New Tag Team - Santino and Koslov

[D-Man]

After their backstage segment last night, it appears as if these two men are going to team up with each other on Raw in the near future. I also understand that this isn't the first time they've teamed up, since they were a dominant tag team in FCW and OVW, prior to Marella being called up to the main roster to defeat the late Umaga for the Intercontinental championship.

I believe this tag team makes sense. As much as most of you are probably annoyed with Santino's comedic antics, you have to admit that he is probably the funniest thing on Raw every Monday night. And as we found out during their backstage segment, it seems as if Santino speaks some decent Russian. So I can totally see these guys playing a comedic role as a foreign tag team that will quickly gain heat over time unless the WWE continues to spotlight Santino and his comedy, only this time around, it'll be at Koslov's expense.

Both of these men haven't really found their place on Raw over the past 6 months, so it really makes sense to team them up. They already have tag team chemistry (considering their FCW stint), they're both foreign and speak the same language, neither man is able to make a singles impact on the show, the WWE is severely lacking tag teams, and the WWE still sees some value in them to the point where they kept them on the same show after the draft occurred.

What are everyone else's thoughts on this new tag team? Any ideas for a team name (if they choose to give them one)? Let's discuss.

 

[future admin]

I would enjoy this team, it would be a good big bad, comedy tag team, I can see Kozlov dominating the match, and then Santino getting the pin. Santino would also do all the talking of the team. I'm also thinking that /Regal should have some place in this team, make him the manager. That would be pretty good in my opinion.

 

[Andy 2 Randy]

Honestly, I Knew this was going to happen a long time ago. Remember when Santino replaced Abraham Washington for a one off show on ECW? Kozlov was the guest, and Santino was adament that they should team up. And the Sitcom that was meant to start with Santino and Kozlov was another hint!
Anyway, this would be a good push for both Superstars in the Tag division, and Santino wouldn't be the Laughing stock that he is (not being mean, im a big santino fan). It would be like Jeri-Show or Showmiz again...Small talker and a big bodyguard!...Im Just Sayin'

 

[Judah's Lion]

i agree with the points of the original post. both these guys are talented, both have good chemistry together, both are not being used for anything serious right now and both need to be made relevant. plus, the tag division needs some teams.

so all that said, how about a name that combines not their names (a la jerishow, showmiz and the such) but their nicknames?

i'm thinking something like The Milan Mauler or The Moscow Miracle, a play on their names of The Milan Miracle and The Moscow Mauler, respectively. it's just something different, and i could totally see Santino doing something very funny on the mic and even on t-shirts with a name like this.

 

[WIGGE]

I just love this idea, everyone knows Santino is hilarious, but he's really good in the ring aswell. Ever since Santino guesthosted The Abraham Washington show I wanted to see them.

The tag-team division needs some new teams, and I can see a storyline in which Regal tries to get Kozlov back, giving the team airtime and a decent feud, which will give them credability.

 

[GeneralKarim]

I just cannot belive that someone who beat THE UNDERTAKER CLEAN 1v1 no bs is now geting lines "Bust a move" and not doing anything.Really annoying.This tag team will be a joke just so they can have sth to do.

 

[zman21]

these 2 use to team up in ovw not fcw. santino has a mma backround and i think he can impress the wwe universe with his skills that he hasent used yet. wwe is holding him back on what he can do. also the team will be comedy and entertaining to watch each week

 

[theundisputedY2D2]

I think it's a really good idea to team these two up as it gives them both something to do, adds another tandem to the tag division and could be used to get Santino away from being a comedy job boy.


Basically there's two ways this team could go, they could use it as a comedy vehicle for Santino where Koslov is the butt of all the jokes and gets more exasperated by the week - oh the hilarity! - or they could have Koslov bring out a more serious side in Santino and have him concentrate more on his in-ring work than trying to make the people laugh. I've heard that Santino played a Russian shooter-type character in developmental so maybe he could revert back to this gimmick (minus the Russian part of course). Some people might say that Marella's too far gone as a comedy guy but I think he can switch it back around and be taken seriously again, as long as he/his team gets a proper push as serious performers.


As for the name, given what the WWE has been doing lately with JeriShow and ShowMiz, I guess they'll be called Santoslov or Koslarella.

 

[hardy8778]

I was saying that days ago that they would be a tag team does anyone care about Santino anyway, or Vladamir Kozlov that much like who even cares what they do as a tag team just like the colons that are newly reformed they were once likable but no one really care bout them. Or the Miz & Chris Jericho.

 

[Amarillo del Bosque Verde]

i think the tag division is finally making a comeback with a couple other teams too. But I'll enjoy this team. If I'm right....I think Santino's original gimmick was a russian dude in OVW. Santino is the funniest thing on raw and with Kozlov they'll be an entertaining and cool team. Maybe they'll feud with the Colons.

 

[Via Armbar]

It makes just enough sense to work, and just not enough to work. Which means it will work. Think about it.

As D-Man said, they have history together. So as far as in ring compatibility goes they're covered. They both have the foreign thing so they have some sort of common ground to go wth. What it basically comes down to though is the mismatched tag team. You've had your Haas/Rico and your Rock and Sock Connection, this is pretty much the same idea. You have the goofy face teaming with the no nonsense heel. A formula for win if their ever was one. They always get over because of the whole odd couple mentality. You get to see the tough guy heel won over by the goofy face and see the wacky antics that follow. I guarantee that this will result in Koslov doing that trumpet dance that Santino does at one point. Watch for it.

What makes this a smart move; they are using two characters that have potential but are hard to place and not only giving them something to do but something productive. They will get ove and they will be popular. No question in my mind. It's business 101. Make use of what you have to make money. If they didn't put them together you would have Kozlov jobbing every week to whoever the gues host matches him with and Santino interacting with the gues host in hit or miss comedy bits. Those things are fine but it's not a good use of what you have. They can now do the same thing and also make use of the two men.

 

[lgreene9187]

This might sound crazy, but think about it: Santino is in the PERFECT position to become a high mid-level or main eventer, if scripted right. Week in and week out, he gets dissed and dismissed. Then, one night, a main eventer beats him and humiliates him, and he just snaps! He puts a furious beatdown on the main-eventer with chair shots and then locks in some sort of submission hold, refusing to let go. Then, after he lets go, he goes nuts and locks it in again. Now, if this doesn't take him to the next level, nothing will. Again, if scripted correctly, he has the potential to be their next break-out star.

 

[Ferbian]

I ultimately believe that this won't be a very long tag team story if they actually decide to go together for it, I feel they will ultimately turn into a comedy tag team who's purpose is to put others over, ala Cryme Tyme, just more ridiculous.

While I probably wouldn't mind them being a tag team, cause as I said, they would be a comedy tag team, and it would easily be considered funny I could believe, but in the end, I believe they serve much better as singles stars, Santino being, well Santino, and Kozlov perhaps serving with Regal as a bodyguard of sorts again.

 

[Spawn of Kane]

What it basically comes down to though is the mismatched tag team. You've had your Haas/Rico and your Rock and Sock Connection, this is pretty much the same idea. You have the goofy face teaming with the no nonsense heel. A formula for win if their ever was one. They always get over because of the whole odd couple mentality. You get to see the tough guy heel won over by the goofy face and see the wacky antics that follow. I guarantee that this will result in Koslov doing that trumpet dance that Santino does at one point. Watch for it.

I see exactly where your coming from here, it'll be like when Rikishi teamed with 2cool and started doing the funky dance ending(and possibly the Worm if memory serves me correct). But anyway, back to topic. I think this will be a real interesting tag-team, combining the power of Koslov and the very good ring skills of Santino. Obviously Marella will be the mouthpiece,given Koslovs inability to work the mic, unless, as someone said before, they enlist regal as their manager. Maybe even have a new stable formed, SantaKos (pops for that name btw lol) as the tag team, Regal battling for the US title and maybe enlist another European athlete such as Sheamus as the ME guy??? Call them the ''Foreign Invasion''???? Just a thought!!!

 

[smfiscus1]

I can not believe nobody has mentioned the combination of martial arts experience both men have. Santino is a blackbelt in Judo while Koslov is a Sambo champion. Judo and Sambo are very similar and these two could be a very good team if they make them more serious and possibly anti-america. Maybe have Santino come out and say he's tired of being the monkey and the jester and it's time to go back to his roots and show people he's a serious competitor and what better way for him to do that than to capture the tag titles with fellow martial arts champion, Vladimir Koslov! It's the only way it can be done without making a mockery out of Koslov when he should've been touted as a Goldberg type character to begin with.

 

[Simmo]

I actually have these two as a tag team and stable in SVR 2010 under the name of "European Union" with William Regal as their Manager...

Great idea if it goes ahead IMHO

 

[TheOzzman45]

I see exactly where your coming from here, it'll be like when Rikishi teamed with 2cool and started doing the funky dance ending(and possibly the Worm if memory serves me correct). But anyway, back to topic. I think this will be a real interesting tag-team, combining the power of Koslov and the very good ring skills of Santino. Obviously Marella will be the mouthpiece,given Koslovs inability to work the mic, unless, as someone said before, they enlist regal as their manager. Maybe even have a new stable formed, SantaKos (pops for that name btw lol) as the tag team, Regal battling for the US title and maybe enlist another European athlete such as Sheamus as the ME guy??? Call them the ''Foreign Invasion''???? Just a thought!!!

Or "World Elite." You might recall they did this in TNA and it lasted about a month. Oh, and then there was Hassan and Daivari. The anti-american thing rarely works.

As far as Marella and Koslov go, at least it would give them something to do. They would never get near the titles with the comedy act, though. Which if they go there, which I believe they will, will do nothing for the tag division.

 

[J-Dogg]

I would like to see this tag team work, as its been said above both men have mma type backgrounds, yes it will be a comedy tag team but a good one at that, and from the past weeks tag team wrestling is coming back slowly and finally we may get to see good tag team wrestling again. Santino and Kozlov won't get major pushes but it also gives them something to do, i can really see this team working after watching the segment with Regal on RAW this week, that whole thing had me laughing hard.

 

[Morpheus101]

Thumbs up from me. Both these guys are under-utilized, especially Santino. The tag division has been dead for the longest time. Bring these 2 guys in and have them compete for the gold. With the Hart Dynasty and Jericho/Miz, it makes the tag division interesting again. Throw Regal in the mix (with a new partner of his choosing) and it becomes more interesting still. This should make for some great comedic angles, at the very least.