[DesolationRow]

Just wondered if anyone shared the thoughts of a bunch of people whose writings I've been looking at online, saying that the match was too competitively booked? While Santino did get some offense in, I think this is a case where they needed to let his fans get actively into the match for Del Rio to squash their hopeful emotions. It only went three minutes, it isn't like Santino actually dominated or the match went beyond five minutes. I could see them run this match again on Smackdown later this week and next week on Raw as well, like the Alberto/R-Truth series last month, which were/are clearly designed to get Del Rio more over by steamrolling over rather beloved babyfaces (though Truth may never be beloved in Milwaukee again).

Thoughts?

 

[IAmNotAJ]

I think you're right about WWE needed to get people into the match and into Del Rio's matches considering he's going to main event wrestlemania.

I also think the last thing the tag-team division needs right now, is to have their champion totally squashed in a match, if they ever hope of reviving it. Not sure if WWE ever cares about that though.

 

[starship.paint]

I do think that it was too competitive. One will be a Wrestlemania main-eventer, the other is a comedy character, despite being a tag champion. With such a difference in status, Santino should never have gotten the better of Del Rio more than once (when he threw him over the top rope). Instead he outwitted Del Rio like... thrice?

You don't need the fans to believe that Santino has a chance because a brutal post-match beatdown should transfer Santino's heat over to Del Rio as well. I don't think this match will be seen on SmackDown because Kingston and Del Rio appear to be starting a feud.

 

[plibb]

I also think the last thing the tag-team division needs right now, is to have their champion totally squashed in a match, if they ever hope of reviving it. Not sure if WWE ever cares about that though.

I thought it was too competitive at first until I remembered he was an actual champion. So, with that being said, he needed to get some in, so I thought it actually was just the right amount. Del Rio showed his dominance mostly, Santino got a couple shots in and got some heat in the process. Worked out well in the end I think.

 

[Yamada_Taro]

I predicted that, he will be "Rocky Balboa".

Santino :
Part one : 1. From Italy to talent
Part two : 2. From humiliation to Wrestlemania (a great dvd title actually)

Santino will feud and have other matches with Del Rio until he gets humiliated and morally destroyed. Later Santino will disappear from competition and train with Kozlov. A new serious and heavily muscular Santino will come back just before wrestlemania to gain the spot versus Del Rio and win with a huge pop. o_o

 

[MuffinMade]

I liked that match.

 

[Xyron]

Umm I seem to be only person who really enjoyed the RAW last night... I didn't see 1 thing really wrong with it... Good development of the feud between Punk and Orton, some good destroyment of Truth. Regular botches of A Ri , Micheal "Botchamania" Cole and Truth. I also liked that the WWE creative sees more talent in Santino than in ADR, who has been quite average for a long time now. I'm just glad for that as he really isn't deserving of a ME WM win. Some guy had a thread saying Santino is the new Eddie Guerrero and I totally see it now.

 

[ultimatekrang]

it was great. santino is definately rising up the ranks. hes only going to get more and more offense from here on and its exactly what we need cus his matches are awesome, not cookie cutter like most the roster.

 

[vogue]

it was great. santino is definately rising up the ranks. hes only going to get more and more offense from here on

Exactly, with how over Santino is I have the feeling they are going to start making him look more competitive as time goes on. It was a fair showing from someone who is moving slowly away from jobber.

 

[Dub]

I think they wanted to build momentum for Santino to the point were fans were behind him 100%, that way when Alberto wins he gets more heat.

 

[199630]

Nah, I think people are making too big a deal about it. Most of the upper card had to deal with stupid stuff before they hit it big. Besides, it's not like Del Rio will be the last match at Mania, probably 2nd last, 3rd last, might even before the divas match.

I'm glad Santino is finally showing more than he can do. We'll never see Boris Alexiev, but at least we can see some of what Santino was capable of before the comedy character. He apparently really can wrestle so might as well not waste it. Especially since he's probably being paid a lot more than new guys like Del Rio.

 

[wwefanatic89]

But you gotta understand though I hate to admit it but Santino is one of the most over faces on Raw right now. So it wouldn't be a good idea to have him squashed by Del Rio.

 

[Kratosx23]

Offense means fuck all, nobody remembers anything but who wins.

 

[Demandred]

ADR should have squashed him. One is a comedy character, the other is pushed harder than Cena. ADR needs all the momentum in the world to look credible as a WM main eventer.

 

[Mister Hands]

I dunno. It's the problem with a comedy character being a champion. Santino could probably use a slight gimmick adjustment by now anyway.

 

[wacokid27]

I predicted that, he will be "Rocky Balboa".

Santino :
Part one : 1. From Italy to talent
Part two : 2. From humiliation to Wrestlemania (a great dvd title actually)

Santino will feud and have other matches with Del Rio until he gets humiliated and morally destroyed. Later Santino will disappear from competition and train with Kozlov. A new serious and heavily muscular Santino will come back just before wrestlemania to gain the spot versus Del Rio and win with a huge pop. o_o

This isn't at all a bad idea. The problem is that it might make too much sense for pro wrestling.

They tend to forget that "Humiliation to Redemption" is one of the basic story archetypes that people get behind. And Santino has the talent and charisma to pull it off if it's done right.

wk

 

[NoGimmicksNeeded]

Seemed fine to me. At the end of the day, Del Rio made someone else tap out, and that's what the fans will take from it, as a whole. It's not like the match went 10, 15 minutes or anything.

 

[DesolationRow]

Well, as my OP indicated, I agree with the emerging consensus. I was surprised that so many dirtsheet writers and Raw reviewers were saying that it made Del Rio look weak. Most of Santino's offense in the middle portion of the match were from Del Rio mistakes of one sort or another. Judging by the crowd reactions throughout, from beginning to end, it was a well-worked match, receiving the kind of response from the audience that they were looking for.

I also agree with others who say that Santino is sort of slowly transitioning away from being a doormat of sorts for his opponents. Guy's just too popular to be booked so weakly forever.

 

[ultimatekrang]

This isn't at all a bad idea. The problem is that it might make too much sense for pro wrestling.

They tend to forget that "Humiliation to Redemption" is one of the basic story archetypes that people get behind. And Santino has the talent and charisma to pull it off if it's done right.

wk

haha yea you are right. he has to much potential for good character development and isnt 1 dimensional enough for a current wrestler! the standard wrestler model right now is to just be tough and have no weakness's
i bet the wwe creative dont realise it but a reason he is so over is fans wanna see him overcome his incompetantness and win!

 

[SilverX]

Of course it was not too competitive they were the last two participants in the Royal Rumble.

That makes Santino the runner-up

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