Former UFC star and WWE super fan Chael Sonnen explains why fat dancers can get over -- and why Ryback can't

Bad news for "The Big Guy."

In what is proving to be a tough week for "Ryback," especially after CM Punk lit him up for being a reckless goon inside the wrestling ring, one of the deposed ex-champion's buddies from the world of mixed martial arts (MMA), Chael Sonnen, is piling on.

Not because he fell out of favor with the man, Ryan Reeves, but rather because he just "doesn't get it," meaning the WWE Creative team is feeding him more ... of the same crap that didn't work the first 672 times they tried it throughout the history of the business.

From his conversation with former WWE writer John Piermarini on the You're Welcome! podcast:

"Survivor Series just happened, big pay-per-view. I gotta tell ya' ... I don't get Ryback. I don't get it as a character, I don't get it as a draw ... I don't get it. Am I missing something? Are they gonna be able to transform this guy and bring him in, in some capacity other than what he's doing now, which is just being a big meathead that goes out there and screams and spit comes out of his mouth?"

Sonnen raises a fair point regarding the utilization of Reeves, who we've already established is a competent talker (see one of his more eloquent promos here). And as Piermarini reiterates, the whole "Ryback thing" didn't work the first time around ... so why are they trying it a second time and expecting different results?

There is no awesome answer, regrettably, and Sonnen believes "The Big Guy" may have been doomed from the start (just don't tell this guy).

Wardrobe malfunction!

"They just did massive cuts as the stock price went down, as they started to lose their TV deal, as their own Network began cannibalizing their profits. I think they'll have an adjustment phase, I think that's all gonna come back, but they did some major cuts and they cut a guy named Brodus Clay. Brodus Clay was a terrible wrestler but he had an amazing entrance. He was entertaining, he was fun, and there's something compelling about a fat guy dancing. He was pulling it off. It was like Rikishi, man, there's something to watch. Ryback? I don't know what I would do with him but throughout the history of wrestling, the singlet has never worked. If you want to make an argument, the only one you're gonna stand a chance with is Andre the Giant. But I think we can agree that had to do with the fact that he was 7'4" and you had to put him in some type of suspender. I don't know why you would take any part of a gimmick that was a tried-and-true failure."

His name is Ken Patera, and he does not approve this message.

While Sonnen and Piermarini have legitimate gripes, I do want to point out there were two very significant turning points in "The Big Guy's" wrasslin' career when he was on the precipice of breaking out, only to have his legs cut out from under him.

The first came after his initial run as a jobber-jacking Goldberg clone, when he started wearing skinny jeans and a leather vest, willfully exchanging hugs and googly eyes with Paul Heyman. The second was his most recent comeback, which had a significantly favorable fan reaction, until Creative botched his homecoming with a face/heel flip flop. Now he's back to screaming and spitting.

Might be time to go find that red track suit before it's too late.