Zack Ryder's Rise: When Fans' Push a Star Instead of Having One Pushed on Them

It's hard to believe that Zack Ryder who seemed like he was going to get cut from the WWE only about a year ago is now one of the company's biggest stars.

TV time, sold-out merchandise and the YouTube numbers on his channel don't lie.  He is a huge star and very over with the fans.

Yet, the Ryder character itself is extremely stupid and his catchphrase is idiotic.  So why do fans love him?

Part of it has to do with the fact that he is a fan of pro wrestling himself and it shows whenever he steps out on his way to the ring.  He almost gives off the feeling of being a little kid who suddenly woke up and is getting to fulfill his childhood fantasy.  He just seems like he is having a blast.

As he exudes that people pick up on it and it reminds them of why they love pro wrestling and that makes them more willing to chant a silly saying or where horribly colored headbands.

Because Ryder makes it fun.

But there is another reason why fans, especially those on the Internet, have gotten behind Ryder.  

It's because the WWE didn't and his rise to the top has been made possible only by the fans.  Not by creative, not by booking agents, not even by Vince McMahon himself.

The fans got to dictate if Ryder would make it or not.

Many fans constantly wish that they could tweak what they see on TV.  Maybe a character didn't do what some fans felt they should have or a storyline didn't go in the direction they wanted.  Maybe they just don't like the direction the company is taking.

And suddenly they are given a chance to change the direction of a certain wrestler's career.  With enough bought merchandise and enough YouTube views and twitter followers, they are able to decide who gets to be on TV and who gets to wrestle in certain matches.

It's something that has been lacking from the WWE until recently and it is something that Ryder has brought it spades with his rise to the top.

Vince McMahon has pushed people like Mason Ryan on fans for years and fans have put up with it because they love the product and because sometimes wrestlers like Ryan are humble and willing to learn.  

But fans getting a chance to push what they want in McMahon's face is something that feels a little rebellious.  It feels like taking his power and reversing it.

Knowing that the company was not willing to push him and continuing to back him was almost like a conflict between a company that was trying to tell its fans what they should want and the fans demanding to be heard.

And part of the way through this the WWE probably has figured this out and decided kept up pretenses.  They have continued to be against Ryder's push by the fans while slowly giving him a bigger role on TV.  That way fans get to still be the ones pushing Ryder and fighting against the company.

It's part of why fans have been willing to get behind Ryder.

And even if fans acknowledge it, that doesn't make it any less fun.