Where is Ryder?

[jameswalsh292]

On Monday there was a battle royale on Raw, I thought for sure that Ryder would at least feature. He didn't. After that I began to wonder when was the last time I seen him. Cant recall. He may have been on Smack down recently, I only rarely catch Smackdown.

I like Ryder, I admire his determination to be noticed and I root for him. I dont see Ryder being WWE Champ, at least not with his current character, but I enjoy his work.

With all that I would like to know where Ryder is? Is he injured, sent back to development or just hanging out on superstars? Could he be on the verge of being released?

Do you miss Ryder?

 

[akathelaw]

The last appearance of Ryder on TV that I remember was when Cena picked Bryan as his Summerslam opponent. Ryder appeared on the ramp with the other wrestlers, and he was standing next to someone who looked really out of place. You can see the guy in this pic, on the right with the Brooklyn jersey on.

Ryder looks really uninterested in being there. As a fan, seeing him standing so close to a non-wrestler displays the bad attitude I assume he has backstage. I don't view Ryder as a determined WWE wrestler interested in a title shot from Cena... I see a pouty teenager who tries to undermine his employers consantly when he's dissatisfied.

Ryder has been jobbing consistently to just about everyone on the roster since his aborted push almost 2 years ago. He recently started up a personal Youtube account but I haven't followed it. I'm personally tired of Ryder and I don't miss him. His Long Island Broski gimmick just didn't work out. I really think he would have gained some steam in the tag team division with another Broski, maybe Trent Baretta or Curt Hawkins. 2 guys validate a point of view better than just one guy alone sometimes. With WWE on an upswing lately, I don't care to watch any Zack Ryder segments in place of what we're seeing. The Divas division is making more sense, Daniel Bryan is the new main event face, Ziggler's stock is rising, The Shield continues to dominate. Why would anyone want Ryder's lame Jersey Shore inspired schtick or mediocre ring work back on the A show?

 

[VinnieSunshine]

Ryder was written off of TV for awhile. I can't say how, but I know for a FACT that he will be back on TV soon.

Ryder is a wrestler that is being used for other superstars. He gets over by being the underdog and getting OTHER superstars over. If they're not going to use him, Im glad he's not on TV. He was just wasted space/time filler.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

he was standing next to someone who looked really out of place. You can see the guy in this pic, on the right with the Brooklyn jersey on.

You do know who that is and you're just fucking around.... right?

No, I don't miss Ryder. There's nothing to miss. The internet does this with weird guys from time to time. They build them up to be something they clearly are not - good. He's a decent hand and thanks to his internet pandering, he had a solid run. It's over. He's nothing special and he peaked.

 

[BeastFromTheEast]

Really, akathelaw? That is The Brooklyn Brawler next to Ryder....LOL. Anyhow, it makes sense for him to not be on TV if they aren't using him in any important way. However, I do hope he gets back on soon because I am a Ryder fan as well.

 

[torres]

Ryder still appears on Superstars and he gets plenty of title shots at house shows.

 

[Headman]

lol @ not knowing who the Brooklyn Brawler is. Of course I think you're kidding. With that said I found it odd that Cena didn't point out the Brawler in that group.

Anyway, I guess it's either keep Ryder off tv or use him as a jobber. I think his fans would prefer they not use him until they find something a little more significant for him to do. I think he may get a complete gimmick change and if that fails it's probably the end of the road.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Ryder's shtick wore thin like anyone with common sense knew it would. Goofballs can only go so far, Santino had a good run with it too by the way. Now Zack is left to his Twitter account where he makes catering jokes, probably wishing he'd not portrayed such an underdog but happy hes getting paid to do next to nothing of any relevance.

I'd prefer if he dropped the persona, got back together with Hawkins and tried to feature in some way in the tag team division. Robbie E is the better of wrestlings guidos anyhow.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I can't say that I particularly miss Ryder at this time. I do think that Ryder has a good deal of untapped potential. You know that he's loaded with personality, his Long Island Ice Z character is proof enough of that. I do admire that he's worked hard to get noticed and that he does his best with whatever he's been given. Usually, whenever a wrestler doesn't feel that they're being "used right", they'll bitch & moan about it online in this day & age rather than giving it their best.

At the same time, however, Ryder's current character has long since played out. The truth is that Long Island Ice Z was just something of a fad that was running out of steam almost as soon as he was pushed to win the US title. In the grand scheme of things, Ryder's character is something that most people view as fun but generally harmless. Ryder is a guy who can wrestle well and has charisma but he's not really to be taken seriously. In other words, he's a lot like Santino Marella. Santino Marella is a genuinely skilled technician and martial artist that, in my opinion, could quite possibly go much further if he had a more serious persona. Santino has been a heel or babyface comedy jobber for his entire career in WWE. I think fans can accept him as a mid-card or even tag team champion, at least for a while, before getting burned out on him. Ryder, as he currently is, is in the same boat. He's entertaining enough to be tolerated but not taken seriously as a big star.

With Ryder as he currently is, I can't say I'd want to see him get pushed right now. The roster is loaded with wrestlers I'd much rather see get pushed or be in the spots they currently have.

 

[R.K.O]

Nothing happened with Ryder, he's just being buried like usual. It's WWE ways of saying "f**k you for getting over without us, we won't let you become a star."

Spoiler

Without spoiling anything, Ryder is on this week's WWE superstars and Smackdown so he's not written off TV or anything.

 

[Pedigree1]

The Roster is loaded with Talent right now. A lot of NXT guys are here or are coming shortly not to mention the current crop of superstars already here. Ryder was hot for awhile,he was. I dont miss Ryder and dont care if he ever comes back sorry to sound mean but its true. His schtick worked,he had a run with the US Title albeit a short one but he had a run.

He never ever will be a main event guy. He is headed to jobber ville some woo woo along the way,but just destined to be fed to larger superstars!

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Nothing happened with Ryder, he's just being buried like usual. It's WWE ways of saying "f**k you for getting over without us, we won't let you become a star."

Spoiler

Without spoiling anything, Ryder is on this week's WWE superstars and Smackdown so he's not written off TV or anything.

The guy peaked, what more do you want? He isn't any good. He was funny for about ten seconds and that's all. He had nothing going forward. Where did you want him to end up? The mid-card is a carousel - guys are featured, then they're out. They're trying to find guys who can draw big money at some point, and letting someone like Ryder take a permanent spot when he has zero future doesn't make any sense.

He had his run, it's over. It's not being "buried" when you're given a gig and it runs its course.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Yeah, I'm siding with the people, who knew Zach Ryder was nothing more than a fad.

Remember how WWE tried to group Ryder with a WWE Champion Punk and a World Heavyweight Champion Bryan the night after he won the US Title? Look at where Punk and Bryan are now, and look at where Ryder is. By no means am I trying to compare Ryder to Punk and Bryan, but WWE did give Ryder a chance, and nothing ever came of it, because Ryder fizzled out so quickly.

It's time face facts with Ryder. He's never going to rise above the level of a jobber, and truth be told, he's lucky to still have a spot on the WWE roster. If he were released tomorrow, there might be a little uproar from the internet, but in the grand scheme of things, Ryder's departure wouldn't hurt WWE at all. Ryder's shtick had a short, short lifespan, and now he's just floating around with no real purpose in WWE, so no, I don't miss Ryder.

 

[ElimChamber]

I do want to see more of the Ryder Revolution! Unfortunately for me it won't likely happen as his push was stopped faster than Cole can knock out 3 WWE App references.

It was all untapped potential because the guy was over and was wasted for what? Kane to get heat for 2 months? There's no doubt the guy can wrestle, though his move set has become as stale as his gimmick. Currently he just lacks the wow or interesting factor maybe because he was over-exposed on the 'net.

Also I feel him snuggling up with Cena and Cena treating him like a 'little buddy' and fighting Kane to avenge him made him look inferior especially when Ryder didn't get to take on Kane @ WM... That went to Randy I believe...

The Only way I see him becoming relevant in the short term.. Bring in the Big O and Chiapetta to form a stable(preferably Heel) and just beat on random teams.

Just my thoughts shoot!

 

[R.K.O]

The guy peaked, what more do you want? He isn't any good. He was funny for about ten seconds and that's all. He had nothing going forward. Where did you want him to end up? The mid-card is a carousel - guys are featured, then they're out. They're trying to find guys who can draw big money at some point, and letting someone like Ryder take a permanent spot when he has zero future doesn't make any sense.

He had his run, it's over. It's not being "buried" when you're given a gig and it runs its course.

When a guy is over usually they get used. Ryder was over for a long time. You guys mention "talents on the roster" but more than half of them aren't over. He is a decent wrestler, with a colorful personality and decent on the mic. They can easily change Ryder up while still using him and I'm sure he will stay over. The way you guys describe him it's like he's some talentless clown who has no business being in the ring, remember he was once a protege under Edge. It's not a matter of fad because Ryback was a fad who was over because he repeats three words, but he still get used even now.

 

[MCMG]

Having Ryder off television isn't a massive loss. He was big for a few months, the WWE cashed in but his popularity just naturally fell. He was never going to be a big star, he is an average superstar. Solid in the ring and he has a good gimmick but with such a large roster it is difficult for someone like Zack Ryder to become a regular on TV.

Another problem for Ryder is that there is significant talent on NXT, there are plenty of part-timers and the WWE already misuse talented guys (more talented than him) meaning it is almost impossible for him to do well. Honestly, he either needs to be in a tag-team or released.

 

[Headman]

Having Ryder off television isn't a massive loss. He was big for a few months, the WWE cashed in but his popularity just naturally fell. He was never going to be a big star, he is an average superstar. Solid in the ring and he has a good gimmick but with such a large roster it is difficult for someone like Zack Ryder to become a regular on TV.

Another problem for Ryder is that there is significant talent on NXT, there are plenty of part-timers and the WWE already misuse talented guys (more talented than him) meaning it is almost impossible for him to do well. Honestly, he either needs to be in a tag-team or released.

It's interesting that people believe he's solid in the ring because I've never seen the guy have a good match. I would actually classify his ring work as slow and awkward.

 

[TempestH]

It's interesting that people believe he's solid in the ring because I've never seen the guy have a good match. I would actually classify his ring work as slow and awkward.

Ryder is not a bad worker. It's just that his moveset is very basic and generic. But he does know what he's doing and he doesn't botch.