Those chants echoed around arenas for the first few months of Ryback's career. The comparisons to start with were undeniable. The music, the look, the power. All a reminder of Bill Goldberg, the man who exploded on to the scene in WCW and went on to dominate the company through the late nineties. With Goldberg being such an iconic figure in the history of the industry, it has been a real struggle for Ryback to shake off those chants but in recent weeks there have been real signs that Ryback is emerging from the shadows.
It has been slight tweaks to Ryback's character, not a complete overhaul that have seen more and more fans accept him as his own man. Let's start with his entrance theme. When Ryback first arrived, the music was a generic, heavy bass theme. This has had lyrics added and a bit more guitar which gives it some real originality. Also it now starts with Ryback's words "Feed me, feed me more". The fans have always loved a "singalong" and now everyone has started chanting these words. This gives Ryback a real connection with the fans, as it has created a catchphrase for him. This has been a great way of getting over for decades.
We have also heard more from Ryback recently. Granted, he is no Jericho or Edge when it comes to mic skills but his short pre-recorded promos break down the walls (excuse the pun) that his previous silence had built up between him and the audience. They are showing that he is not just a powerful machine but a man on a mission, a mission the fans can get behind. And the hilarious Subway sketch this week on Raw showed him in another positive, human light. Although did anyone else wish he had put Jared through that table?...
Most importantly though it has been the beginning of meaningful feuds. For a long time Ryback was fed weak, small, indie wrestlers that nobody really cared about. However what this was doing was steadily building the character's momentum so that the fans would be interested to see if he could do it against established superstars. And it looks like his first real test is just around the corner.
Miz seems to be the first real top rung Superstar about to embark on a feud with Ryback. I for one, am keen to see where Ryback goes from here. A successful feud with Miz could mean an IC title run. If the momentum continues to build, he could be a real contender for the Royal Rumble, meaning a big match spot at Wrestlemania.
I will leave you with this thought. Instead of drawing comparisons to Goldberg, Ryback is starting to remind me of another ring "Warrior"...
AP
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