Superstar Spotlight: Ryback
Ryback is getting a lot of comparisons to former WWE/WCW star (Bill) Goldberg, but I actually see this as a good thing. Ryback is a powerful guy with a equally painful moveset, so obviously people will think of the man who asked “Who’s Next?” WWE has had a problem with getting people over, so if this is the way to do, then why not? It was reported that he has been getting a better reaction every week, and this week’s Smackdown report said a ‘Feed Me More’ chant broke out. I’m not saying he should be booked exactly like Goldberg, but the similarities are there so they should capatilize on it. I think Ryback has had enough jobber matches where he can move up to contracted Superstars. Give him a one-one match with the Superstars or NXT roster. Brodus Clay did it with a few moves, but Ryback can come in and just crush a few guys with a bunch of power moves. The jobber matches are entertaining but they can’t go on forever. Bill Goldberg’s first opponent was Hugh Morris and it took place on WCW’s Saturday Night. If WWE wanted better ratings Superstars they could feature Ryback and have him make open challenges to guys.
Just like I thought Tensai needed a bit of a tweak, so does Ryback. He doesn’t need much, but wrestlers and writers should listen to him and feed him more. Feed him better opponents. Bigger, faster and stronger guys. People on the roster should trying lining up trying to knock Ryback off. The champions should see him as a big threat that is coming up on them fast. Go the Goldberg route and give him a better opponent every week, and just have him take a bit longer to beat him. Ryback can be vulnerable, but he doesn’t have to look completely weak in the process. Something as simple as the opponent countering or side stepping an attack would be easy enough to do. People can look like they are “figuring him out” but they still lose, and whoever eventually beats him will look great in the process.
A few things I do want Ryback to stay away from, which I think WWE knows, is all of the stupid stuff WCW did to Goldberg. I don’t want to see Ryback randomly turning heel, because he doesn’t have a reason to do it. He is a silent ass kicker who destroys people, and the fans just happen to be cheering him. If he turned heel, he would still be doing the same exact type of moveset and having the same matches. Ryback is a decent character without being too deep, and I am glad they downplayed the ‘robot from the future’ aspect of it. Another thing to avoid is inflating his win/loss record, and to my knowledge no one is keeping a count of his squash matches. I say don’t do it, and just let him the route that I previously outlined. If WWE wants to, just say he hasn’t lost a match since “name the date”. Give him a mid card title shot and have him win. I think it works even if he was going to face Santino or Christian, because he earned the title shot and didn’t attack them. I know WWE doesn’t like to do it, but this example of a face versus face program would work. I can go over a bunch of possibilities for what they can do with him, but the point is Ryback is set up to succeed with a bunch of options.
Ryback won’t be Goldberg 2.0, and he won’t be RVD either. People keep saying he is ripping RVD off, but the fact is they use the same airbrush guy. If you follow certain artists, they have a signature style and you can look at it and say “Oh that’s a ‘so-and-so’.” I like that Ryback uses metal elements and skulls, it’s his style and it’s a nice nod to the Terminator element of his character. If you don’t agree with that part, can’t you at least agree that you are sick of guys wearing black tights? Steve Austin made it the cool thing to do, but everyone was doing it for a while. I do like where Ryback is going, because I was dissapointed they dropped the Skip Sheffield character for awhile. I guess Yip, Yip, Yip What It Do couldn’t compete with WWWYKI, but I think it was for the best. Ryback can be a huge success that is a nod to past stars but is also getting over on his own merits. Watch and wait, because I think he can be the poweful face that WWE has been looking for.
