What if Santino got serious?

[wildojinx]

What if Santino all of a sudden ditched the comedy and started being a serious wrestler a la kurt angle? Could he pull it off (remember, angle pretty much relied on comedy, though he could wrestle, for the early years of his run up until the invasion).

[Perigryn]

He'd be this:

[Jobes]

Oct 22, 2009 8:41:59 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

What if Santino all of a sudden ditched the comedy and started being a serious wrestler a la kurt angle? Could he pull it off (remember, angle pretty much relied on comedy, though he could wrestle, for the early years of his run up until the invasion).

..because Santino can't wrestle.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

I didn't like Milan Miracle Santino, so I'd probably hate it.

[angryfan]

If they acknowledged his legit MMA background, and let him actally wrestle, but still kept the goofy promo style, it could work. The problem with his initial gimmick was that he was seen as an "out of nowhere" guy and it made no sense. However, a legit MMA and Judo background (multiple junior championships IIRC, but not sure what his MMA record was in Japan) could get over well.

[bob]

I'd mark like crazy

[Sharpy Snow]

Oct 22, 2009 9:28:35 GMT -5 Jobes said:

Oct 22, 2009 8:41:59 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

What if Santino all of a sudden ditched the comedy and started being a serious wrestler a la kurt angle? Could he pull it off (remember, angle pretty much relied on comedy, though he could wrestle, for the early years of his run up until the invasion).

..because Santino can't wrestle.

Please direct your eyes to the video directly above your post, thank you.

[Full of IT.]

Oct 22, 2009 8:45:49 GMT -5 Perigryn said:

He'd be this:

Minus the Russia, yes please.

[Red Impact]

Most likely?

"The WWE has come to terms with the release of Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella). We wish Carelli the best in his future endeavors."

[Full of IT.]

Oct 22, 2009 10:28:01 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

Most likely?

"The WWE has come to terms with the release of Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella). We wish Carelli the best in his future endeavors."

I would say it's the other way around in my opinion. If he DOESN'T eventually get serious, they're going to run out of things for him to do, thus the future endeavors.

[Red Impact]

Oct 22, 2009 10:29:35 GMT -5 Full of IT. said:

Oct 22, 2009 10:28:01 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

Most likely?

"The WWE has come to terms with the release of Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella). We wish Carelli the best in his future endeavors."

I would say it's the other way around in my opinion. If he DOESN'T eventually get serious, they're going to run out of things for him to do, thus the future endeavors.

Unfortunately, I think it's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. I don't think, in this environment, anyone would take him as a serious wrestler, and the comedy angle does indeed have a shelf life. The only way he could be serious is if he disappeared for a while and got repackaged, and there's probably a 60 or 70 percent chance he'd be released somewhere on those lines too.

[Full of IT.]

Oct 22, 2009 10:42:27 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

Oct 22, 2009 10:29:35 GMT -5 Full of IT. said:

I would say it's the other way around in my opinion. If he DOESN'T eventually get serious, they're going to run out of things for him to do, thus the future endeavors.

Unfortunately, I think it's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. I don't think, in this environment, anyone would take him as a serious wrestler, and the comedy angle does indeed have a shelf life. The only way he could be serious is if he disappeared for a while and got repackaged, and there's probably a 60 or 70 percent chance he'd be released somewhere on those lines too.

This is true. I think it could have worked awhile back if he actually "snapped" and got tired of people not taking him for serious, but unfortunately I think it's too late for that.

[Perigryn]

He'd have to be moved to Smackdown or ECW to reinvent himself and it'd work. I'd imagine someone picking on him for just being a comedy sidekick on Raw would set him off and allow him to cut loose.

["Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat]

To make him serious they should draft him somewhere (anywhere but RAW). Have someone "find out" about his MMA background and as Santino why he acts the way he does. Have it turn out he crippled someone during a Sambo or MMA match and has vowed never to use his skills ever again.

Have the person who finds out either laugh at or encourage Santino to use them again and have him bring out little bits here and there until he destroys someone. Maybe he could "break" someones arm...I dunno.

[Tea & Crumpets]

Oct 22, 2009 10:58:31 GMT -5 "Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat said:

To make him serious they should draft him somewhere (anywhere but RAW). Have someone "find out" about his MMA background and as Santino why he acts the way he does. Have it turn out he crippled someone during a Sambo or MMA match and has vowed never to use his skills ever again.

Have the person who finds out either laugh at or encourage Santino to use them again and have him bring out little bits here and there until he destroys someone. Maybe he could "break" someones arm...I dunno.

That's a pretty good idea.


What I did with him in EWR, and will recreate in SVR 2010, is he gets hit in the head with a chair and develops a split personality- half is Santino, half is Boris, and the change is triggered by hard blows to the head, and when Santino slaps himself in the head on the way down the ramp he doesn't realise it's switching his personality to Boris. I'd fired Festus too so I didn't have a duplicate gimmick. I did this so I could still use the comedy angles when he's Santino, but if I wanted to give him a push in the ring he'd be Boris. Of course, a head bump in the match could revert him back, or if he doesn't switch to Boris before the match, then gets DDT'd, that could set him off.

[Red Impact]

Oct 22, 2009 10:47:00 GMT -5 Full of IT. said:

Oct 22, 2009 10:42:27 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

Unfortunately, I think it's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. I don't think, in this environment, anyone would take him as a serious wrestler, and the comedy angle does indeed have a shelf life. The only way he could be serious is if he disappeared for a while and got repackaged, and there's probably a 60 or 70 percent chance he'd be released somewhere on those lines too.

This is true. I think it could have worked awhile back if he actually "snapped" and got tired of people not taking him for serious, but unfortunately I think it's too late for that.

When he had his IC title run, it would have been the perfect time. Especially when he bit the guitar and had the bloody mouth.

It could work if he moves somewhere, gets a fluke title win or something, then actually seriously defends it. ECW would be the best for that I think, but I think the likelihood is slim.

[Dragonfly]

I wouldn't have him suddenly go "serious." Instead, I'd like to see him be a part of a Freebirds/Triple X style tag team with Evan Bourne and Ezekiel Jackson. The team itself would be based around the idea of a "three-pronged attack" - stiff shots/mat wrestling/MMA (Santino), high flying (Bourne), and power moves (Jackson). Santino, of course, would be the mouthpiece. That way, it eases the audience into the idea of Santino as a serious wrestler instead of having it thrust upon them abruptly.

[Deleted]

Oct 22, 2009 11:10:08 GMT -5 Tea & Crumpets said:

Oct 22, 2009 10:58:31 GMT -5 "Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat said:

To make him serious they should draft him somewhere (anywhere but RAW). Have someone "find out" about his MMA background and as Santino why he acts the way he does. Have it turn out he crippled someone during a Sambo or MMA match and has vowed never to use his skills ever again.

Have the person who finds out either laugh at or encourage Santino to use them again and have him bring out little bits here and there until he destroys someone. Maybe he could "break" someones arm...I dunno.

That's a pretty good idea.


What I did with him in EWR, and will recreate in SVR 2010, is he gets hit in the head with a chair and develops a split personality- half is Santino, half is Boris, and the change is triggered by hard blows to the head, and when Santino slaps himself in the head on the way down the ramp he doesn't realise it's switching his personality to Boris. I'd fired Festus too so I didn't have a duplicate gimmick. I did this so I could still use the comedy angles when he's Santino, but if I wanted to give him a push in the ring he'd be Boris. Of course, a head bump in the match could revert him back, or if he doesn't switch to Boris before the match, then gets DDT'd, that could set him off.

This is awesome and hilarious but I dont know how well the casual fan would buy this much intricacy

[Fundertaker]

Anthony Carelenko "The BattleARTIST"

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

If Eric Young can turn into a decent heel, it can't be too late for Santino.