Zack Ryder: Why Ryder's Character Will Benefit from Injury Angle with Kane

Being chokeslammed through the stage by Kane on RAW may seem like a symbolic burial of Zack Ryder, but it is actually the best thing that could have happened to his character.

As somebody who liked Ryder before it was considered cool, I have very much enjoyed his evolution into a major player in the WWE. The fact that he went from wrestling on Superstars to being involved in one of the biggest angles currently going and being United States Champion is a testament to Ryder's hard work.

At the same time, though, I sense that Ryder's act was already beginning to wear a bit thin with the casual fan. Prior to beating Dolph Ziggler for the United States Championship, everything about Ryder revolved around breaking through and capturing the title. That's why there was such a fantastic reaction when he did it at TLC.

Once Ryder finally accomplished his goal, though, he was no longer the fun-loving underdog that everyone grew attached to.

Instead of the hunter, he was the one being hunted, and it didn't seem as though the creative team knew what to do with him other than to put him in comedic segments.

Granted, there have been lame aspects to the feud between Ryder, Kane and John Cena, but Kane chokeslamming Ryder through the stage on Monday made perfect sense. Ryder lost his title to Jack Swagger the previous week when general manager John Laurinaitis allowed him to compete despite not being medically cleared.

That rid Ryder of the title and put him in position to be written off television for a little while. I want to see Ryder as much as possible, but I think writing him off temporarily was a good move. His character was starting to get a bit stale, but he should have new purpose upon his return.

There's nothing wrong with Ryder being a goofy face since that is the persona he created, but I can't help but think that he'll return with a mean streak as well. Not only will he want revenge on Kane for injuring him, but he'll be hellbent on taking back his United States Championship.

The Zack Ryder that we saw before getting "injured" by Kane has essentially maxed out his potential. His character was fun and entertaining, but he was never going to get any higher than United States Championship status with it.

When you add another, more serious layer to his character, however, it isn't inconceivable to think that he could develop into a main event player. From a storyline perspective, I think Ryder needed a wake-up call, and getting assaulted by Kane was exactly that.

Many have suggested that this feud is going to lead to a Cena heel turn, or at the very least an evolution in his character, but the same can be said of Ryder. He isn't going to turn heel, obviously, since he plays his role well, but there's no reason why he can't be made to look more legitimate.

Ryder losing the title may have looked bad at the time as well, but I think it was simply a setup for Ryder to return with a vengeance and win it back at WrestleMania. The reason Ryder got to this point is because he adapted his character, and I believe that this latest angle is another case of that.

Since the WWE is playing up the angle that Ryder has a broken back, he'll likely be out for several weeks. It has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, though, so he should be met with a great reaction when he returns.

Add in an edgier character, and Ryder will be well on his way to being a more complete performer.