WWE: Why Alex Riley Is the Luckiest Man in Professional Wrestling

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, this is not an article about how Riley does not deserve to be where he is, because I think he deserves everything he has gotten in his career so far. This article will focus on how he has had a run that no one could have ever dreamed of.

When Riley first showed up on WWE TV, he was a cocky rookie on season 2 of NXT who wore a sleeveless letterman's jacket to the ring. He was dubbed the Varsity Villain and was given the equally loudmouthed Mike Mizanin as his pro.

These two meshed immediately. They both have a similar look and style, with Riley being the bigger of the two. Riley shined as the standout heel of the group, and during his time on NXT he gained the respect of many fans and pros alike.

After coming just short of winning the sophomore season of NXT, Riley was brought into the fold by becoming Miz's personal assistant. He accompanied Miz to the ring and often interfered in his matches to allow his boss and mentor to get the win.

During his time with Miz, Riley has been a part of some of the biggest feuds in WWE. He was there during many of the matches where Miz would face John Cena and Randy Orton, the WWE's two top babyfaces.

But that is not why his career has been a dream come true so far. The thing that I think makes Riley's run with WWE stand out is his involvement with many of the WWE legends who have been brought in.

Think about it for a second. Anyone getting into the business right around when Riley did would never think that they would have a chance to be given a Stunner by Stone Cold, or a Rock Bottom and People's Elbow from The Rock, or even a Sharpshooter from Bret Hart.

The fact that Riley has had physical encounters with some of the WWE's biggest names in history must have been elating for him. To be in the ring with the men who are the reason you got into the business in the first place had to have been surreal for the young grappler.

Being involved in all these high-profile feuds and moments has helped propel Riley to the forefront of WWE. Last night he defeated the former WWE Champion The Miz with a big DDT. Riley is now a certified babyface, and the WWE fans are buying every bit of it, and for good reason.

Riley was aligned with arguably the current most hated man in WWE, The Miz. Anyone who would go against The Miz and beat the crap out of the guy who everyone wants to beat the crap out of will get fans behind him quickly.

Alex Riley has also had encounters with guys like Sgt. Slaughter and Roddy Piper, although not in the physical sense.

Between being the standout rookie of his NXT season, being in the ring with many legends and Hall of Famers and winning a high-profile PPV match, I would say Riley is on his way to a possible title run soon. I am hoping to see him feud with Dolph Ziggler for the US Title now, but I would not be surprised if he and The Miz kept going back and forth for a couple months.

In conclusion, Alex Riley proved he had what it took to be in the WWE, and in return he has had such a stellar first year that I would say outside of first-year WWE Champions Sheamus, Brock Lesnar and Undertaker, he has had the best run of any first-year rookie.

I am looking forward to what Riley plans on doing with his career because I feel that if he stays dedicated and healthy, he could have a decades-long career.