Zack Ryder's Return to WWE WrestleMania 2016 the Feel-Good Story of Mega-Event

Zack Ryder's return to the WrestleMania stage on April 3 represents a long and arduous trek back to relevance, his hard work, dedication and resilience paying off in what will undoubtedly be The Showcase of the Immortals' feel-good story.

It was just over four years ago that the Long Island native was among the hottest stars in professional wrestling, a character who got over based on his antics on the YouTube exclusive Z! True Long Island Story show that he created out of frustration over his spot on the World Wrestling Entertainment roster. There was something charming about the obnoxious comedy and the wittiness of the show that struck a chord with fans.

Perhaps the key to the show's success was that the star reflected the fans watching, his love and passion for the business mirroring the same joy they got out of it. 

Suddenly, "We want Ryder" chants rang out in arenas across the country. They even interrupted The Rock's post-Survivor Series 2011 promo, forcing the biggest star in the wrestling world to acknowledge the young Superstar.

And soon it appeared as though WWE was acknowledging him, too. He defeated Dolph Ziggler for the United States Championship in an emotionally charged match at the Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view.

Unfortunately, it was the brightest spot of Ryder's brief push. Suddenly, he was paired with John Cena in the role of lovable loser and best friend, left to endure beatings from Kane and literal low blows from onscreen girlfriend-turned-traitor Eve Torres. He was embarrassed, humiliated and left for dead at the hands of a Creative team whose ignorance of the character was evident in the way it booked him.

Ryder would suffer a downward spiral that would have killed the will of a lesser man. He disappeared from television and was left to toil in the undercard, working meaningless shows like Superstars and Main Event that only the most ardent of fans watched.

Ryder was understandably frustrated with the events that unfolded throughout 2012. He had seen his push disintegrate before his very eyes. After working so hard to get himself over, few would have blamed him if he went through the motions and picked up a paycheck.

He was appropriately open about his feelings as that year came to an end, taking to the same social media platforms that fueled his rise to discuss his fall.

Rather than letting his position on the roster affect his in-ring performance, he did the least likely thing possible: He got better.

With every passing match, it became more and more apparent that Ryder was consistently improving. Whether he was facing Heath Slater in the second match of a live event or in a rare televised bout against Kevin Owens, he was always putting in the work necessary to be better than he was the match before.

Then, on the May 25, 2015 episode of Raw, Ryder exploded back onto television screens as the latest challenger to Cena's WWE United States Championship. Throwing caution to the wind and recognizing the opportunity that awaited him, the WWE Universe's favorite Broski broke out a 450 Splash.

Though he may have lost the match, it was clear that Ryder was prepared to make the most of every chance that came his way. When he was thrown into a tag team with Mojo Rawley known as The Hype Bros, he could have balked at the idea of a demotion to NXT and a pairing with the most annoying star on the roster. Instead, he immersed himself in the team and willed it to moderate success.

That has been the theme of Ryder's career. When things look their bleakest, his fandom takes over. So determined to make it in the industry that he grew up idolizing, he refuses to allow the circumstances facing him to deter him.

And things are suddenly looking up for the man who once declared himself the Internet champion. He has been romantically linked to Emma, as evidenced by the photos he shared with fans on Twitter.

His peers have voiced their pleasure and congratulations to their friend and co-worker on his place in the ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship, including longtime friend and on-screen rival, Ziggler.

And now, with a spot on the WrestleMania card, in one of the night's higher-profile bouts, he has the opportunity to stick it to management by enjoying the moment he was robbed of in 2012 and proving to fans that the kid's still got it.