Santino's Finisher - The Cobra

[The Eighties]

The Cobra is a spot like the five knuckle shuffle, it gets a pop but it's not credible as a finisher in my view. Obviously it can't be scrapped but I'd like to see him use it mid match and get a new finisher if they are going to start booking him more as a wrestler than just a comedy act.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

I think Santino should add the Figure Four Leglock to his arsenal. Or better yet, a reverse Figure Four leglock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTS-IzgyOS

He could use it to get out-of-nowhere wins and solidify him as a badass due to making people tap out.

Either that or he could add the Cobra Clutch. Makes sense. The Cobra + Cobra Clutch = Win.

 

[Fear&Loathing]

Its just a shame to professional wrestling. Santino can wrestle and is a very entertaining guy he doesn't need a socko rip-off to get over let the guy show his true talent he doesn't always need to be the funny guy.

 

[FightOwensFight]

No way should Santino get rid of it. It is perfect for him, and for a number of reasons. First, like a few people have said, it is actually a legitimate move, would hurt/incapacitate, and would be taken more seriously if the announcers built it up as a nerve strike. Also, the way in which he "cocks" the Cobra can be different, depending on the circumstance. I have seen him do it a number of ways, from very quickly to like he did when he beat Swagger for the title, being more deliberate and serious.

It works form him, the crowd loves it, so keep it.

 

[akathelaw]

Even as a kid, before I knew what kayfabe was, I could tell some aspects of wrestling were very unrealistic. I didn't care, it was fun to watch. If WWE is fun to watch, more people watch it, the business grows etc. Fans are willing to accept a supernatural character like Undertaker, Kane, Gangrel or Boogeyman because it's fun... The Cobra is "supernatural" and fun to see. Sometimes it spits liquid, or it makes someone convulse or go numb. Sure, it's not awrestling hold or submission maneuver but that's what Daniel Bryan and CM Punk are for.

 

[AwesomeRko]

The cobra fits Santino personality and like people have said generates a massive crowd response. Just because he seems to be moving into more serious territory as a result of his recent success doesn't mean the cobra can't still work, mr. socko is a case in point. The cobra has essentially become part of Santino's character and is as much associated with him as the rko is with orton, I believe dropping it would harm rather than hurt him personally.

 

[Dmbfantomas]

......aslong as moves like The Five Knuckle Shuffel, The Worm, Hogan's Leg Drop, The Peoples Elbow, Jerry Lawlers fist drop from the 2nd rope, The Boom Drop and Flair's SIGNATURE Backhand Chops are recognized moves in the WWE then The Cobra is absolutly allowed in Professional Wrestling.

I dont understand how you can think it's a slap to the face of wrestling when Sgt Slaughter had his infamous ATOMIC NOOGIE.

If you want to hate on Santino, go for something else......because The Cobra looks a billion more times more effective than the Mandible Claw/Socko.

The Mandible Claw can legit put someone out.

Thing is, the Cobra with the way it was originally built, was something that could actually KO someone. The original point was that when he did it was that it hit a certain spot and then put someone out. Now he just hits it wherever, but still.

The point it, for Santino, its special. It is HIS move, so fuck it. It's also one of the most entertaining and easily imitable finishers in wrestling.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Yea, I mean, the finish is more over than 90% of other finishers and nobody believes it actually hurts, which is what really matters in 2012 in pro wrestling.

Are you fucking insane? Hogan won with a leg drop, rock with an elbow drop, in fact, if I were to hit your in the throat with a stiff-handed thrust, it could kill you. I'd rather take a legit chokeslam than have someone legit thrust their fingertips into my throat.

How the fuck is it that a complete stranger, or someone who knows nothing about pro wrestling, will understand more about it (maybe because they apply business logic or entertainment logic or just fucking logic) than most smarks do.

Smark's point of view "the character is entertaining, comedic, over, people love it, CHANGE IT SO PEOPLE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY"

Normal person's point of view "wow this is fun, I like this".

You guys book like it's 1975 or something. It's 2012, get with it.

If people wanted to watch real fighting. To watch a bunch of normal looking athletes wear douchebag clothes and have douchebag tatoos, and legit fight people and mostly just hug each other, they'd go watch MMA. This isn't real fighting, this isn't even just a sport, this is pro wrestling. It's the greatest live entertainment man has ever created. If it's over, it's working.

 

[XXJJ]

They would be insane to change it. Fans right now are popping big time whenever he puts that green sock on.
I think they are finding a middle ground with him. I thought him and Swagger had a solid cage match on Smackdown.

 

[Gore Illa]

The Cobra should be used by Santino Marella the same way the 5 Star Knuckle Shuffle is used by Cena. To get a pop when he's in the lead/as a comeback move . . . and as a way to set up for the main finisher. I could see him using some type of variation of the Angle Slam or maybe a Rock Bottom-like move.

 

[theBec2101]

I dont think its weak. I feel its a combination of 2 devastating moves. The spike(move Umaga had) mixed in with a little sillyness like socko. Its not like he does it to your leg or arm, he goes for the throat. Since he is face and the kids like him, he should keep it. And if he was to turn heel or become less of a funny chacater then yes change it up with some tape or glove. Kinda like the mandible, where he just had his two fingers taped up.

 

[metalbass]

The Cobra is part of who Santino is now and there's no way it should be changed one bit.

What I'd like to see from him is longer matches and work to incapacitate his opponent before he pulls out the Cobra as it's generally out within the first minute or so of the match.

I'd like to see him use the Cobra Clutch as a signature. It fits and it could be used as a precursor to set up the Cobra when the opponent ultimately is able to escape.

As for it being an unbelievable move, have you ever had damage to your larnyx? If done with enough force (which doesn't have to be much) it could cause major damage to your throat or the best case scenario would be choking for a few seconds if you're lucky.

Also I could be wrong on this, but I thought the Cobra was built up during Vladimir Kozlov's sambo training and they really made it sound like a lethal move. The problem is the announcing which doesn't put over the talent as well as Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, Jesse Ventura etc. but that could be said for nearly every roster member. Even TNA Impact's announcers do a better job at calling in ring action and putting their stars over even though they're the inferior product in many ways.

To conclude, the Cobra is a great finisher for Santino, and if I had the choice of taking the Cobra or the Attitude Adjustment in real life, I'd have John Cena AA me all day.

 

[DirtyD79]

It all comes down to the commentators selling it. Just like how they sold Mick Foley's Mr. Socko/Mandible Claw as some kind of nerve hold they can sell the Cobra as a concentrated strike to a pressure point. Besides it's funny when he pulls out the snake puppet.

Hell Ox Baker punched people in the armpit and that got sold as a legit finishing move. Granted two guys did die. Although it was because of outside causes like a ruptured appendix and a heart attack from overindulging on food the night before but the commentators played it up as though Ox Baker's heart punch actually caused it.

 

[Dagger Dias]

The Cobra is such a silly finisher and to the casual fan it has to appear too ridiculous to be true. Yes, that really is his finisher. You know what though? It fits him perfectly. Santino is a joke, he always has been and always will be. It makes perfect sense for a comedy jobber to have a silly finisher. I would not change it because it fits him so well. Silly or not, it is over and the fans enjoy seeing it. The Cobra is not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[The Crock]

Not a chance. There are far more preposterous finishers that have been used by some successful superstars (main examples: The Rock, Mick Foley, other: Umaga, Scotty Too Hotty, Crush). A finisher isn't about looking devastating, it's about being something with a little flair -- it's about the crowd identifying with you. WWE isn't about being believable, it's about suspending your belief. I don't need to think that one of the talents is hurt, I just have to react to the move; whether I laugh, gasp, scream, shout, jump, whatever, I just need to react. Santino's move -- as simple as it is -- works.

Have you ever just paid attention to the crowd when Santino pulls out his green Cobra sleeve? The crowd goes WILD! His moment at the Royal Rumble with Mick Foley was one of the highlights of the night -- that says to me that if it wasn't a proficient finisher, then the crowd wouldn't care about it, but they clearly do. Being a US Champion doesn't change that either. Santino Marella has done more for the United States Championship than Zack Ryder and Jack Swagger did, and neither of them uses something as simple as the Cobra as their finisher. The thing is, neither of them is anywhere near as good as playing to the crowd as Santino, neither of those guys is anywhere near as good of an entertainer.

I don't need to justify the Cobra to myself, because it's literally what wrestling is all about. If I wanted hard hitting moves, I'd watch ROH (speaking of which, they have a far greater problem with finishers) or just plain MMA. Santino's fine.

 

[Benson]

He has to get rid of this crappy finisher! Cobra is the worst finisher to ever appear on live television.

Scotty Too Hotty's finisher was a Diving Chop to the Forehead. Santino's finisher is over and really, that's all that matters.

 

[theBec2101]

I dont think its a bad finisher. I think its a little long to perform from the time he puts on the cobra sleeve to the point of impact. But Ive seen moves that took longer and made it look much more unrealistic. Such as the Axe Kick, man who would would get kicked in the gut and just stay hunched over for about 7sec. Another point is whats the difference between the cobra and the spike. the spike was a devastating move it almost the same thing rather you using all your fingers and not just your thumb. I wouldnt disagree with him having two moves.