Can Santino come back as a serious contender?

[shafe_41]

Simple question... with Santino being out for so long, could he be brought back as a serious contender and drop slapstick comedy? Or is this a case where the gimmick has already run so long and so deep that there's no turning back from it?

We all know he was originally supposed to debut as some sort of protege to of Kurt Angle's so we know he can wrestle. We've seen flashes of this during his Elimination Chamber match where he was pretty damn good and other times throughout his career. But I want to see an all serious Santino... all the time.

I personally really want to see it happen. In a simple fashion, he could just march out there to a massive pop, stay a face, and just deliver a sort-of comedic promo, but say how his time away made him reflect on his career and he now wants to be taken seriously or has been training harder to get back in the ring. Again... I would at least like to see them try. It can't end up worse than the Del Rio face turn... can it?

 

[hatehabsforever]

No chance whatsoever. Santino has given himself tremendous job security in the creation of his current slapstick comedic character. Without it, he's just another face in the crowd, and I'm not sure he would have survived being future endeavored for as long as he has. But in doing so, he's removed any opportunity whatsoever of ever being seen as a legitimate threat or a serious contender. He's destined to be a comedy character throughout the remainder of his WWE career, and there's absolutely nothing he or anyone else can do about it. And no amount of time off is ever going to change things.

 

[Pedigree1]

The comedy routine was okay for a bit but his entire career!! I get the WWE needs all types of people but Santino can actually fucking wrestle. Guy is talented he really is. But has the damage been too much to overcome? If he is to come back,he better come back as someone who is serious and completely denounces his past. Come back a destroyer breaking peoples ankles Kayfabe of course and is a complete wrestling machine.

Denounce his comedy routine say i will no longer be the butt of anyones jokes anymore. I didnt enjoy it then and sure wont enjoy it in the future! No more your gonna get a darker Santino one who doesnt care about what the crowd thinks what anyone thinks. Im here to win titles for myself only! Screw all of you! Or if that doesnt work comedy routine i guess

 

[Dolph4President]

i think Santino can come back as a serious threat if they repackage him right then i truly belive he could hopefully it wont turn out where if he comes back as someone new the crowd wont chant santino when he is playing as his new character.

 

[chicagokmc]

The comedy shtick, plus a goofy finishing maneuver has put him in Goldust/Doink territory where it will be next to impossible for him to be looked at seriously. I think the only chance he could possibly have is as an out of the blue/nobody saw it coming heel manager and even that is a stretch.

 

[Klown_Karnage]

I wouldn't completely put it outside the realm of possibility. The WWE has been responsible for things even less probable than this. On the other hand, I don't think it would be a good idea, at least not immediately. On Santino's return, we will still be remembering Santino as he was and expect him to be the same. If he were to be a completely different character, it would be very hard to take him seriously.

On the other hand, if he were to come back as he was and develop a more serious and dangerous side over time, that would not be a bad idea in my opinion. He's perfectly capable of performing and posing a serious threat if given the right motivation. Even as his comedy character, he's perfectly capable of utilizing his "sheer dumb luck" talents to pull a win that surprises even him.

To be honest, I like his comedy character just as it is, but I for one would enjoy him pulling more wins legitimately. Maybe have someone take him under their wing and show him a few more effective ways to victory. Then and only then could I see him as a serious contender.

 

[HillBillyJim]

unless there was a complete overhaul, such as McGillicutty/Axel, id say no. WWE has put him into too deep a hole to climb out of.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

No, he probably couldn't come back in a serious role, but I think this is a perfect example of ain't broke, don't fix it. Santino's character is just fine as a comedic one.

Will he ever win the World Title? No.

Has he won every OTHER title? Yup.

He still finds ways to be entertaining, and show off some of his ring skills from time to time. If he keeps it up, I think we're looking at a future Hall of Famer.

Any way you slice it, that's a very successful career.

 

[The Butcher]

I agree with bits of most points of view on this. As Klown_Karnage pointed, it's not impossible, but like HillbillyJim said it would require a massive overhaul. I'm with Pedigree1 in that I'd like to see it. I'm by no means tired of Santino, and I enjoy him the way he is. That said, though, I'm all for a character trying new things, as they can always go back.

Dolph Ziggler tried the dark haired, more intense characterization a couple years back, it flopped, so he reverted to the cocky bleached blond and has since become a world titlist. More famously, Sgt. Slaughter flipped America the bird during a legit war, but at the very next WrestleMania was an All-American babyface again, teamed up with Jim Duggan, Bossman, and Virgil. Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker are also very notable examples of guys who turned their long-standing gimmicks into something decidedly different, but were able to change back without damaging their stock.

Admittedly, Ziggler's change probably went unnoticed by many, while Sarge, Hulk, and Taker were legendary enough by the time of their change to have built up enough goodwill to survive most any tweaks. Santino is in an iffy area there. I'm not sure how fans would respond if he tried to go serious. He's more famous than Dolph was, yet much less famous than the other three. I'd like to see him try it just for my own curiosity, but it could be a very hard uphill climb and an even rougher descent.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

I think the only way it would work is if he came back as a heel, completely repackaged, in a big midcard feud. There's no way he could play any other face character other than a comedy jobber. With the smarky fans live fans, it may not even be possible to come back as a heel since everyone would laugh and chant Santino or whatever.

He has a good thing as a comedy jobber. He CAN wrestle so there will always be a place for him in WWE. BUT I can't see him as a serious contender for a major title unless they do as I said and make him a mega-heel with an entirely different character.

 

[Clutch]

Santino's OVW (then WWE developmental territory) character was a russian martial arts expert and if they were to repackage Santino as a serious competitor, which I highly doubt. They'd have to do a serious stripping away of the Santino gimmick...maybe even kill it off outright. Have him speak in his real voice, stay away from any comedy at least till the repackaging gets over, get rid of the goofy in-ring work he did have and have him incorporate more of his judo into his repitoire, and most importantly give it time.

None of these have been hallmarks of McMahon with characters in the past, specially given the fact Santino at one time was the hottest comedy act in wrestling...I just cannot see it happening

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

I'm a fan of Santino as he is, but I would like to see a more serious side to him. As everyone is saying, he's talented. He's a good wrestler so he should be given a chance to show off more of his ability by being given more of a serious character.

There's two options to make Santino's character more serious 1) Just a little tweak, have him still do the comedy stuff but in the ring he doesn't take any crap or 2) A complete change to his character. He's known to be pretty hard so just take advantage of this and have him just beat people up, you could go one step further and have him drop the character and accent!

Santino doesn't really need a change, but it would be cool to see it. Either way I'm sure however he comes back it will be pretty entertaining.

 

[LuckyLouie]

Why not start out kinda like Eddie Guerrero. He could be the silly wrestler who can still make you laugh during the match, he can do something similar to the Eddie chair trick. But he also could be seen as a actual wrestler.
I have seen him wrestle before in some tapes before becoming Santino. When I saw him on TV I marked out, ( Being Russian and having a GREAT wrestler represent the country, even if its a gimmick would have been awesome. ) but I still love seeing him come out to the ring. He is just one of these wrestlers who puts a smile on my face watching his matches. But I know that he could do so much if he shows a much more real and relatable side to him. Have him start a feud with 3MB or something with them stealing Santinos "girlfriend" and he wants revenge and then set the heel turn in motion.
But then again, I wish too much to see the OVW Santino lol.

 

[RickRaspberry]

Have him get pushed around and bullied and then have him just snap...Like it's been a joke the whole time. Turn him into a Mafia type character...Hitman type...change his outfit...have him wear sunglasses...a suit...idk...just an idea.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'd say that the odds are very much against it. Not impossible, but certainly not very likely.

In order for Santino to have any sort of real chance, there would have to be a complete overhaul of his character . Also, he would have to be very, very, very consistently & strongly booked in order for fans to accept him as a serious competitor rather than a mid-card comedy act. Even then, it might be an uphill battle because fans simply might not want to or even can't accept him as anything else. Like with actors, pro wrestlers can be typecast in certain types of roles or characters.

I'm also thinking, and this is just my opinion based on what I've read, that Santino himself not only knows that he, most likely, won't be a serious contender but accepts it. For the past few months, Santino has been focusing his attention on opening his Battle Arts Academy gym. He's expected to be back in WWE by late next month, again based on what I've read, but I don't expect any big strides to be made in his career.

Santino is someone that I think could have been a serious guy in WWE. He's a genuinely skilled martial artist & technical wrestler. Also, let's face it, the guy's loaded with personality and charisma. Even though he's a comedy mid-carder, he's a comedy mid-carder who has always gotten a solid, consistent response from fans. He's also a hard worker that's always done his absolute best with what he's been given, that in and of itself is reason enough for anyone to respect him.

Ultimately, I think Santino might even accept & like his current place in the WWE. He's making a good living doing what he's doing, he seems to enjoy it and, realistically, there's not really anything negative to say about that.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I had this idea months ago - I don't think Santino can fully turn into a serious contender so don't do it. However you can make him funny and at the same time better in the ring. Some "die-hard" fans will always bash comedy acts, just because they think they are to special to laugh at WWE's type of comedy, but fuck you, Santino is one hell of a performer and his act make Santino's character funny and not the other way around.

Now onto my idea which is somehow a lot fun (for me) and can make Santino come out as a better wrestler in the same terms of Joseph Park/Abyss storyline that TNA tried and failed to do some months ago. Since he disappeared Santino isn't anywhere near our sights and people don't really hear about him in the dirtsheets - so make him silent all together and when his return comes about start to air some "debut" videos, for a new star, really make this new star look like a million bucks - put some images of monks, make some images of Santino training harder without showing their face ever. Don't mention names, and make the commentary team sell it like something they have never seen.

When the time come make him return, but with a orange robe, a crazy mustache and long hair - you can use hair extensions. The look itself will make Santino's character be funny. He can say that he is a new man (with his accent) and that he mastered the fine art of "Cobraté". Make his in-ring re-debut last, much like they did with Fandango. Then, when the time come, he can go to the ring, being beat the hell out of each other, just to somehow, someway he starts to snap and wins the match or at least gives a lot of fight - and once that happens Santino goes back to being him in his funny costume without realizing what he had done, and how he has done it.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I don't think Santino can ever be taken seriously. He has been treated as one of the biggest jokes in WWE history for the past 6 years. That is a very long time to be in a comedy jobber role. Too much damage has been done to him in terms of credibility and being viewed as any type of threat. When people see Santino they expect him to not only lose, but to lose quickly. It's a shame really, as he got a move as ridiculous as The Cobra to be rather over and he is hilarious. Imagine if he could have been able to do his funny promos in a push that actually saw him become successful and not a jobber to the other jobbers?

I'm open to seeing Santino return in a serious role. I don't think it's a good idea though. Fans still remember the joke he was turned into and had been in ever since his second storyline. He's been in this role for SIX YEARS. The only time he was ever serious was his first storyline ever, when he defeated Umaga as a random fan and then lost the belt back to Umaga. Ever since then he has been 100% a joke. If he is not going to be a joke he cannot be Santino anymore. He has to be in a character who is the polar opposite until he has rebuilt his credibility, something of which currently he has next to nothing of. He can still be funny in promos and The Cobra can return at some point, but I'm doubtful of it ever working out either way. I see it ending like Tensai's gimmick he returned with. They intended that to be a top tier monster heel, but crowd reaction (or lack thereof) resulted in him turning into the sidekick of Brodus Clay. A similar outcome will likely end the push of a serious Santino and the jobbers' jobber will return before we know it.