's just me, but I don't know. As for pushing him... not now. Give him more time. Maybe team him with someone like Alex Riley or something for a bit. Yeah Alex hasn't won NXT yet, but he will.

 

[Version4]

OOOOOHHHHHH RAAADIOOOOOOO!!!!!!! That song gets stuck in my head, and...I have to be honest.... it's one of my favorite theme songs!

With that being said, Ryder does tend to bore me in the ring. He also strikes me as someone who just hasn't clicked that switch to take it to the next level. I mean, he has charisma, but just needs a tiny bit more. He's got a great look (now that he's ditched the one leg tights), but his pace seems a little too slow... like it doesn't quite fit him.

I think a gimmick change might be in order. Not a total change, but a transition from the amateur catch phrases to something more mature. i like the kid from club guy from Jersey gimmick, but maybe he can transition it to more of a "Long Island Hero" type of gimmick.... a mix of Jersey Shore and Edge circa 2005. A much more aggressive Ryder, with a quicker and more deliberate pace.

His biggest problem is that no one takes him seriously. Now, don't think i'm crazy here... but I really believe a face turn for him might not be a bad thing. In fact, here's the perfect way. Give him a few promos where he declares himself "Long Island's Hero". Have him be picked on by other superstars as a "joke" for the next month or so... the Dibiase's and the Morrison's and the like. Maybe even have Miz pick on him as well. A down-trodden Ryder starts to doubt himself a little. Team him with Miz (since Ryder seems to be the only guy that can stomach him), and have Miz and Ryder team together 3 weeks in a row and lose, and have Miz (or any other over heel) berate him again and again. On that 3rd week, Ryder speaks up for himself, and takes a slap. He clicks on the Miz and challenges for the U.S. titile belt. That way, you get an face U.S. Title holder that's fresh to the belt, and you get the U.S. Title off Miz so that he can go on to "other things"!

Excuse me for the post that turned into a slight bit of "fan fiction". In all honesty, though... maybe we need a face Ryder... imagine the pop when "Oh Radio" starts blaring through the arena for a face Ryder. I mean, i want to like Ryder... I really do... he just needs something to put him over the top.

 

[The Crock]

He's not ready for a push just right now. He could be a decent player in the mid card scene, and could challenge for the US Title.. but he shouldn't win it yet. Ryder does get a decent crowd reaction, and he does cut great promos... he has some real potential. Some day down the road I can see him being a real main event player, just not yet.

 

[brainsuks1234]

Yes. He deserves a push with out a doubt. Look at him on ecw with his tommy dreamer story line. I thought that was going too push him and give him some good hype heading into raw. Ended up wrong. But Ryder Has the talent too be a U.S champion. Hopefully wwe can do the same thing they did too Miz too Zack. Dont be shocked in 1 year too see Ryder where The miz was 2 months ago.

 

[billm75]

For Zack to get a good push, the really need to elevate the US Title's prestige. Not that the Miz isn't doing right by it, but since they're really trying to give Miz a Main Event push right now, he can't do justice to the title. (I'm a Miz mark, and never want to see him lose anything)

But as a realist, they need to get that US title off of the Miz, give it back to R-Truth, someone who's Majorly over with the fans, and let him begin defending it properly. Miz no longer needs that belt, he's Miz In The Bank.

Once that title goes to a face, it's time to push Zack. Bring some importance back to the title, make it more than just a stepping stone, like they used to do with the IC belt back in the 80's. Let Zack run for it, not attain it, and run for it again, finally emerging victorious. Run this over the course of 6 months and everyone can believe he deserves it. The man is good on the mic, good in the ring and aside from his stupid "woo woo woo", I like him.

 

[X]

Definitely, to a certain degree. He should be feuding in the US or IC title divisions but instead he's stuck jobbing on Superstars and being a judge on NXT. He's talented on the mic and in the ring, and he can get heel heat from the crowd---there's literally nothing more you can ask of a young wrestler. Obviously it's still very early in his career and it'll be quite awhile before he's ready for title wins and possible pushes towards the upper card, but this is how you build superstars for the future, you have to push them and keep at it, it works when done correctly as the likes of CM Punk, Sheamus, Jack Swagger and The Miz have shown us. Ryder would be perfect competition for someone like R-Truth in the US title division, have those two work an actual program with a feud that lasts longer than a week or two and it could go over pretty well, Ryder can get good heat and R-Truth is ridiculously over these days, pretty much guaranteed success in that formula.

 

[Oracular Spectacular]

I think Ryder should fill that roll of The Miz when Miz takes that final push into Main Event status. Ryder is perfect for the role

1. He is Young- The WWE can use him for a long time and build him into a marketable wrestler for years to come. Right now he is the wrestler that everyone loves to hate. He can continue as a huge heel and eventually win a title and make himself look credible. Building apon him as a cdredible heel will get him enoug heat that if they want to turn him face he will have that Rock effect when The Rock made him big face turn asfter being a heel for so long. I have always thought making a MAJOR heel a face eventually is very marketable because the wrestler is already so well known that seeing him as a good guy will really get the crowd behind him.....of course you usually need either an established heel or an up and coming heel for him to feud with.

He is Charismatic- He invented his gimmick, his into, his attire...EVERYTHING. He is marketing himself like The Rock did back in the 90's. All he needs is the push and the fans will eat him up.

He is getting better- When he first showed up as a memebr of the Edgeheads you could tell how green he was. Now he is growing, and becoming more and more innovative with his moves. All he needs is a memorable signiture move(I really think his Leg Lariat could be) and you have a move people remember when thinking of the wrestler.

He is WWE Made- He is not a TNA or ROH castaway, he is WWE born and bread. The WWE needs to build stars under its own promotion to get better, not borrowing stars from the Indies. Tehse days the Indies are too well know, guys like Danielson(though he is marketable) Tyler Black, Necro Butcher, Austin Aries, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, these guys have all already made a nich for themselves, a guy who is born into the WWE system should be built for stardom. Its a different world in the WWE and if you can survive from the depts of the developments to the main roster you should be treated well.

 

[The Peep Show]

I think he should get pushed to the US title.
He has everything someone needs, charisma, a catchphrase WOO WOO WOO you know it, a solid moveset and just has a certain aura about him. I'm glad he ditched the stupid Zack Attack finisher and is using the Rough Ryder now.
When he was on ECW he was having some solid matches, especially a few great one against Christian, if he is going to get pushed though I think he need a valet like with what he had with Rosa Mendes, it just seems to fit his character. Or maybe he could move to SmackDown where they focus on the mid card division a bit more and could team up with Dolph and they could both be Vickie's playboys.

 

[oldschool123]

I'm a little bit surprised that so many people disliked his one legged trunks so much, I thought they made him unique and even kindof added to his "douche" gimmic.

EDIT to add that I think he could use a push, at least a mini one to see how it goes.