Damien Sandow.................GOLD

[thebarber]

This guy is one of the few shining lights on current WWE programming. What he has done with this trow away role is priceless. Talk about a guy who "gets it".
Sandow is more netertaining than the Sheamus-Miz feud. He and Dean Ambrose are the only watchabke things on Raw and Smackdown at present.

My question is, is it too late for Sandow to be portrayed in a serious light and have a solid top tier/upper mid card run?
He is an excellent in ring performer, he is funny as fuck, his timing and pyschology are second to none.
I know myself Id love to see a three way dance where Sandow "ACCIDENTALLY" pins either Miz or Sheamus and wins the US Title and starts to be treated with some seriousness bvy the company.

Thoughts?

 

[LoveReignsO'erMe]

That has to be where they're going with this. I would love to see Sandow step into the ring while Miz is "resting" on the outside, and pin Sheamus. Then, have Miz get all excited, run into the ring, and ask for the belt. Sandow would be given the belt, look down unsure of himself, and Miz would be asking for it, and Sandow refuses. I would love to see a Miz/Sandow program over the US Title, turning Sandow face.

 

[Navi]

I've always liked Sandow and he is even funnier when you see him at a house show. He can really get the crowd going. His impression of Sheamus the other night, and him becoming Sheamus' stunt double had me in stitches.

The guy can go in the ring, fantastic on the mic, and seems to take anything thrown at him in stride. Would be great to see him win a title, God knows he deserves it.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

I've been on the Sandow bandwagon for years now, I remember sitting front row at an FCW event back in 2011, and he was on the corner waiting to be tagged in, and he just turned around out of the blue, looked at me, and said "I do this for the mon-aye!". I remember thinking he won me over at that moment, I was so happy to see him called up, but then they did the usual thing WWE does with people that start getting over, they do the stop start, stupid comedy angle to kill their moment (see: Ryback). I like to believe it's never too late, but honestly they've put him in some idiotic situations the last couple of years, so it's gonna be an uphill climb.

I could easily see the scenario you've laid out though, of him winning the US title and using that as a springboard in to a better role, he certainly deserves it.

 

[Mustang Sally]

The thing is, I've enjoyed what he's been doing ever since he came aboard. The "Intellectual Savior" stuff was fresh, original and very well done....by a guy who seemed destined to play that exact role. Okay, a character has to evolve....and perhaps they waited too long to do it with Sandow.....but it's hard to fathom why they chose a Charlie Haas-like pattern for Damien to follow. Watching Sandow standing in the ring in a tutu was even worse than the way they handled Drew McIntyre after deciding he wasn't main event material; embarrassing a hard worker with an embarrassing program is a rough way to go. I figured Damien's next step was out the door.

Instead, he's got something new to run with. Although the concept of "subordinate" is written all over this program....and it may simply be a vehicle to assist the Miz, not Damien Sandow..... it's all going to come down to how WWE management sees it. If this copycat routine makes them finally see Sandow's potential, maybe he can make a comeback.

If not, he's gonna be 3MB'd the hell out of here.

 

[OYDK]

Man, a wrestler hasn't made me laugh as hard as Sandow since Angle in his 2001-2002 heel days. And I mean non-stop laughter. To me, any program with Sandow in it lately, has been must-see TV, and the WWE HAS to see that too.

What started as a throwaway gimmick (in many peoples eyes) has become one of the most entertaining portions of Raw and Smackdown on a weekly basis. Although many people may not have liked the direction Sandow was going in, this has allowed him to add depth and layers to his character which we probably would not have seen otherwise. Although many people believe WWE gave up on Damien Sandow with this current gimmick, it's possible that they wanted to put him in a more comedic role IN ORDER to add depth to his character. We've seen them do it with Kane, Big Show, Foley, and a few others and who knows, maybe this slooooooooow burn with Sandow was WWE's plan all along? (I'm stretching here aren't I...) I just refuse to believe that the WWE can botch a talent like Sandow so badly.

This guy is apparently a hit in the locker room with the boys, has fans reacting for him every night, and elicits a chant which very few people can do (JBL, Cole, and King excluded...) WWE has to see money here, don't they? I think Sandow in a semi-more serious role can do GREAT things for the IC belt at this time.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I like this idea. It makes total sense to book Sandow in to a three man match with Miz. Miz is not realistically much competition for Sheamus based on past booking. Having Sandow outside is one thing, putting him in a match with Miz and Sheamus makes the match seem so much more competitive.

I would book the match to have Miz hit some offense and then have Sandow follow up with the same offense. They repeat this over and over again wearing Sheamus down. Then Miz hits Sheamus with his finisher. While going for the pin Sandow pulls Sheamus up so he can hit the same finisher. This bothers Miz but as soon as Sandow hits it Miz goes for the pin. To his shock, Sandow also goes for the pin in a similar way. This causes Miz to get pissed and he pushes Sandow away. Sandow pushes him back in the same manner. Sandow expresses that he is just doing his stuntman job.

Then they have a long spot where one after the other hit each other with the same moves. Miz first, Sandow second.

In the end though I'm not sure I want Sandow to win or even be taken more seriously. Like the OP said, Sandow is "funny as fuck (I haven't heard that expression in years and I miss it. TY OP)". If this role is working for him, don't rush it, enjoy it. When it gets stale, then pull the plug and provide a push in to something new.

 

[#hamler]

I've said this already today — in the forever changing world of professional wrestling, as fans we get bored a lot. As entertaining and over as Sandow is with the WWE audiences, I cannot see his current direction lasting a significant amount of time. It can't be long before the mimicking schtick is played out with everyone. With that said, I can see it both ways. His current actions could very well be the stepping stone that launches Damien Sandow far into greatness. For a short while, The Miz's Hollywood character was on fire. His character was fresh and was something that hadn't been done since The Rock left in 2003. Now, it looks like Sandow is overshadowing his colleague and taking a lot of his spotlight away. That concept alone can spark an interesting rivalry between the two and cause an eventual break away for Sandow's character into the upper mid card. In the conversation of who would you push that I have with friends on a usual weekly basis, I've always said Sandow needs to be pushed as one of the companies top characters. Right now, his greatest claim to fame is cashing in on the World Heavyweight Champion John Cena in a match that just screamed classic. He has more of that in him.

Whatever it is, Sandow definitely has it. His in ring abilities are there. The dedication to his character is there. His ability to talk is there. His abilities are more than there, he just needs to break away from this never ending comedic rut he's in. If not, I'm afraid he'll be deemed a Santino 2.0 for the remainder of his career and nothing will be able to save him from that.

 

[Messiah]

WWE obviously doesn't see anything in Sandow that's why they put him in this goofy role with The Miz..: Damien Sandow is a clown and that's all he'll ever be.

 

[FarFromFine]

I know he's been around a while but I still think of Sandow as "new". Similar to guys like Daniel Bryan, Ziggler, Wade Barrett, Cesaro, the Wyatt's, the members of the Shield, and even Lesnar post-UFC.

Maybe that is why most of the crowds like all of these guys. They are a breath of fresh air from Cena, Orton, Kane, Big Show, Christian, Sheamus, and (if not for Zeb) Jack Swagger. Other than Orton the rest of them are channel changers for me unless they're in an angle with someone that I like.

To the point of the OP, Sandow is over with the crowd. The one guy that said he'll end up getting released-you're crazy. I can't even think of the last guy that was over with the crowd that was released other than for a violation.

Wrestling goes in cycles unless you break through and solidify your way into the main event picture for good. Punk did it with his pipebomb promo, Daniel Bryan did it over time with the YES chant and by being so damn good in the ring. Ambrose, Rollins, and, after he gets back from injury, Reigns are all trying to have that breakthrough now.

When he won MiTB and cashed in with that classic match he was at the peak of his run. During the impersonation gimmick he was at the bottom of the cycle. Now, he's on the way back up. He's more over than the guy he's "stunt double" for. The crowd chants "Sandow" during Miz matches and I'll guarantee he gets more of a reaction at ringside during Miz/Sheamus at Hell in the Cell than anything that happens between those two in the match.

If Daniel Bryan's rise taught us anything it's that WWE will push the guys we choose. Right now, the fans have chosen Sandow. Not to the degree of Bryan or Ambrose, but he is over. This man understands the business and has now taken 2 straight shit gimmicks and turned them into gold, now we just have to see how far he can go.

 

[thebarber]

I like this idea. It makes total sense to book Sandow in to a three man match with Miz. Miz is not realistically much competition for Sheamus based on past booking. Having Sandow outside is one thing, putting him in a match with Miz and Sheamus makes the match seem so much more competitive.

I would book the match to have Miz hit some offense and then have Sandow follow up with the same offense. They repeat this over and over again wearing Sheamus down. Then Miz hits Sheamus with his finisher. While going for the pin Sandow pulls Sheamus up so he can hit the same finisher. This bothers Miz but as soon as Sandow hits it Miz goes for the pin. To his shock, Sandow also goes for the pin in a similar way. This causes Miz to get pissed and he pushes Sandow away. Sandow pushes him back in the same manner. Sandow expresses that he is just doing his stuntman job.

Then they have a long spot where one after the other hit each other with the same moves. Miz first, Sandow second.

In the end though I'm not sure I want Sandow to win or even be taken more seriously. Like the OP said, Sandow is "funny as fuck (I haven't heard that expression in years and I miss it. TY OP)". If this role is working for him, don't rush it, enjoy it. When it gets stale, then pull the plug and provide a push in to something new.

Like the OP said, Sandow is "funny as fuck (I haven't heard that expression in years and I miss it. TY OP)".

Your welcome George lol

 

[MartialHorror]

I'm glad that the crowds are showing support for Sandow and I'm glad that Sandow has finally found a characterization which seems to be working. I do sometimes feels he overdoes it, such as when he was mimicking all of Miz's mannerisms a week or so ago. I almost felt like he was trying to get a face reaction, which was...odd.

Nevertheless, this is the first time I feel Sandow might make a good face. They can have the Miz get jealous of his growing popularity and start to abuse him, leading Sandow to become the hero. I don't think the intellectual savior gimmick would've worked as a face. However, Sandow is in danger of being stuck as a comedy jobber. I suppose it worked for Goldust though.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I almost felt like he was trying to get a face reaction, which was...odd....... I don't think the intellectual savior gimmick would've worked as a face.

That's the thing; he wasn't trying to be anything, he was just looking to mimic Miz. Of course, mimicry is a form of irony, of humor.....and we sooner identify it with a good guy, or at least a performer who's trying to evoke laughs, not boos. For sure, Sandow is attempting to be funny.....how could it be looked at otherwise? Yes, it's silly, but I'm enjoying it.

I like your suggestion of his turning good, I think it would be a logical step.....and I'm interested to see how he would fare as a face. However, it might be good to see him continue the Intellectual Savior stuff when he's doing it for fun instead of evil.....in other words, let him get high & mighty with his bad guy opponents even while catering to the audience.

If Creative can't come up with anything else for Damien, a good guy know-it-all who wrestles seriously might be a good direction for him.

 

[DCLXVI]

I am freaking happy for Sandow. He took it on the chin getting beat in a few seconds every night and dressing as ridiculous characters (Davey Crockett?) for months and I don't think the Mizdow thing was supposed to last but for a few matches (R-Ziggler?) and he has taken this stunt double thing which looks awful on paper and made it work. Talk about a fall from grace from being Mr. Money in the Bank. Proof you can't keep a good man down. He will have an inevitable turn on Miz (they've hinted it already once or twice) but I can't see him as a face and he is just too good to be limited to a comedy character... It will be interesting what happens.

 

[GOOZEKING]

Personally I believe Wwe is just giving Sandow Charlie haas old gimmick. He never got over and when they mistakenly seperate miz and Sandow. He will just turn into anothe comedy act

 

[Mustang Sally]

Personally I believe Wwe is just giving Sandow Charlie haas old gimmick.

At that time, I (foolishly) thought Haas was finally being given a new direction, but now feel it was simply a last hurrah before ushering him out the door.

But it was a pleasant new development to see Sandow get the win for his team in the 6-man match last night on Raw (10/20). Perhaps it will amount to nothing, but the fact it happened at all was such an unexpected surprise that I'm hoping it means something good for the guy.

 

[RedRegan1005]

I'm glad as hell that Damien Sandow seems to be somehow getting his current gimmick over. Why you ask? Well 2 main reasons:1)He is talented and deserves better. 2) He just might make it through all the BS that WWE has made him due and be successful. Sometime I think WWE gives guys really campy, stupid angles just to see if they can survive it, or even make it work. It looks like he is going to survive it, and has started to make it work sense becoming Mizdow.

I think it would work out perfectly if Miz comes to the ring thinking he is going to be awarded a title shot by the authority, and then they end up giving it too Sandow. He wins the belt and then feuds with Miz as his first defense. That said the big test for Sandow is if he eventually turns face, changing his character to something more serious and unique to him.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I feel like Sandow is getting more over this way than he would with traditional booking. He's funny, and smarks like him. If you book him more traditionally, that's kind of boring. The new WWE booking seems to take old stereotypes "oh, WWE is booking him as a goofy henchman to a heel" and uses that to play on your expectations (Bryan not winning the Rumble similar?).

I think the WWE sees a lot in Sandow and this is leading to something more. He's extremely talented and will be extremely over.