Why all the hate?

[Poop Master Flex]

Now this thread comes from some of the hate I've seen in the forums and the comments section in Wrestlezone.

Lately one of the guys who has been creating quite a buzz is Ryback. Personally I love the guy and he's currently in my top 3 in WWE right now. He has a really good look, has some good catchphrases, isn't Lou Thesz in the ring but for what he does its pretty good and most of all Ryback is starting to catch on with the fans, starting to mix it up with mid card and possibly *fingers crossed* main event guys like CM Punk. I see this guy potentially becoming a huge star in the wrestling business, I really do. He's starting to catch fire and Ryback has 2 attributes guys like Ziggler, Bryan and Punk do not have which I feel is essential to become an attraction:

1) The larger than life look
2) The IT factor

Number 2 still needs to be proven but I think he has it, its just not apparent right now.

Now for a while I hear a lot of fans giving Ryback a lot of hate. I hear things like "he's too green", "he's dangerous", "he's too one dimensional", "he has no mic skills", "he sucks in the ring". Lets break all those down:

1) "he's too green" - he's been wrestling for 7-8 years now in the developmental territories and has improved tenfold in that time. Not to mention he was the Nexus enforcer and did quite well until he got hurt.

2) "he's dangerous" - this is yet to be proven. He's high impact yes but from what I've heard since his debut he hasn't seriously hurt anybody. How can you say he's dangerous if no one has been injured by him since his debut?

3)"he's too one dimensional" - so was Goldberg and the Ultimate Warrior. Who gives a shit? Ryback doesn't need more character at this current time.

4) "he has no mic skills" - his character doesn't warrant good mic skills and he hasn't been given the mic enough to know that.

5) "he sucks in the ring" - This is pure ridiculousness. He plays to his strengths, has a good moveset and is entertaining to watch. I'd rather watch Ryback than someone like Taka Michinoku who had good in ring skills but was quite boring at the end of the day. Besides, John Cena wasn't that great in the ring when he started to become the face of the company anyways. It took him a few years as the #1 guy to get really good. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter.

Usually the people who say this are the same people who say shit like "turn Cena heel". Well hate to break it to you but that ain't happening until a strong enough face can prove to take his spot. At this point in time Ryback is your best bet.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

For me it's more of a I'm not jumping on the bandwagon just yet. Don't hate the guy, just don't understand why people want him pushed to the top so fast.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

No clue. I would say go ahead and push him and see what happens. People like to bring age as a factor for most wrestlers but I don't. Think of a guy like Batista. He became white hot when he was 36 and lasted for five years as one of the top guys in the company. That's pretty good. If you can catch a guy in his prime, so to speak, and have him be one of the top guys for a 5-7 year period, then you can manage. Feed Ryback more.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

For me it's more of a I'm not jumping on the bandwagon just yet. Don't hate the guy, just don't understand why people want him pushed to the top so fast.

He's been around for five months as Ryback and hasn't done anything yet. Might as well push him to something and he doesn't look like the type of guy that is a midcard title holder.

 

[Slyfox696]

I've yet to see Ryback work anything other than a squash, or glorified squash, match so I'm holding out on judgment of his wrestling ability.

The problem I have with Ryback is more of the fact I get the feeling the WWE is trying to recreate the magic of Goldberg, and Goldberg is just not something which can be scripted.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

He's been around for five months as Ryback and hasn't done anything yet. Might as well push him to something and he doesn't look like the type of guy that is a midcard title holder.

That doesn't mean he couldn't have had a one or two month feud with the Miz. I don't think looks really matter either, he can hold the IC belt, lose it in a triple threat/fatal four way match without being pinned and still look dominant going forward and then that would give people a reason to get behind him.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I've yet to see Ryback work anything other than a squash, or glorified squash, match so I'm holding out on judgment of his wrestling ability.

The problem I have with Ryback is more of the fact I get the feeling the WWE is trying to recreate the magic of Goldberg, and Goldberg is just not something which can be scripted.

That actually makes sense.

I've seen Ryback work matches before, just not as the Ryback character. Unfortunately outside of some matches here and there I don't pay much attention to developmental territories.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

That doesn't mean he couldn't have had a one or two month feud with the Miz. I don't think looks really matter either, he can hold the IC belt, lose it in a triple threat/fatal four way match without being pinned and still look dominant going forward and then that would give people a reason to get behind him.

I would rather have him feud with someone like Barrett more than I do Miz. I just can't buy into Miz vs. Ryback.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

For me it's more of a I'm not jumping on the bandwagon just yet. Don't hate the guy, just don't understand why people want him pushed to the top so fast.

I don't want him pushed to the top fast either. I think though with the right push and build he could be a big star. I don't expect him to beat Punk for the title or anything but give him a good 1-2 year build and he could be huge.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I've yet to see Ryback work anything other than a squash, or glorified squash, match so I'm holding out on judgment of his wrestling ability.

The problem I have with Ryback is more of the fact I get the feeling the WWE is trying to recreate the magic of Goldberg, and Goldberg is just not something which can be scripted.

They could have recreated the magic when Goldberg was actually there. What did you think of the Goldberg WWE era?

 

[Slyfox696]

They could have recreated the magic when Goldberg was actually there. What did you think of the Goldberg WWE era?

I blinked and missed the whole damn thing.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

I would rather have him feud with someone like Barrett more than I do Miz. I just can't buy into Miz vs. Ryback.

I think a feud between them would work kind of like how the Goldberg/Jericho feud worked in WCW. Cowardly heel mocks vicious monster and then finally gets the beating he deserves. I'm not a Miz fan but I would love to see a Ryback parody by Miz.

 

[Slash-LN]

The problem with a guy like Ryback is he can only stay undefeated for so long. Once that happens then what? He becomes just another guy. Unless he magically creates a huge fan base during his undefeated run like Goldberg did he is just being set up for failure. The big question people are asking is who is going to beat him? That's all he really has going for him right now. The only person of importance that he beat was The Miz and I guess you could say Jack Swagger.

If the WWE wants me to get behind him then give me a reason to. Squash matches against local jobbers isn't going to do that for me. Honestly I wasn't ever behind Goldberg either. Once you take the streak away he was just a big strong guy who made a career off working short matches. The wrestling industry is full of big strong guys who could work short matches. Ultimate Warrior did the same thing when he came back to the WWF and faced guys like Hunter. I remember people complaining about that and saying he couldn't work anymore and such. Goldberg just got lucky that the hype machine worked. Ryback has to wait and see if the same will be true for him.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Lesnar had an undefeated streak from the day after WM18 to Survivor Series, he did alright after he lost. Ryback has a lot going for him outside an undefeated streak. He has certain talents and attributes that can't be taught or learned, you have them or you don't.

Anyone can learn to wrestle, not everyone who learns can draw. When I see Ryback I see potential for a big draw in wrestling. A lot of Goldbergs issues weren't that he lost, its how he was treated on camera after he lost. Ryback can lose and not lose steam, its been done before.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

As time moves forward they need to tone it down a bit. Get rid of that idiotic singlet, forget the chants, the entrance and all the bullshit. Just make him a wrecking machine minus the gimmicky shit.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Not convinced he can work an entertaining main event. Memories of the Skip Sheffield character. I don't want to hear stupid fans chanting "Goldberg" during a big match. Seeing Swagger land on his head was also not a nice memory.

I'd like to see a segment where one of the other wrestlers starts chanting "Goldberg" and Ryback just brutally destroys him without the gimmicky catch phrase, the heavy breathing, and the stomping. After he just stares at the audience and walks away with a serious look on his face. Maybe that will shut people up. Nah.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I like Ryback.

I couldn't give a fuck if anybody else doesn't like Ryback. Pretty simple.

 

[D-Man]

Ryback is getting his push because the crowd seems to connect with his intensity. Well, that's great and all but if the WWE gives him a title right now I'm just going to throw my hands in the air and shake my head. Too many guys like him are rushed into winning titles. The crowd pops like crazy when they win but then what? Everyone got what they wanted, he's a champion, and then no one cares anymore because he's had no sort of "character" to care about. He says "Feed me" a lot. Good for him. What else is there to rant and rave about?

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I think it would be ridiculous to give Ryback the title right away, give him a few years.

What I do know is looking into the future if I was able to take 1 guy with me right now it would be Ryback. Right now I see him as the only guy on the roster who has a legit shot of taking Cena's spot when its time for Cena to step down. That won't happen for a few years I assume which is fine but I certainly don't see The Miz, Ziggler, Daniel Bryan or CM Punk making a good face of the company.