Fandango: Where did it go wrong?

[J.J.]

Right from the start. Wrestling may have unusual gimmicks but if you are supposed to be this great world-class dancer, why are you in wrestling, an industry filled with leg injuries? They tried to play it as serious which made many people just roll their eyes. In today's world, it was just a little too goofy and failed because we don't see football players in their gear coming down to wrestle, or a doctor in scrubs yet here is a dancer wanting to wrestle.

I'm failing to see the logic there. Are you arguing realsm and impact? They all are made up of characters, some with realistic gimmicks, some that are a bit out there. Why would Undertaker want to be a wrestler? Kane's purpose after the original Undertaker feud? Why would Bob Holly a 'Nascar' driver want to wrestle? Mankind or Dude Love? Brodus Clay? Why does Big Show lose to guys half his size? Lesnar destroying guys that are just as big as him.

There are a lot of things that WWE does that would be deemed an eye roller but it's WWE. I can't knock them for trying - WWE can get behind any guy they want regardless if fans agree, which we have seen with people on here in reference to Roman Reigns. The curiosity is why suddenly abandon this guy and tweak him to a salsa dancer with a different theme, then later have him buy into playing to the crowd when it was far too late?

 

[kadroan]

Fandango is one of many wrestlers that had a hyped debut, refused to compete due to the mispronouncing of his name and was inserted in a program with Chris Jericho. His career looked well on it's way to becoming something creative would get over, that was until the next night on Raw. The Raw following Wrestlemania put Fandango on the map, but not for his gimmick or his ring work but because of his theme song, the fans in attendance even created a dance for it.

Of course in WWE fashion they took it upon themselves to make it out as something they created by dubbing it; "Fandango-ing". They kept him heel for whatever reason and later on booked him to win the Intercontinental title. Unfortunately for him he suffered a concussion and Curtis Axel was granted the shot and win.

After that he was no longer pushed, went on a losing streak and seemingly found himself being eliminated from the Royal Rumble that following year to El Torito. Involvement with Layla and Summer Rae did him no good, change of theme song to represent a salsa dancer speaks for itself.

To cap it off, they finally give him back his original ballroom gimmick, theme song and turn him face to feud with Adam Rose and even have him embrace the dance the fans created. I would argue the face change was two years too late and the concussion is what has made him an afterthought. Was it true he didn't report his concussion right away?

So my question is, where do you think it went wrong?

They didn't capitalize on his new found fame after WM 29. Him and Jericho should have did a double turn. Fandango goes over and goes after the IC title since Miz and Barrett were playing hot potato with it. Fandango could have been an entertaining champion and eventually found his way to the tag division. I'd love to see him and Tyler Breeze become a tag team.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Everyone seems to have touched on it; 'Fandango' was a gimmick of limited duration.....WWE Creative had to know that from the beginning, and no matter how hard they might try to 'repackage' him, nothing is going to work. What can they do except try to get him dancing to a different tune?

As it is, Johnny Curtis was the prime mover in a gimmick that actually got mainstream attention for a brief period, which is certainly more than most pro wrestling acts ever get. Talk about having your moment in the sun.

Presumably, Curtis has had multiple discussions with Creative about doing something else. That nothing has been done is a pretty good indication of their answer to him.

Sandwich and a road map?

 

[MartialHorror]

Everyone seems to have touched on it; 'Fandango' was a gimmick of limited duration.....WWE Creative had to know that from the beginning, and no matter how hard they might try to 'repackage' him, nothing is going to work. What can they do except try to get him dancing to a different tune?

As it is, Johnny Curtis was the prime mover in a gimmick that actually got mainstream attention for a brief period, which is certainly more than most pro wrestling acts ever get. Talk about having your moment in the sun.

Presumably, Curtis has had multiple discussions with Creative about doing something else. That nothing has been done is a pretty good indication of their answer to him.

Sandwich and a road map?

Pretty much. When someone has a gimmick like this, the character still needs to develop and be fleshed out, showing more layers in his personality. Fandango never really evolved past it, although to be fair, Bo Dallas DID start to expand on his characterization and fell from grace shortly afterwards.

Add to this, he suffered from bad booking, so fans no longer take him seriously. Being part of one of the worst storylines in the past 5 years (Fandango-Summer-Layla love triangle BS). If Ziggler loses steam from being part of a shit angle, what will happen to someone like Fandango?

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think it was clear that he wasn't going to be a long-term success as soon as he debuted as a f'n ballroom dancer. Could you ever imagine a ballroom dancer as WWE Champion? Of course not. Even the ring name is awful.

However, the reaction he (and especially his theme) received from the crowd was phenomenal, and WWE needed to capitalise on it, which they didn't really do. They'll never be able to recreate that lightning in a bottle, and I really don't see Fandango being anywhere near a title in the future.

Johnny Curtis is a pretty talented guy with a great look. But, I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the list of releases after WrestleMania. If he doesn't get fired, I'd repackage him for sure.

 

[The Warlord]

Fandango was never over. Only his ridiculous entrance and the idiot fans on the Raw after Mania 29 that helped.

This isnt the 1980s...no matter how WWE management wants it to be.