What happens to Mizdow now?

[DCLXVI]

So after what feels like a very long time, the Mizdow/stunt double character finally seems to be winding down and he should finally be turning soon on Miz soon. He took something that was probably not intended to be a long term thing, and made the stunt double gimmick one of the most over things of last year.

Now he's Miz's personal assistant, and is really just there for you to sympathize with instead of doing his stunt double thing (which was entertaining). Miz is only getting better to me, and playing his role amazingly but they can only stretch this so much further.

Damien Sandow has been an interesting case, he was Mr. Money in the Bank at one time then flushed. I always thought he played an excellent heel, and I really can't see him as a full blown face without doing comedy stuff now. They've cut his nuts off in terms of being a threat in the ring over the past year+ to the point of being a Heath Slater. I'm also curious how he actually wrestles now because I can't really think of his moveset anymore other than doing the Miz's moves, imitating Miz, and selling moves badly (remember the Fall of Man on Mizdow for the Ascension's RAW debut? He really did that move favors.)

My question to you is, what do they do with Damien Sandow after he turns, and will he actually be over without the stunt double routine?

 

[Mustang Sally]

Well, if anyone is thinking a violent split with the Miz is going to launch Sandow to the top of the main event, they should think twice, imo. I don't see Damien as more than a career midcarder, which isn't a bad thing; it's just that we've read so many instances from folks on this forum in which it's claimed that ordinary talents are headed for stardom. Not this time.

I agree with the OP that Sandow's future as a serious character is probably a distant possibility. He's done so well with the comedy that it might be prudent to keep him in that mode, although toning down a lot of the foolishness he was practicing as a stunt double. That business of tossing himself out of the ring after watching it happen to Miz was amusing......for a while. Yet, one had to wonder what it meant for Sandow's future.

Of course, although Sandow is a talented guy, a final break from Miz could mean his ultimate departure from the company. I'm reminded of Charlie Haas; after his days as a serious competitor were apparently over, he hung on for awhile by dressing up as famous characters and engaging in wrestling matches....remember "Haas Hogan?"

It was funny, entertaining and original......and when Creative couldn't think of any more characters for poor Charlie to play, it was "sandwich and a road map" for Mr. Haas.

Hopefully, Damien Sandow can find some kind of niche for himself before he suffers the same fate. Personally, I like him and thought he still had more mileage left in his "Intellectual Savior" persona.

 

[natenate242]

I believe with the miz talking about how he needs to win the andre battle royal that it will come down to mizdow and miz. Miz will tell mizdow to eliminate himself. He will step over the rope and miz will turn around to celebrate. Mizdow jumps back in and wins.

 

[Radical]

I think it will be very interesting what happens.

It's a unique situation because Mizdow is such an over gimmick but because of the direct connection the heel Miz.

Once we get to WM and then maybe the PPV after WM where Miz and Mizdow might have one last deciding match ... what will happen to them?

Miz will continue on with the gimmick he has now. Maybe he'll try to get a new assistant or build up a bigger entourage of wannabe actors and make some heel faction.

If the feud between Miz and Mizdow is hot enough maybe Mizdow ... goes back to Sandow and builds his own faction of "guys who aren't going to be bossed around anymore" and those factions have a mid-card battle like Wyatt Family vs The Shield ... but, mid-card, like I said.

I think Mizdow has lost a lot of credibility as a serious competitor but he should regain some credibility when he best Miz in a big one on one match. Then Mizdow... or Sandow has to regain his own identity. He may get a push and get some wins behind him but he should stay away from the titles because there are too many more credible threats there.

Sandow will do better as 'the best comedy-break segment superstar' going forward.

Look at Santino Marella who had great success as the cheesy guy who still won some matches and occasionally had a main event spotlight... but not often.

If Sandow stays lower mid-card after beating Miz and shows that he can be credible in the lower mid-card over 2015 then he can be like Santino and get some US or IC or Tag Team title matches and maybe even a win.

Actually, a good story would be for Miz and Sandow to meet up in a tag team title situation where they have new partners but Sandow wins the titles with his partner and goes on a solid reign longer than he has with Miz.

I will say it just will be a little too bad when Sandow isn't directly feuding with Miz because it's been so good. But you can't do it forever or people will get bored. You can come back to it, though just like guys like Orton v Cena, Sheamus v Bryan have happened again but months or years later.

 

[Nick Vibe]

First of all, Mizdow BADLY needs to tone up his body. The guy has a terrible physique, not much better than Chris Hero's when he was refusing to work out. I'm not saying that having a good body will catapult you (look at Wade Barrett who came back ripped and is in a worst position than when he left) but it all starts with your physique. It's like looking for a girlfriend and you have to dress and smell nice. You need to have that in order for anything to happen.

Not everybody is Daniel Bryan where he thrived because of the people. Sandow is very over as a face but the Daniel Bryan-Goat situation happens once in 10 years if ever again. Not to mention Sandow has a worse physique than Bryan. My opinion is that they will try to keep him relevant in the midcard but I am skeptical as to if he will maintain his momentum. Maybe go with the ''Sons of Mizdow'' idea that he has for Twitter pic and make it a Biker Club gimmick I don't know.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

I think it will be very interesting what happens.

It's a unique situation because Mizdow is such an over gimmick but because of the direct connection the heel Miz.

Once we get to WM and then maybe the PPV after WM where Miz and Mizdow might have one last deciding match ... what will happen to them?

Miz will continue on with the gimmick he has now. Maybe he'll try to get a new assistant or build up a bigger entourage of wannabe actors and make some heel faction.

If the feud between Miz and Mizdow is hot enough maybe Mizdow ... goes back to Sandow and builds his own faction of "guys who aren't going to be bossed around anymore" and those factions have a mid-card battle like Wyatt Family vs The Shield ... but, mid-card, like I said.

I think Mizdow has lost a lot of credibility as a serious competitor but he should regain some credibility when he best Miz in a big one on one match. Then Mizdow... or Sandow has to regain his own identity. He may get a push and get some wins behind him but he should stay away from the titles because there are too many more credible threats there.

Sandow will do better as 'the best comedy-break segment superstar' going forward.

Look at Santino Marella who had great success as the cheesy guy who still won some matches and occasionally had a main event spotlight... but not often.

If Sandow stays lower mid-card after beating Miz and shows that he can be credible in the lower mid-card over 2015 then he can be like Santino and get some US or IC or Tag Team title matches and maybe even a win.

Actually, a good story would be for Miz and Sandow to meet up in a tag team title situation where they have new partners but Sandow wins the titles with his partner and goes on a solid reign longer than he has with Miz.

I will say it just will be a little too bad when Sandow isn't directly feuding with Miz because it's been so good. But you can't do it forever or people will get bored. You can come back to it, though just like guys like Orton v Cena, Sheamus v Bryan have happened again but months or years later.

This is a very good post and too many people don't understand it. Santino's old role would probably suit Sandow perfectly.

It seems any time a wrestler thrives in the undercard or as a comedy character, people start clamoring for them to be pushed to the moon and main event everything. The problem is, just because they're good at one thing, doesn't mean they're good at another. Why ruin a good thing? Sandow's original character was always destined for comedy. It had no longevity. This has been a very good development for his character. They can use it to try and push him further, but that's also risking the chance of him being completely lost and eventually gone.

The one nice thing I will say about being a comedy jobber though is you don't need any credibility to be there. You just need to be funny. So if they try a push on Sandow and it fails, he can always go back to being that as long as that spot is still open for him.

 

[Radical]

This is a very good post and too many people don't understand it. Santino's old role would probably suit Sandow perfectly.

It seems any time a wrestler thrives in the undercard or as a comedy character, people start clamoring for them to be pushed to the moon and main event everything. The problem is, just because they're good at one thing, doesn't mean they're good at another. Why ruin a good thing? Sandow's original character was always destined for comedy. It had no longevity. This has been a very good development for his character. They can use it to try and push him further, but that's also risking the chance of him being completely lost and eventually gone.

The one nice thing I will say about being a comedy jobber though is you don't need any credibility to be there. You just need to be funny. So if they try a push on Sandow and it fails, he can always go back to being that as long as that spot is still open for him.

I appreciate your reply and you make a lot of good points too. I will say that I slightly disagree about Sandow's original character that it was always destined for comedy. I don't think it was. I think it was a great heel character done by an incredibly well-spoken man. He was getting good heat early on as the Intellectual Savior of the Masses but he didn't get any really good victories that I can remember over top faces at PPVs so his credibility slowly and surely got lost. If he had come in and got a nice win streak and WON even the US or IC title then he could continue his gimmick to probably heat similar to what Rusev is getting.

Instead of a hot start and a title reign he lost big matches and never really got back a big win until Money in the Bank. That was his chance for redemption but Vince had other plans and wanted Cena still firmly on top so Sandow jobbed to Cena (and people say losing to Cena elevates them? HA!) and pretty soon after became a costume wearing pure comedy character.

He is lucky he didn't get let go.

But now he is in a great spot if he and WWE are careful. He'll be a great mid-card fan favorite comedy face. That position is needed in WWE and he would fill the role great. And just like Santino, if he is patient and keeps getting good reactions he'll get chances at titles and may even win a mid-card title to a great pop. That should be a year down the road because other than the tag titles the champ and contenders for US and IC titles are too credible of wrestlers for Sandow to get a win over them.

Sandow will be a great worker for the company as long as they don't push him to the moon.

 

[jack knife bad guy]

They both need each other. . I really haven't given 2 s#$@! about miz since 2008 and sandow really has been a bright spot. . But before this, his intellectual gimmick had begun to fall flat. Now could that happen here? I sort of hope not.. but I'm afraid if they do split to soon they will go back to where they were, where as here it gives them purpose. Miz isn't as good without Sandow and maybe vice versa. . Great tag teams wouldnt seem right wrestling with out each other. . Is this one?? Idk where they are going with this story line it makes me wonder, the obvious answer is he turns. What if he doesn't. . What if he turns on the fans right NOW at WM or have him turn against the miz at RAW the night after WM if you want him face

 

[Mustang Sally]

Miz isn't as good without Sandow and maybe vice versa.

I can see your point....with the current version of Miz. In the past, he was world champion and I have to give him that even though I thought he didn't merit being fitted for a championship belt.

The thing is, while Miz has been playing Abbott to Mizdow's Costello these past months.....and I feel that an appropriate comparison because Miz has been the straight man (Abbott) while Mizdow steals the show with silly antics (Costello).....matters are coming to a head, as per that scene we saw backstage on Monday.

Suddenly, Miz is the one playing the fool; in front of his peers, no less. (I loved the sight of Summer Raye laughing at the whole thing). At first, Mizdow tried to save Miz from what he knew was coming.....then, Mizdow wound up enjoying his boss's dilemma. When Mizdow was slapped and got in the face of Miz, I thought their pairing was going to end right then.

It's ironic; on one hand, we might be wondering why they don't just end it.....but then, we often read complaints on this forum that storylines are abandoned too quickly; it would be better to string them out for awhile.

So, taking the latter view, I suppose the company will keep this duo where they are as long as they can get mileage out of it. Obviously, there's no big rush; neither of them seem to be headed for anything major.

Damien Sandow: When the program with Miz ends, I'd love to see him take a couple months off and spend them in the gym. Lose the gut and tighten the rest of the body.... then come back with a brand new persona.

 

[Navi]

It's like looking for a girlfriend and you have to dress and smell nice. You need to have that in order for anything to happen.

This might be why so many are looking for girlfriends. Once they find one, they stop dressing and start stinking. Maybe men should keep dressing and smelling nice. Just saying.

On topic. I like Sandow before he became Miz's stunt double and while the routine has been hilarious, I think it might have hurt him in the process. He's really not been allowed to be himself in a long time, and fans have forgotten just exactly what he can do in the ring.

When they were tag team champions Miz did most of the work, well if you exclude Mizdow wrestling with a ghost on the apron, but you get my meaning. I hope this comes to a climax soon and Sandow can get back on his own two feet.

I think the bigger question is this. What happens to Miz after the breakup? Sandow has made this team relevant with his antics, Miz while he's a great heel he's not that interesting as a person. So Sandow will go on hopefully to the midcard and that's where he will stay, and probably Miz as well. I doubt Miz will get another shot at the title. His last run was dismal.

 

[LuckyLouie]

No matter what happens to him, there is one thing he NEEDS to do is get a new finisher.
He has a good gimmick going, but seeing matches end with a full nelson slam is kinda lame.

 

[SoulTrain4]

Who cares? Hes Virgil to Miz's DiBiase.

Miz is highly underrated, every week he comes up with new stuff to get heat. He makes Sandow's job easy as hell, I could get over with Sandow's gimmick.

Miz will put him over, Mizdow will be alright for like a month and then it's back to Main Event and Superstars, while Miz continues to do something else on the main shows.

 

[waylonmercy]

I actually enjoyed Damien Sandow as a heel peaking at winning the MITB match. I actually bought into him as a upper-midcarder / main eventer in the future. I don't know what he did to be buried, however, it killed his career and I don't see the point of WWE doing things like that. They are now starved for heels and Sandow could have been a higher in the card heel as he seemed like a realistic intellectual to me.

I honestly believe that going face will cause his career to stall. He was over because he imitated the moves of Miz. There was nothing beyond that for face pop. The only way he can make any sort of return to the top is if he does a similar act with another face like Ziggler since imitating his moves could potentially get over and conclude with him turning heel and going back to the intellectual stating he used Miz and Ziggler to get back to the top.

 

[John McCass]

This is what I was also frightened of. After his stunt double gimmick ends, will he get a mid card title run? I hope he doesn't shuffles in undercard with Adam Rose, Heath Slater etc. Well, with the ongoing situation I am sure that he will be in the mid card scene. Mid card is getting stronger and stronger day by day and now they are also focusing on every talent. There are very less wrestlers out of limelight as for now namely Adam Rose, Bo Dallas and Heath Slater and almost everyone is engaged in something. There is a place for Damien Sandow in the mid card division. And I'm sure that Sandow has a good future shuffling in the midcard.

 

[YourSavior]

What they need/needed to do was repackage both men. The current stunt double gimmick was definetly over with the crowd but I consider long term investment when I think about the product as a whole and the stunt double gimmick isn't one that I think was intended to be long term so now instead of having two men with further developed personalities, the miz took a step back and Damien's popularity may have improved a little but both men are now left without a plan.

 

[kadroan]

So after what feels like a very long time, the Mizdow/stunt double character finally seems to be winding down and he should finally be turning soon on Miz soon. He took something that was probably not intended to be a long term thing, and made the stunt double gimmick one of the most over things of last year.

Now he's Miz's personal assistant, and is really just there for you to sympathize with instead of doing his stunt double thing (which was entertaining). Miz is only getting better to me, and playing his role amazingly but they can only stretch this so much further.

Damien Sandow has been an interesting case, he was Mr. Money in the Bank at one time then flushed. I always thought he played an excellent heel, and I really can't see him as a full blown face without doing comedy stuff now. They've cut his nuts off in terms of being a threat in the ring over the past year+ to the point of being a Heath Slater. I'm also curious how he actually wrestles now because I can't really think of his moveset anymore other than doing the Miz's moves, imitating Miz, and selling moves badly (remember the Fall of Man on Mizdow for the Ascension's RAW debut? He really did that move favors.)

My question to you is, what do they do with Damien Sandow after he turns, and will he actually be over without the stunt double routine?

Knowing the WWE, they'll probably turn him heel shortly after the inevitable Miz vs. Sandow match to become the next Heyman guy or tags with Cody Rhodes again.

I'd be shocked if they do something with him as a face.

 

[Dave]

Yeah, as much as I really want to see the payoff between The Miz and Mizdow, I am tremendously worried about where Mizdow goes from there. Someone had already pointed it out in this thread but The Miz is the real star of that team. He has did a magnificent job of getting Mizdow ever and allowing him to piggyback on the popularity of Miz's unpopularity. Honestly, this is a great ploy from the WWE to get Mizdow over. Kudos.

Still, I am worried about what happens after that. Right now he's protected under the Miz. But when he goes out on his own and eventually goes over The Miz, where does he go from there? Does he go into the mid card shuffle against the likes of Ambrose and Barrett? Honestly, I don't think that's better than what he had already got. Don't go me wrong, I'd like to see Mizdow do something of note and I definitely think that he'll have the crowd behind him for the first few months. But the WWE need to capitalise on his popularity and make it work long term.