Why the reunion of Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins is inevitable

It's been almost 9 years since Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins teamed together in the WWE. Both of their singles careers turned out very differently, but they somehow survived the shark-tank that is WWE to this day. While Curt Hawkins is on a prominent losing streak on RAW, SmackDown's Zack Ryder hasn't been heard from since his split from Mojo Rawley in December 2017.
While both careers are currently on a downside, the upcoming draft after WrestleMania should see a reunion of the once famous duo. Let's discuss why and go back to the first time we met the team that was once known as the 'Major Brothers'.


The Origin

After making their first steps in the business as 'Myers & Mathews' the duo came to the WWE in 2006. First wrestling for Deep South Wrestling before being moved to Ohio Valley Wrestling, another WWE developmental brand at the time. The became three time Tag Teams Champions across both before being called up to the Main Roster.

In the Middle of It

After a small tendure on the ECW brand, the team got to FridayNight SmackDown in 2007. At Armageddon 2007 the appeared to help Edge to help him win the World Heavyweight Title. Both dressed up as him, thus rebranding the team as the Edgeheads. They joined Edge's stable 'La Familia' and became a regular on WWE's programming. The summer of 2008 saw their biggest joined success when they won the WWE Tag Team Champions from John Morrison and The Miz.

The Edgeheads on top

 In September of the the same year Ryder and Hawkins lost the Tag Belts to The Colons and went down the card until being quitely seperated in the 2009 draft, when Zack Ryder was draft back to ECW. Hawkins himself did not appear much on SmackDown, eventually getting demoted to Florida Championship Wrestling, another WWE developmental promotion.


Different paths

Curt Hawkins joined FCW to become a Florida Tag Team Champion alongside The Dudebusters Caylen Croft and Trent Barretta. In 2010 Vance Archer, who made his move from the closed down WWE ECW to SmackDown, that he and Hawkins would team up as The Gate Crashers, which did not last long. Shortly after their split, Archer was released and took on his old Edgehead-Theme. He began feuding with the likes of Chris Masters and Trent Baretta on WWE Superstars, which saw some of his greatest singles match in WWE. After the 2011 draft, Hawkins found himself in a Team with Tyler Reks as the Rekking Crew. The duo began a feud with Percy Watson and Titus O'Neil. They became one of the key figures on the 5th season of NXT, also challenging Matt Striker and William Regal. After faking an injury Hawkins did debut his signature cane. After Regal had enough of them, he fired them on the spot. The duo however was able to convince John Laurinaits to rehire them later. After they moved to SmackDown, the duo did debut a stripper gimmick, but Reks quickley quit the WWE after that. Hawkins injured himself shortley after that, ending his run. After the injury Hawkins returned with a new look and a gimmick he called 'The Prince of Queens'. Hawkins, again finding himself in the developmental area - this time called NXT - became an enhancement talent for the younger stars. He was released in Juni 2013. Hawkins opened up a training school that also helds wrestling shows called CAP (Create-a-Pro). In July 2016 asked Hawkins to return to SmackDown LIVE, which he did. Hawkins became the man who told everybody The Face the Facts. They gimmick did not last long, Hawkins later was moved to RAW, where he currently holds a losing streak which with over 150 losses. However the recently released a t-shirt hyping his streak, which Dwayne The Rock Johnson applauded. Hawkins helped Rock training for his WrestleMania matches against John Cena in 2012 and 2013.


In a brief reunion on WWE Superstars in 2011 the team lost the Vladimir Kozlov and Santino Marella.

Zack Ryder returned to WWE's ECW on May 2009 with a new look and the odd catchphrase 'WOO WOO YOU KNOW IT'. He later did debut Rosa Mendes as his valet. Tommy Dreamer picked Ryder to end his WWE career in December 2009, because Dreamer tought Ryder could be the next big thing for the WWE. After ECW closed it's doors, Ryder moved to RAW. He became an NXT Pro of the shows 2nd season, were his Rookie Titus O' Neil was eliminated first. Ryder had great matches on WWE Superstars during the time. After WWE released a t-shirt, Ryder decided to take it upon himself to sell it, thus creating Z! True Long Island Story as a YouTube series. The show became an incredible success for Ryder, launching a lot more merchandise and a push for him on WWE program. At the peak of his popularity he was involved in an angle with John Cena and won the United States Championship. Ryder lost all his populartiy after Januar 2012. Between 2012 and 2015 Ryder became a regular Jobber on WWE program. In 2015 WWE put him in a team with NXT's Mojo Rawley. The plan was that the struggeling Rawley would benefit from the more expierenced Ryder. The team challenged for the NXT Tag Team Titles numerus times, but were able to win it. The Hype Bros later were called to SmackDown, but Ryder also had a short-lived singles career success at WrestleMania 32, where he won the Intercontinental Championship to everybody's surprise, defeating six other Superstars in a ladder match. The Miz defeated Ryder for the Championship the night after WrestleMania 32.
Later on SmackDown LIVE the Hype Bros found themselves on winning ways and won the chance to challenge for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles - unfortunatley Ryder injured himself a week before the team was able to challenge for the championships. After his injury he returned to Mojo's side, but the team was not able to pick up were the left off. Rawley eventually turned on Ryder, thus leading to the end of the team. Currently Ryder does not appear on WWE television.

The Reunion

Hawkins and Ryder teased a reunion numerous times on social after their split in 2009, but right seems to be the best time to reunite. Both careers are on their biggest downside yet and after WWE announced SmackDown and RAW are joining forces for PPVs starting at this year's WrestleMania, the shark-tank that is WWE will be even harder to survive. So before WWE decides to say goodbye to one or to both, they should join forces when the draft, hopefully, sees them on the same brand again. The WWE Tag Team divisions both need more legit Tag Team and the former Edgeheads are definitely one of them. We should better face these facts, because you know it.