Who Does It Better: Zack Ryder Or Robbie E?

[Big Papa Santo]

The "Guido" gimmick is a very interesting and charismatic gimmick to work with if done properly and done right, and it has been played up a lot recently because of the "Jersey Shore" fad sweeping the nation, and two of the most prevalent Guido's in the wrestling world today are WWE's Zack Ryder (WWWYKI) and TNA's X-Divison Champion Robbie E who are both very fun to watch. But in your opinion, who plays the guido gimmick better?

 

[JWGunslinger]

I have to go with Ryder here, part of that may be because I'm not a fan of Ryder but I respect him for what he's done recently while I don't think much of Robbie E at all. Zach's look is a little less realistic when it comes to the Jersey Shore look but I think that his playing the character is much better and genuine than Robbie, even though he is from New Jersey there's something about that guy when he talks that just feels like he's trying too hard to sound and talk like the character. Ryder is more successful with the gimmick as he has reached a new level of fame and popularity in recent weeks whereas Robbie E will probably never be close to as big as Ryder is right now, hell he probably won't ever main event Impact and Ryder already has for Raw. I think that Ryder is more talented overall as a superstar and he plays the bro better.

 

[Matth3w]

Like Gunslinger said, Zacks Jersey Shore look isn't as close to the show as how Robbie E portrays it, so I went with Robbie E.

E's Titan Tron, music, GTL, fist pumping, hair, voice, shades - all look straight out of the TV show.

Although Ryder is more entertaining, Robbie E gets the nod from me here in relation to the question presented.

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

Ryder has taken the gimmick into his own now and is looking a lot less of a "Jersey Shore" character. Ryder is more entertaining at times but how often have we've seen Robbie E on TV until recently? I believe this is why Ryder will probably end up getting the win on who does the gimmick better.

But, I am going to have to say Robbie E since he is totally into the whole entire gimmick and is about being a "Guido" more than Ryder who just Woo Woo Woo'n it out there. Sure he fist pumps and that’s about it. Ryder to me comes off as more of a Cali type of persona where as Robbie E is a Jersey Shore character. The titan-tron, where he is from, to the GTL and even had a spinoff of Sookie with Cookie. Ryder has none of those. Robbie E takes this one for me and he could one day make it into the Main Event scene if he tries as hard as Ryder has.
My vote is for Robbie E.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Ryder has really had this gimmick for quite a while. If I'm not mistaken, Ryder was doing this character before Jersey Shore was on the air. While Ryder & Robbie E's characters are similar, I think Robbie E's is taken much more from the Jersey Shore influence than Ryder's. Robbie E's character is more of the stereotypical Guido than Ryder. Both guys are tanned and spend a lot of time in the gym, but the attitude of Robbie E's character is like something straight from JS. It's a blatant attempt of TNA to piggy back from the Jersey Shore in any way. Nothing wrong with that, don't get me wrong there.

If you're asking "Who Does It Better" as it pertains to their portrayal of a stereotypical Guido character, then Robbie E gets the nod. If you're asking "Who Does It Better" as it pertains to you actually caring about their character and are interested in seeing what they're involved in, then Ryder blows Robbie off the map. I'm not really a huge fan of Ryder. I like the guy ok and do think that the IWC has overhyped him to a significant degree, but Ryder is far more charismatic and far better inside the ring than Robbie E. Even as a heel, Ryder's character would still be far more over than Robbie.

 

[Yesiamaduck]

Well this is hard, Robbie E plays the Jersey Shore rip off whereas Zack Ryder just plays as someone who was born in Long Island. I find Ryders character a lot more believable and better played but E's is the ultimate Shore rip off so I guess in the context of the answer I'll go with Robbie.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Is the "guido" gimmick interesting and charismatic? I wasn't aware...

I don't necessary LIKE either Ryder or Robbie E, but in my opinion TNA's version just feels like a Jersey Shore knock-off. They have taken it into the extreme, and it's just not working because most people watching wrestling have no desire to connect with the Jersey Shore.

Ryder on the other hand is more a goofy tool than a full-on "guido". He's somewhere in between, for better or for worse. So who does it better?

Well, technically Robbie E does the Guido gimmick better, but Ryder has obviously been more successful without having to fully embrace it. I don't know if you want to be known for doing that terrible gimmick "better" though. It's kind of like a really stupid game of Who's The Tallest Midget? It really doesn't matter to me who plays the part better, because if you ask me "who does it better" I'm going to go with Ryder 10/10 times. Even if Robbie E was a face, he'd be rejected for his gimmick. A mediocre response at best.

"We Want Ryder" filling up Madison Square Garden? I'd say he does it better...

 

[Jonofthefunk]

Ryder no question. It's one thing to pretend to be from New York or New Jersey where those kinds of people live, and impersonate them well, but it's another to actually BE from New York and New Jersey. No disrespect to Rob Eckos (Robbie E) but you just can't compete with the real thing sometimes.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Zack Ryder is better and it's not even close. Ryder has made the character his own, he took the ball and ran with it doing everything he possibly could to get over when WWE likely thought he would have failed with such a strange gimmick and been future endeavoured long ago. On the contrary, Ryder became an online sensation and his popularity has grown to the point where it is earning him a push to stardom onscreen. Robbie on the other hand sucks at basically everything and I hit fast forward anytime he is onscreen because he is a waste of a roster spot and everyone's time compared to Ryder who could become a big star. No contest. Ryder wins.

 

[He's Phenomenal]

I don't really know that much about Zack Ryder, ain't he the guy that has one trouser leg shorter than the other? So it's not a fair contest and Robbie E easily gets my vote. I find Robbie E to be really entertaining and think he plays his role to perfection. Robbie has the potential to climb the ladder, IMO, but I think he would need to move away from this character in order to do so. He plays the role so well, that it would be a shame to step away from it, but he needs to stop getting his arse kicked all the time. And with the character he plays, it causes for him to constantly get his arse kicked, because that's what people want to see. Robbie has the potential to do more than this but while he is doing it, he's doing a great job.

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

If the question is related to who performs the most like a dicky Jersey Shore character then it’s obviously Robbie E which is who I voted for based on the above. However in terms of who the better performer, wrestler and worker then Ryder is head and shoulders in front of Robbie E.

Ryder is playing more or less a hyped up version of himself which is refreshing and relatable for the audience. TNA has given Robbie E this gimmick to directly parody the Jersey Shore cast which he’s doing a somewhat decent job of. It’s just a pity it’s a terrible gimmick that should only be played up on the actual show on MTV. He’s never going to be more than a comedy act that is only ever involved in mid card feuds. Ryder on the other hand is beginning to show real personality that his character is developing. He’s still got his over the top mannerisms and quirkyness but the last few weeks he’s shown much more depth than usual in her pursuit for a match with Ziggler for the US title.

Character/personality wise, Ryder wins hands down however in terms of being the most like a Jersey Shore quido then Robbie E wins in my opinion.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Ryder's character isn't a blatant ripoff. Ryder is just a "bro" Robbie is a direct ripoff of jersey shore. Ryder isn't a guido, a bro is like a dumb frat douchebag. It's like the difference between playing a gangsta black guy and playing lil wayne. Ryder's character has a lot more originality and is more of a character based on a modern type of person.


Basically they aren't even the same character unless you don't know much of anything about either. Ryder doesn't talk about being italian, doesn't look italian, doesn't do anything like that. There's a house with christmas lights on top that spell "bro" outside the university I go to. The guys that live there get spray tanned and spike their hair but aren't guidos. That's Zack Ryder. Robbie E is like someone going to a "Jersey Shore" party so he dresses up like them and acts like them. Sure, Jersey Shore guys are sort of Bros, but they're more guido-bros. I'm not sure how I can explain it better, but there's a big difference. When you see Ryder, you see a "bro" not "jersey shore ripoff".

 

[Harthan]

Absolutely Zack Ryder, though Robbie E isn't bad at it. Ryder has the right amount of balance to his gimmick, I think. It's very obvious that he's a guido, he's the Jersey Shore guy, so on, so forth, but there's a layer of seriousness beneath it that transcends that part of his gimmick, so that he's much more than just a caricature, he's a serious wrestler, a young guy with a heart of passion and a dream to be champion. He has found the beautiful level of balance between going too over the top and being too generic. He's different, intriguing, interesting, and passionate, and that's why he does his gimmick so well, and why I legitimately believe he could be a world champion with this gimmick, and I'll defend that point gladly.

Robbie E, meanwhile, goes a little too hard to the over the top side, with so man Jersey Shore cameos and interactions, and never really innovating the gimmick. Robbie hasn't really changed at all since his debut, he's just changed his surroundings. He feels like a midcard caricature, because that's exactly what he is. He hasn't struck the balance that Ryder has, and he can't go beyond his own gimmick. He's a great midcarder - but that's it. Ryder has found something that can take him beyond that, and that's why he does this gimmick much better.