4 Reasons why Zack Ryder lost on his WWE return

The Last Time is Now tournament saw its first non-WWE star arrival when Zack Ryder made his comeback on SmackDown and locked horns with LA Knight. Despite giving it his all, Ryder failed to emerge as the victor as The Megastar defeated him after connecting with a BFT.

Despite having a heated past with John Cena, Ryder's loss was a surprise to many. In this article, we will discuss four reasons why Ryder lost upon his return to World Wrestling Entertainment.

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#4. One-off return

After making his comeback on SmackDown, Ryder confirmed that his return in the Last Time is Now tournament was a one-time shot. It was confirmed in a backstage interview, which is also uploaded on WWE's official YouTube channel.

Since Ryder's return was a one-time thing, there was no true sense to qualify him further in the tournament. If Zack were a WWE star, he might have been able to beat LA Knight and advance further in the high-profile tournament.

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#3. LA Knight needed the win

Over the past few months, LA Knight has failed to gain any major wins in the Stamford-based promotion. This makes his victory in the Last Time is Now tournament a must-see thing.

This could be why The Megastar pinned Zack Ryder, and the former WWE star lost despite making his return to the show.

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#2. Zack Ryder has already locked horns with John Cena many times

In this final retirement tour, John Cena has already revisited many of his historic feuds. This includes his rivalries with Randy Orton, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, and others. Similarly, Zack Ryder has already locked horns with The Franchise Player multiple times past.

So, giving another opportunity to face John Cena in the squared circle doesn't seem to be a great idea. Instead, Triple H should book LA Knight or any other star against the 17-time World Champion at SNME.

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#1. WWE might finally be planning to push LA Knight

LA Knight

@RealLAKnight

The Gatekeeper to @JohnCena is here. C U soon. #SmackDown

The Triple H creative booking is heavily criticized for its poor treatment of The Megastar. The regime of The Game is known for listening to the audience, and it's possible that The King of the Kings is finally planning to push the former United States Champion.

This might be why he defeated Zack Ryder on Friday Night SmackDown and further qualified in Cena's Last Time is Now tournament. His victory over Ryder could be the start of his upcoming push in WWE.