WWE: 7 Opponents for Zack Ryder's U.S. Title

First of all, Merry Christmas, everyone! 

Secondly, as most know, at last week's TLC pay-per-view, rising star and YouTube sensation Zack Ryder relieved long-time enemy Dolph Ziggler of his United States Championship in a gripping and lively opening bout that served as one of the highlights of a decidedly patchy pay-per-view.

Winning the belt was clearly an emotional moment for the hard-working Ryder, who languished in lower-card obscurity until he started his own web show, Z! True Long Island Story, earlier this year. 

A witty, wickedly clever show, with a cast of funny and wacky supporting characters (including Zack's eccentric dad, Mr. Ryder, who could seen going crazy at ringside after his son's victory at TLC), it quickly caught on and became a massive hit, renewing Zack's flagging career.

It also won him some fans backstage, John Cena even getting behind the Long Island native and various stars (like John Morrison, Mae Young, CM Punk and Eve) clamouring to make appearances on Z! True Long Island Story.

Not that Ryder can relax now that all his effort has paid off. He's going to have to defend that U.S. title against all up and comers in the next few months, So just who will be gunning for the new champion? Well, here's a look at the seven most like candidates, from both Raw and Smackdown...

Jack Swagger

Jack Swagger's WWE career has languished in the mid-card doldrums ever since his botched World Heavyweight Title victory and main event run in the spring and summer of 2010.

Alas, the former OU star even become somewhat of a joke on Raw, with obnoxious commentator Michael Cole making fun of his forgettable title reign once or twice on-screen.

For someone as talented and developed a performer as Swagger is, this is a hugely regrettable. The nimble in-ring skills, the look, the promo ability...the cocky star is the full package. So, what hasn't the booking team figured it out?

On the bright side, a drawn-out program with Ryder could surely help rejuvenate Swagger's failing career, and bring him back into the limelight in 2012. 

And no doubt his villainous heat-magnet manager, Vickie Guerrero, would be a great supporting character in any Ryder/Swagger program, as she attempts to interfere and swing the odds in her client's favour through nefarious means. 

Mason Ryan

At a towering 6'5'' and weighing a whopping 289 pounds, Welsh star Mason Ryan's massive stature caught the eye of the often size-obsessed WWE management and garnered him a major push as a babyface on WWE's flagship show, Raw, earlier this year.

Regrettably, due to Mason's shortcomings (he's so clumsy and uncoordinated, frequent foe Dolph Ziggler even joked about it on Raw once or twice), the Batista look-a-like never managed to get over with the masses as a face like was initially hoped, and quietly disappeared from WWE television a few months ago.

Knowing WWE and their affinity for bodybuilders, the muscle-bound Ryan will probably get another shot at some point down the road. And when he is brought back, one option could be to make him a heel challenger to Ryder's United States Championship.

Certainly, it would be easy for fans to get behind him as the plucky underdog when facing a fearsome behemoth like Ryan.

Alex Riley

Alex Riley showed great promise as a brash, cocky heel character on the second season of NXT and then later as The Miz's evil sidekick on Raw.

Alas, after a middling spell as a a babyface following his split from The Miz, he ended up stranded on C shows like Superstars and seems to be going nowhere.  

With this in mind, it might be time for the former footballer to return to the dark side,and emerge on Raw again as a heel challenger to Ryder's new belt.

Certainly, it would be an entertaining mid-card program that would help get Riley's struggling career back on track and be a fresh new feud for WWE audiences.

R-Truth

Following his suspension last month for violating WWE's wellness policy, Ron "R-Truth" Killings returns to find his career at a loose end. 

Former friend and tag team partner The Miz (who was given the credit for riding him out via a brutal skull-crushing finale on the ramp on the Nov. 21 Raw) has moved onto the main event with CM Punk, Del Rio and Cena, and there doesn't seem to be much fan demand for a program between the former Awesome Truth tandem anyway.

In an already cluttered main event scene, what will they do with him? Write him into it, or shift him back to the mid-card? Does WWE even know yet?

So, while WWE creative are trying to come up with new ideas for everyone's favourite conspiracy theorist, we think it might be a good idea to put him a feud with Ryder for the United States Championship.

It would make an interesting clash of personalities (Ryder may be the only person on the roster wackier than R-Truth), if nothing else.

Kofi Kingston

A dependable, charismatic and hard-working performer, current WWE Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston would make a great foil for Ryder in the next few months as he attempts to reclaim his United States Championship.

Indeed, after languishing in the lower mid-card on Raw for ages now (tag partner Evan Bourne's drug suspension regrettably set back Kofi's career too, even though he did nothing to deserve it), he could use a stint in the limelight again.  

While many would point to the fact that both men are natural faces as a potential problem in any Ryder/Kingston program, we disagree and think it would add an intriguing layer to the storyline. 

Face vs. Face feuds in wrestling have been done before (Austin/Rock in early 2001) and the results are often thrilling.

Certainly, it would be interesting to see how Ryder, used to being heavily cheered by the fans in the arenas, would deal with a crowd that was split between him and his opponent. 

John Cena

Ah, now wouldn't this be something?

Yes, John Cena has been one of Ryder's biggest backers on and off screen, with John even sacrificing his WWE Title match at TLC on a recent episode of Raw so his friend could get a shot at Ziggler's United States Championship.

But we certainly wouldn't put it past dastardly Raw general manager John Laurinaitis to force the two friends to face each other for the US Title on an episode of Raw.

Many may consider the mid-card belt below Cena, but other main eventers (like HHH and Steve Austin during the two-man power trip in early 2001) have held lesser belts before and it never damaged their star auras. A Cena/Ryder program over the belt would also help get it over as something extremely prestigious and important.   

It would also be a very practical move. As Cena finds himself out of the main event scene for now, a Ryder/Cena feud would also serve to kill some of his time before the WrestleMania match with The Rock.

Wade Barrett

Okay, Wade is on the Smackdown brand, but since when has that mattered? Heck, during his current feud with Randy Orton, he's appeared on Raw a whole bunch of times!

While the in-ring work might be a bit patchy given both men's limitations, a Barrett/Ryder feud over the United States Title would provide great promos from the two talented mic men, if nothing else.

It would also help Wade regain some of his credibility after his beatings at the hands of Orton in recent times. A fresh feud for fans, it may be worth WWE's booking team giving it some serious consideration.