RYBACK RETURN IN 2012

Return from injury and undefeated streak (2012) Reeves returned and defeated Michael McGillicutty in a dark match prior to Raw.[37] On the January 6 tapings of SmackDown, Reeves reverted to his old ring name Ryback and defeated Jimmy Uso in a dark match.[38] Reeves, now sporting a beard, a new attire, and a new mantra of the WWE being a jungle, having the chant "feed me more", returned to television on the April 6 episode of SmackDown under his Ryback ring name and as a face, where over the following weeks he would continuously squash jobbers, while also picking up wins against established roster stars such as Heath Slater and Derrick Bateman.[39][40] At Extreme Rules, he made his pay-per-view debut as a singles competitor when he defeated two more jobbers (Aaron Relic and Jay Hatton) in nearly two minutes.[41] At Over the Limit, Ryback defeated Camacho in another squash match.[42] On July 3 during The Great American Bash episode of SmackDown, he defeated Curt Hawkins to continue his winning streak.[43] After defeating Tyler Reks the following week on SmackDown, Ryback defeated both Hawkins and Reks in a handicap match at Money in the Bank[44] and again during Ryback's Raw redebut on the August 6 episode.[45] On the July 27 episode of SmackDown, Ryback began his first feud since returning to the main roster against Jinder Mahal, after Mahal lost via countout instead of continuing to wrestle.[46] Ryback faced Mahal in a rematch on August 3 episode of SmackDown, but won via disqualification after Mahal struck him with a microphone.[47] On the August 24 episode of SmackDown, Ryback finally defeated Mahal via pinfall[48] and did so again on the September 3 episode of Raw.[49] After defeating the Intercontinental Champion The Miz in a non-title match on the September 24 episode of Raw, Ryback confronted CM Punk at the end of the show after Punk attacked Mick Foley.[50] On the October 1 episode of Raw, Ryback again confronted Punk after he threatened Jim Ross during an "Appreciation Night" segment honoring Ross.[51] The following week on Raw, Ryback again confronted Punk after he brawled with Vince McMahon. McMahon then declared that Punk would have to choose either Ryback or John Cena to defend the WWE Championship against at Hell in a Cell on October 28, and if Punk refused, McMahon would pick for him.[52]