Santino Marella? *RAW Spoilers*

[Mr. Nerfect]

Wow. I don't know what to think about this. I love Anthony Carelli, aka Boris Alexiev (I've been singing his praises for months, trying not to go overboard and turn him into another Val Venis or Doug Basham), and this is the first time in WWE history someone has won the Intercontinental Title in their debut match with the WWE. Carlito did win it in his RAW debut, which they plugged for a few weeks, but he had already debuted on SmackDown! and been United States Champion.

I think this could work out. I think he needs an opponent for Backlash (probably Johnny Nitro), and I think he needs to go over. They really need to explain his background, though. It's all well and good that he beat Umaga by chance, but he now needs to reveal he has training of some kind. Maybe have him attend RAW because he was ironically hoping to seek employment with the WWE.

Anyway, I wish Anthony luck in the WWE, and I think he has a really bright future. I'm not going to complain about the guy getting the shot, or the guy winning, but I do wonder why they didn't give the IC Title to one of the former Full Blooded Italians on the roster.

Little Guido winning the IC Title from Umaga would have been HUGE. Guido is over like rover in Italy, and winning the IC Title would have been one of those moments that could have saved his career from becomming jobbertastic. Guido is a great wrestler, and a run on RAW working with guys like Johnny Nitro would only better them as performers. In an age where the WWE loves underdogs, Little Guido is a legit underdog because of his size, but he actually has the skill to make it look like he's legitimately beating the odds.

Vito winning the IC Title would have been promotion for his Playgirl magazine spread. He's been made into a somewhat credible singles star on SmackDown!, and we haven't seen him since (although he apparently appeared at the WrestleMania pre-show, as a lumberjack). With his new serious persona, Vito could have gotten a somewhat credible run on RAW, with potential to move up when he becomes more established as an Intercontinental Title-level competitor.

Chuck Palumbo winning is just something my creativity threw out there. Palumbo has never been too successful in singles runs, always seeming more of a tag guy. A win over Umaga would have gotten Palumbo there. Plus an IC Title win would have established him as a somewhat respected singles worker, doing some of the WWE's work for them. Palumbo is recogniseable from the Attitude era days (as are Guido and Vito, but Palumbo slightly moreso), so it might seem like more of another step in the journey of one man's career, which is always good.

I'm not complaining about the angle. I've wanted a surprise title change in the WWE for the longest time (unless it is London & Kendrick losing the WWE Tag Team Championship; if that makes me biased, so be it), and I'm a HUGE Boris Alexiev mark, and desperately want him to succeed in the WWE, but back before I actually figured out who he was, and thought he may have just been a local wrestler, who would drop the belt the following week, or get a decent reign, but just not be the most deserving guy, I thought, "Little Guido should be going over here."

So yeah, I'm kind of conflicted about the whole thing, and think it depends on where the WWE takes Marella. I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks about the new Intercontinental Champion.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Oh, and it's got 0.00% chance of happening, but can you imagine if the WWE suddenly turned on John Cena for some reason, and had William Regal stiff the shit out of him in London, and win the WWE Championship? :love:

And before anyone says "Alienoid, stop smoking that shit," I did say it's got 0.00% chance of happening, I'm just mentally masturbating. Anyone who wishes to join me, feel free.

[KayfabeMan]

I agree 100%. I said that earlier tonight.

WWE is so fucking stupid it's pathetic.

They have so many opportunities to build storylines and stars and such from right within the company, and as always, the blow it. They just can't take a positive situation and use it to the best of their ability, they have to take it and shit all over it and start all over again.

End of sermon.

[Volare]

I marked out when he won the IC title....didn't think it would stick though...I figured that Vince would come out saying it wasn't for real and stuff...way to go WWE for pulling something new out of their asses

[Vietnamese Crippler]

I don't like it when a new guy debuts and IMMEDIATELY wins a belt, especially with outside help.

And when I tuned into RAW to see the guy in the ring with Lashley, I thought he looked like some mix between Masters and Batista (on account of the back tattoo).

[thedamndest]

I'm glad the title is done being Armando's arm candy, and hope that this guy comes in and defends it. I'm interested to see how much of a stereotype he will wind up being, but otherwise I look forward to see the title defended again (although I am a proponent of minimizing the amount of titles, the IC should stick around).

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think Little Guido winning would have been a great way to reestablish him. Guido could play a legit badass, albeit giving up some size, who won't back down from anybody. He starts off OK against Umaga, but is then overwhelmed, until Lashley helps him win.

I like the idea of Anthony Carelli getting called up, but why not have him debut on Heat? They only had two matches taped for it this week, Val Venis fought Daniel Rodimer and Matt Hardy took on Kenny Dykstra. The crowd weren't too into Venis vs. Rodimer as an opener (who can blame them, Venis has been run into the ground by the WWE, and Rodimer is nobody yet), so in retrospect, perhaps they should have started off the show with "Santino Marella" defeating someone like Stevie Richards? Build Marella up from the ground, and give him kind of an undefeated streak like he had going as Boris Alexiev in OVW?

[thedamndest]

After spending a year or two as a leader of the Full Blooded Jobbers, and then a random cruiserweight named Nunzio, I don't see Little Guido being saved any time soon by anything short of the touch of God. He may be over as shit in Italy, but back in the States where shit matters, he's filler, another great talent mismanaged by WWE.

[HeartBreakMan2k]

Didn't read the thread, but this kids tenure with WWE is fucked untilt hey send him back to OVW and repackage him. I'm sorry, I just don't see them putting a fan over THAT much. I give him 6 months tops in the big leagues.

[Mr. Nerfect]

After spending a year or two as a leader of the Full Blooded Jobbers, and then a random cruiserweight named Nunzio, I don't see Little Guido being saved any time soon by anything short of the touch of God. He may be over as shit in Italy, but back in the States where shit matters, he's filler, another great talent mismanaged by WWE.

That's absolutely right, but I mean, look at it this way:

He IS over in Italy. More over than "Santino Marella" would have been. Vince likes the guy, which is the only reason I think he wasn't released alongside Tony Mamaluke, and he was pretty over when ECW just started up. There were reports of "Little Guido" chants in most of his matches.

The WWE did mismanage him to Hell, and he is filler in the WWE, but I think an IC Title reign could have changed that immediately. I don't think Vince would have been opposed to the idea, either.

[Jeritron]

That's why I wish there was still a European championship.
Honestly, they could get an amazing angle going with Nunzio, Finlay, Regal and any others over that belt. Talent that is actually in European gimmicks. A brit, an italian and an irishman. Seriously, a heritage angle for the Euro belt would be the goods especially if booked as tweeners so that fans could really get into their favorite. It'd have been especially good if it was prebooked to culminate during a European tour. Jesus you could even get Davari and Kozlov in on the deal and make it a world affair.
I'd be willing to be a well booked European title tournament conducted during an overseas tour would go over extremely well.
Not to mention it's a midcard title ranking below IC so there's no stretch of imagination in having it on said talent.

[KayfabeMan]

While we're talking about this guy:

I wonder if his name is some kind of kayfabe tribute to the late, great Gorilla Monsoon? If I'm right, I think Santino is another form of the word meaning a saint and / or holy, something along those lines - and Marella was Gorilla's real last name.

Just was wondering if they pulled a Simon Dean / Dean Simon Malenko here with this situation is all.

[D Mac]

What the fuck.

[Mr. JL]

I began to watch this segment, but turned it off out of boredom when Vince announced the match as being 'no holds barred'.

So, this 'FAN' won the IC title?

[Jeritron]

Just like when the 123 Kid pinned Razor

[Mr. JL]

... except I highly doubt this 'FAN' even deserves a single comparison to Sean Waltman.

[D Mac]

I hate X Prick's fucking guts, but id have to agree with Mr. JL

[Theo Dious]

*gets to my knees and prays that this is the start of the IC title being treated at least as well as the US title*

Of course I've prayed for this repeatedly in the past six years.

[Mr. Nerfect]

... except I highly doubt this 'FAN' even deserves a single comparison to Sean Waltman.

Well, the wrestler behind the fan is fucking awesome, but yes, it is dubious to have a "fan" beat one of your main event heels for a Championship in an industry that has been hurting because it's "fake".

"It's not fake, we tells ya!"

*Average Joe wins the IC Title*

"SmackDown!'s not fake!"

*The Undertaker shoots corny lightning bolts as The Boogeyman's head appears laughing on a plate of worms*

"We're not going to even suggest ECW, because we'd rather pretend it doesn't exist."

[Mr. Nerfect]

That's why I wish there was still a European championship.
Honestly, they could get an amazing angle going with Nunzio, Finlay, Regal and any others over that belt. Talent that is actually in European gimmicks. A brit, an italian and an irishman. Seriously, a heritage angle for the Euro belt would be the goods especially if booked as tweeners so that fans could really get into their favorite. It'd have been especially good if it was prebooked to culminate during a European tour. Jesus you could even get Davari and Kozlov in on the deal and make it a world affair.
I'd be willing to be a well booked European title tournament conducted during an overseas tour would go over extremely well.
Not to mention it's a midcard title ranking below IC so there's no stretch of imagination in having it on said talent.

That is fucking brilliant. :y:

[Loose Cannon]

yea, that is pretty sweet.

[Kane Knight]

Well, the wrestler behind the fan is fucking awesome, but yes, it is dubious to have a "fan" beat one of your main event heels for a Championship in an industry that has been hurting because it's "fake".

"It's not fake, we tells ya!"

*Average Joe wins the IC Title*

"SmackDown!'s not fake!"

*The Undertaker shoots corny lightning bolts as The Boogeyman's head appears laughing on a plate of worms*

"We're not going to even suggest ECW, because we'd rather pretend it doesn't exist."

Now, I'm out of the loop. Was last night's match the end of Umaga's streak, too, or had he been reduced to defeat before this?

I don't know. I haven't seen wrestling at all for months up until last week, and I couldn't take Umaga seriously as a threat, and was REALLY wondering if they had been jobbing him out or something.

I've got to say, I liked the win, but mostly because it was one of those rare moments where it actually felt like anything could happen.

Besides, the fakeness of the sport isn't what's hurting it. It's the fake that it's shit. I mean, people knew it was fake in the Attitude Era, and nobody cared. It was fun to "sing along with the Rock" or "Give Austin a Hell Yeah." Hell, you could get half my school to do the NAO intro. That shit was fake. And you had Undertaker shooting lightning and sacrificing people, you had Kane throwing fireballs, you had Pimps and porn stars and fucking VAMPIRES (And Vampire Hunters) and leather daddies and guys who would jump the rail and get a contract next week.

Wrestling was fake, and stupid, and bullshit. but it was fun.

Not that your line wasn't funny.

[Londoner]

Now, I'm out of the loop. Was last night's match the end of Umaga's streak, too, or had he been reduced to defeat before this?

Cena beat him for the WWE title at NYR.

[Kane Knight]

Please tell me Umaga didn't have the title at that point.

[Theo Dious]

Please tell me Umaga didn't have the title at that point.

Thankfully no. Cena retained.

[Kane Knight]

I never thought I'd see "thankfully" and "Cena Retained" in the same place.

[Theo Dious]

I never thought I'd see "thankfully" and "Cena Retained" in the same place.

And I never thought I would type it.

[DAMN iNATOR]

This just worries me even more that there seems, at least in my mind, to be a greater probability of this 3-on-1 Handicap Match at Backlash being more of a thing where Vince and Shane work over Lashley for like the first 3-5 minutes (if even that), and then letting Umaga go to work, only to have Lashley build towards a finish similar to Umaga and Lashley at Mania, only then the "Samoan Bulldozer" decides to "finish off" Lashley as it were, and they put the ECW World Title strap on Umaga, thus possibly burying him even more than he has been getting buried lately, as the ECW Title is not renowned (the WWE version of it anyhow) as being a title that is defended very often, especially not on Tuesday Nights. The only time, for the most part, obviously that Umaga would probably have to defend the belt is at ECW only- or joint-brand-pay per views.

[addy2hotty]

I'm glad I turned Raw off before this occured.

[Londoner]

^ I actually thought it was a good moment to watch tbh.

[CSL]

While we're talking about this guy:

I wonder if his name is some kind of kayfabe tribute to the late, great Gorilla Monsoon? If I'm right, I think Santino is another form of the word meaning a saint and / or holy, something along those lines - and Marella was Gorilla's real last name.

Just was wondering if they pulled a Simon Dean / Dean Simon Malenko here with this situation is all.

<font color=white>Thought this when I heard his name.

Also, isn't this the guy that Jim Cornette slapped the shit out of?</font>

[Jeritron]

Think of how meaningful the midcard could be

[Afterlife]

The pinacle was watching Vince try not to laugh when he asked if the guy understood English, and Marella answered with "Si, si." That was beautiful.

[DAMN iNATOR]

<font color=white>
Also, isn't this the guy that Jim Cornette slapped the shit out of?</font>

Yes.

[Mr. Nerfect]

The pinacle was watching Vince try not to laugh when he asked if the guy understood English, and Marella answered with "Si, si." That was beautiful.

Haha, if that was unscripted, Anthony Carelli is going places. :D

[Disturbed316]

Even my dad thought the title change was dumb.

[6to1]

i think of gail kim she won the womens belt her 1st match on raw. then they get rid of her later.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Even my dad thought the title change was dumb.

Is your dad only a casual viewer? If so, that would most likely explain why he and any other average Joe would find it dumb...they all then think, “Oh great so now WWE's gonna either sign this poor dumb fan who just won a title belt even though he probably has no interest in wrestling professionally, he'd rather just sit and watch the stuff at his house, or tell him it was all faked and he can’t really be the Intercontinental Champion.:nono:”

[lort]

I kind of liked the moment. Gives everything a shakeup - does it matter if he has a long run? No. I think it mattered that they got the title off someone who didn't need a title and wasn't even defending it or building any kind of program with it.

What I've seen of Carelli in OVW (which I admit isn't a lot) he seems like he can carry a descent match and the "almost a shoot fighter" style is really in at the moment (and kind of fits with a fan angle).

Yeah the angel is slightly contrived but it's wrestling. At least he didn't debut as a time traveler or an alien. There are much worse gimmicks.

[Disturbed316]

Is your dad only a casual viewer? If so, that would most likely explain why he and any other average Joe would find it dumb...they all then think, “Oh great so now WWE's gonna either sign this poor dumb fan who just won a title belt even though he probably has no interest in wrestling professionally, he'd rather just sit and watch the stuff at his house, or tell him it was all faked and he can’t really be the Intercontinental Champion.:nono:”

No, he watches it with me when he can, not every week though. He understands the ins and outs of the business.

[Theo Dious]

Even my dad thought the title change was dumb.

Umaga as champion wasn't dumber?

[parkmania]

Well, they did mention on ECW when they were doing the Raw highlights that the guy did have training in Canada, and was home visiting his family at the time.

So, ok. They admit the guy has training. BUT, that he just happened to be visiting the one time WWE comes to Italy in several years, AND his family just happens to get him a front row seat by himself (any of us would have said a "Hi Mom" or something along those lines), AND Vince just happened to pick him out of the crowd?

Yeah, that could happen. :roll:


IT'S STILL REAL TO ME, DAMMIT!

[Mr. Nerfect]

My nephew was watching ECW with me, and when he heard that Santino Marella had wrestling training, he goes "Aww, that's stupid!" I then quizzed him on it, without pushing him too hard, why he thought it was better that a guy with no wrestling training would be a better IC Champion than a guy with it. He didn't really answer me, but I guess he just felt deceived by the contrivance of it.

I think an IC Title win for Little Guido still would have been the way to go, although Marella is now over. I hope they put him in an entertaining storyline.

[Kane Knight]

Deceived by the Contrivance of it? :wtf: Man, he's gonna grow up to HATE wrestling.