What if Santino got serious?

[Brother Ike: Thread Killer]

I think its possible, he is loved by the fans enough that I bet he could get tons of sympathy from a massive heel beat down, A month or so later they could start airing vignettes of Santino doing MMA training and vowing revenge.

[AriadosMan]

SRS Santino would seem way to much like a Y2J/EY knockoff at this point to work.

[Brother Ike: Thread Killer]

Oct 22, 2009 15:13:50 GMT -5 AriadosMan said:

SRS Santino would seem way to much like a Y2J/EY knockoff at this point to work.

I don't necessarily think so since Santino would probably be a face, and i don't really look at it as being more serious but more so as a legitimate threat.

[Bub (BLM)]

Oct 22, 2009 15:06:42 GMT -5 Oh Cry Me a Screwball said:

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

I think EY is a prime example of why Santino can still yet be taken seriously if they decide to go that route.

[BrianZane]

Santino can be a good wrestler. He's obviously not the best WWE has at the moment, but if they ditched the comedy relief gimmick and made him less over-the-top like he was when he was dating Maria on TV, I'd be more inclined to like him again.

[rrm15]

It could work. One of my least favorite things about the guest host thing is that they ended up dropping what they were already doing with Santino with him slowly realizing he could be a good wrestler too. I hope they pick that back up. And he doesn't have to be totally serious. He can still be funny and wrestle seriously.

[The Count of Tuscany]

Maybe I'm completely off here, but I've got an idea and I'd be interested in your opinions.

How about Santino getting absolutely humiliated by everyone for let's say a month or so, going as far as being absolutely butchered in the middle of the ring by some heels. Some guest star from the MMA sector (There HAS to be someone available...Chuck Liddell or anyone? I really don't care too much, just let it be someone with a big name who has some mainstream value) comes to aid and fights the guys off for Santino, before starting to actually train Santino. Santino could be off TV for a few weeks, maybe a few clips showing him training every now and then, but not more than that. Then let him have his comeback, showing great determination and skills and getting the best of the guys that heckled him in the past by showing awesome Sambo Skills.

[VengeanceGOD]

What if he was funny, but then wrestled seriously? Like, he was a goofy bastard who could actually kick someone's ass?

[Deleted]

I think it could happen and work well. They have Swagger playing up an undefeated streak for the rest of the year right now, have him take Santino lightly and get beat and lose the last week of the year, next week Santino scores another lucky victory over Swagger, week 3 Santino gets close to winning by out wrestling Swagger when Swagger snaps and, beats the hell of Santino. After a week or two out, say around the Rumble Santino returns and destroys Swagger, eliminating him. You have Santino say that he knows he can fight and, the last few weeks have given him confidence in his abilities and, he isn't going to be pushed around anymore.

Nowhere near good but, do able.

[H-Fist]

And let's be honest about the WWE and the way they treat their fans: if they never mention his Milan Miracle again (and with Umaga released, they don't have to), how many casuals would actually remember it?

[Deleted]

Oct 22, 2009 22:38:14 GMT -5 H-Fist said:

And let's be honest about the WWE and the way they treat their fans: if they never mention his Milan Miracle again (and with Umaga released, they don't have to), how many casuals would actually remember it?

Hell, I tend to forget it unless someone mentions it.

[SenorCrest]

Just give him a 'This is your life' segment thing and show that clip in FCW and then have that sink into him and then becomes that. Sort of like an intervention of some kind.

[comahan]

Id rather him move into being more serious than be a comedy babyface. I loved him and thought he was hilarious during his heel run. But hes only made me laugh a few times since turning face a while back.

But yea, Id like for them to start back up on the "wait a tick, I know how to wrestle!" story they seemed to be going for not too long ago.

[Pagan Warrior]

Santino should never, EVER be serious. But I'm all for the MMA gimmick, just keep the promo style.

[Bubble Lead]

They could easily do this. The man can actually wrestle. So he could make it work in the ring.

All they would have to do is slowly transition him into being able to be taken seriously in the ring. Let him keep the goofy character. I wouldn't change that...just because someone is a great wrestler doesn't mean they have to develop a serious attitude as well. If it worked for Kurt Angle or Mick Foley it could work for him.

In fact, at this point I would say its the only way to go with his character, unless both he and WWE are content with keeping him a comedy jobber for the rest of his career...which may very well happen. I would like him to try something new, though.

[Jimichiro Likes Erick Rowan]

Oct 22, 2009 20:50:32 GMT -5 VengeanceGOD said:

What if he was funny, but then wrestled seriously? Like, he was a goofy bastard who could actually kick someone's ass?

Worked for Kurt Angle.

[4real]

I don't see why not, if Eric Young can go from complete goof ball to heel leader of an anti American group currently outdoing the MEM then anything is possible.

JBL becoming WWE champion should tell you that.