'Superstar' Damien Sandow

[Pay Per Ghost]

Now let me start by saying, there is but one Superstar:

Superstar Billy Graham was a marvel. A man who oozed charisma and looked like a million bucks (insert needle jokes here) with his gift of the gab, impressive look and stellar rivalries with the likes of Rhodes and Sammartino all which made him, one of the top heels in the country back in the 70s. The man was the perfect foil for Bruno in the WWWF and if any of you want better details, I implore you to find 20 Years Too Soon: The Billy Graham Story DVD and check it out. YT his matches with Dusty especially the Texas Bullrope Match. What you will realize after all that is that Billy Graham was the prototype Sports Entertainer, one who absolutely deserved the title of 'Superstar'.



Now I like the passing of a legacy, I mean it has been done (successfully, see:Nature Boy and unsuccessfully see:Figure Four) but when the stars align, and the story just demands a certain anointment of an earlier moniker, it should be done as such. And I believe a certain Mizdow is slowly headed towards the land of the Superstar.

Think about it: Miz plays a Hollywood Star, Mizdow is the stunt double, his stock is growing with every live audience feedback and the fact of the matter is, slowly you will see Mizdow edge towards that break away. After months of being in the back, maybe being constantly reprimanded by the Miz, on a Raw ME he finally completes the turn and hits Miz with his finisher (I hope there is a new one). And when he is perched on the top rope soaking in that big pop, you can have any one of the commentators simply say "Ladies Gentleman we are looking at a brand new Sandow. Superstar, Damien Sandow!". As Raw draws to a close.

Have him out in suits, carry himself like an upper class, well dressed, well spoken Nick Bockwinkelish character and he will blossom. He can go heel or stay face ( I have an inkling the crowd will keep him face) but time is approaching when you see the christening of -

Superstar Damien Sandow
​

Poke holes, suggest a different route for him...GO!

 

[TheICChampion]

Well I know that if they go back to his original character when he breaks out, he will most likely be a heel, as most fans don't like that guy who talks and acts like he's better than them. I'm also not totally sold on the 'Superstar' thing either, because when Billy Graham did it, wrestlers, especially in the WWF at the time, weren't already being referred to as "superstars", so it's kind of redundant, isn't it?

 

[Mustang Sally]

Now let me start by saying, there is but one Superstar

Yes, I remembering reading what a character he was and wish I could have witnessed his career. The only thing that bugs me about him was his dissing WWE long after his career was over.....but only after they stopped paying him an annual consultant fee....and why they were giving him that, I can't guess. As soon as his "hush money" was discontinued, his mouth opened.


As for Sandow, I enjoyed your "....slowly you will see Mizdow edge towards that break away" but I hope it really will be the start of a featured role in the man's career, rather than an excuse to put Miz up against Sandow for the purpose of further elevating Miz. The two are bound to feud for awhile, yet I hope Sandow is the one who comes out ahead.

I really enjoyed his "Intellectual Savior" stuff and don't understand why it was cut off.

By the way, one other way I equate Miz and Sandow: both could spend some time in the gym, sculpting those rather unimpressive bodies.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

I really enjoyed his "Intellectual Savior" stuff and don't understand why it was cut off.

That gimmick was always destined for comedy jobber. It just doesn't have that long of a shelf life. See: Stryker, Matt.

I could see him maintaining it in a much less blatant form though. Say when he breaks off from Miz and is clearly the face in that role, he can still talk down to his current feud, but in a face type of way. Not as blatant, and more in a joking manner to get the crowd to laugh.

Sandow has the potential to be a lifelong midcarder. Which, despite the IWC's obsession with a push everyone to the main event mentality, is not a bad role at all. His mic skills are very good and his ring work is just fine. He just doesn't have that spark that's needed to be a regular main event player.

 

[CKDaimen702]

I'm also not totally sold on the 'Superstar' thing either, because when Billy Graham did it, wrestlers, especially in the WWF at the time, weren't already being referred to as "superstars", so it's kind of redundant, isn't it?

I agree, it is redundant, but I applaud the OP for thinking outside the box, as a lot of thought and imagination was put into the thread. But yes, it would be redundant for someone to have the nickname "Superstar" in this era, when everybody is called a "WWE Superstar"

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Who is the greatest wrestler of all time with three syllables in his first name? Who is the greatest with five syllables in their whole name (The Undertaker, and Andre the Giant don't count BTW)? Let's face it, Miavia had to go before Duane Johnson could blow up.

Sandow is succeeding right now because he is funny and original. Miz is helping him get over with sympathy. That MitB loss to Cena made him America's favorite non Daniel Bryan underdog. I fail to see Sandow get big unless the fan's believe they made him big. Changing his gimmick to one that screams top dog instead of underdog may kill his momentum.

How much more interesting and complex would things be if Sandow started winning titles but kept his gimmick?

Main event at WM, Lesnar had Sandow in the kimura. Miz at ringside mimics how to get out of it. Sandow repeats Mix's move in to the figure four and Lesnar taps. Donald (two syllables) Sandow is your new champion!

You're welcome!

 

[Viking]

Sandow has the technical know-how to be an A+ player, he was afterall trained by the late great Killer Kowalski. He is a great ring technician, probably not as great as Brett Hart was, but he nonetheless can be compared to the likes of CM Punk. If CM Puck was able to rise to the top, then Sandow can as well. I don't see him doing it though if he continues as Mizdow. Fighting in the Miz's shadow will not make him an A+ player.

What he lacks is exposure. I don't mean showboating like Adam Rose, as this will get him nowhere. He needs to be getting involved in matches with the likes of Mark Henry, John Cena, Randy Orton... Of course he needs to record wins in those matches as well.

 

[ColeMc]

He definitely has the inring skills and right now he is getting great value from Miz's heat. The gimmick is pure comedy gold and for once the WWE isn't trying to ripoff some trending popculture gimmick instead of creating their own.

I just don't see him maintaining his crowd reaction if he were to break from Miz.

(Adam Rose can just go, please...how many 3 month long promos are the WWE going to do for mediocre midcarders? Bo Dallas, Adam Rose, and now they are going to bury Kofi and Big E under the midcard stable 'New Day'?)

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

The redundant thing; back in the early 80s, there was serious doubt over the fact that McMahon Jr. had just decided to the following:

. The WWF/WWE made a deal with Marvel to use the name "Hulk." This was also done with WCW when Hogan went to WCW. Also, WCW used "Hollywood Hogan" to cancel the Marvel deal, but the deal was still alive. However, before the 2006 release of his multidisk anthology, Hogan acquired the rights to the name Hulk Hogan from Marvel. The trademark citation "Hulk Hogan is a trademark of Terry Bollea" can be found on the DVD-set credits.

Even with the Popular 'Incredible Hulk' show still fresh on people's minds, they still went naming Bollea 'Hulk' Hogan.

Here's the thing, when some breathes new life in a moniker, no matter how often (or previously) used, it still becomes a life of its own. The wrestler has to play it to the T, and you won't even realize it that WWE calls their fellas superstar as long as Sandow makes you believe; and he will.