Some online "experts" may say he's green, clumsy, a Goldberg clone, etc., but one thing is for sure, Ryback has exploded on to the scene and has made an impact unlike any superstar in years. I remember reading house show reports from his first few appearances and not understanding what the former "Skip Sheffield's" new character was. "Ryback" sounded like some sort of robotic monster similar to John Cena's "Prototype" character from his early years. In reality, Ryback has just turned out to be an ass kicker that plows his opponents and doesn't have much to say....very similar to Goldberg's rise to stardom in the 90's which has played a big part in the "Goldberg" chants that are still heard during Ryback's matches.The build for the Ryback character has been great, he's destroyed everyone in his path, and even multiple opponents at once. We knew the moment would come that Ryback would be matched against higher level opponents, but it seems WWE's lack of ratings has sped up the process and now Ryback finds himself in the main event picture. For the past few weeks, Ryback has made his presence known to WWE Champion CM Punk, and now we may even see that match on pay per view after the events on RAW last Monday.
While it may seem rushed, I pose the question, is Ryback main eventing exactly what WWE needs? Ryback is a character that is an anti-John Cena....no goofy jokes, no being the good guy in any situation, just straight up ass kicking. The fact of the matter is, Ryback is a guy that adult males aren't afraid to cheer for. He gets in the ring and destroys opponents, and in brutal fashion. John Cena has driven these fans away with his antics, and these fans need someone to cheer for if WWE wants to bring them back.
Another fact is that Ryback brings back a sense of realism to the WWE Title scene, he's a guy even non fans would stop and watch because they want to see the big "freakishly huge monster" in the ring and see what he can do. In a visual side by side comparison, Ryback SHOULD beat Punk. Seeing him defeat Punk wouldn't feel out of place to a casual fan, Ryback looks like someone who physically should be the champion and would plow most opponents. The bigger question is, can WWE keep the Goldberg-esque mystique with Ryback by keeping him undefeated for a good long while, unlike Goldberg who was infamously sabotaged in WCW.
Is Ryback ready? Time will tell. But I have a feeling Ryback would be a champion that would have casual fans drawn in just to see who could possibly beat him. Is there that type of mystique with Cena or any other top guy? Not at all, we've seen them matched up in every way and interest just isn't there. So what do you think? Would Ryback as WWE Champion spark interest or fall flat? Is now the time or should Ryback continue moving up the roster at a slow pace before reaching WWE Title level?
