Z! True Underdog Story: Why Zack Ryder vs. Kane Needs to Happen at Wrestlemania

Before I say anything, I'll make it clear: I am obviously not a doctor. My medical knowledge is derived solely from common sense and eight seasons apiece of House and Scrubs. I am in no way qualified to make accurate calls about the health of another person.

On the January 23 edition of RAW, Zack Ryder was chokeslammed through a piece of metal staging, resulting in what was initially announced as a kayfabe broken back before WWE downgraded the diagnosis to something a bit more plausible: a herniated disc. That was four weeks ago.

With my clear lack of medical credentials on the table, I've read in some places that recovery time following a discectomy can take anywhere from four to eight weeks, depending on the patient. It's been four weeks since the initial diagnosis, and almost two weeks since Ryder suffered a major setback, being launched off the stage in a wheelchair.

The guy is banged up, to say the least. Still, given that he's a young guy, and also considering the often ungodly healing speed of high-level athletes, it is not outside the realm of believability that Ryder could recover from his kayfabe injuries in the next few weeks, and be ready in time for Wrestlemania.

It seems like a disservice to leave one of the most popular Superstars of the last year off of the year's biggest pay-per-view. He's got plenty of build up for a feud with Kane, and it seems like a match between the two of them is inevitable.

The match, while not of main event caliber, would be a welcome addition to what is currently a potentially underwhelming undercard.

There doesn't need to be a lot of dramatic exposition leading up to this match, although there easily could be. All of the groundwork has been laid already. If any buildup does need to happen, Zack Ryder has a forum outside of traditional WWE programming from which he can build to a match with Kane. And there's no reason why clips from Z! True Long Island Story couldn't be shown on RAW or Smackdown to clue in fans who do not watch the YouTube show.

The story has already written itself. Ryder, motivated by revenge for Kane's repeated attacks and perhaps for getting Eve to embrace the hate (or embrace the ho, as the case may be), comes back early from his injuries against stern warnings from his doctors, against all the advice of internet pals Chiappetta and The Big O, even against the advice of good buddy John Cena, who I imagine Ryder will forgive now that he knows the truth about Eve.

The real-life underdog who built himself into a Superstar, lays his health, his body and potentially the rest of his career on the line on the grandest stage against an absolutely terrifying opponent; the man who has probably haunted Ryder's nightmares for weeks, but a man who appears more mortal than ever following his loss to John Cena at Elimination Chamber.

Ryder vs. Kane has Wrestlemania written all over it. It's emotional. It's an underdog story. It's compelling. On April 1st, Ryder or Riot. WWWYKI.