10 Reasons Santino Marella Deserves to be a Hall of Famer
Every year, the best of the best are inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. In recent years, we've seen legends like Shawn Michaels, Edge, Booker T, The Ultimate Warrior, and Bruno Sammartino. However, not every inductee is a legend. So, when I say that Santino Marella deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, I actually mean it. He may not seem like a worthy candidate, but the impact he's made on the roster deserves to be recognized. Let's now look at ten reasons Santino deserves to make the Hall.
10. His Debut- While it's not necessary to have a great debut to make the Hall, Santino's debut is definitely noteworthy. In Milan, he came out of the crowd (kayfabe) and pinned Umaga (with the help of Lashley) to win the Intercontinental Championship. It's easily one of the best debuts in WWE history.
9. Solid Midcarder- Throughout his career, Santino has been in the midcard. Sure, he never made the main event level, but at least he never stooped to the jobber level. He's been in his fair share of squash matches but he also has picked up a lot of wins. He's even been involved in some three and four star matches, including the World Heavyweight Championship match at Elimination Chamber 2012 (more on that later).
8. Other Inductees Are Not Always Top Notch- As I stated before, not every inductee is a former icon. There are many questionable entries in the Hall, including Koko B. Ware, George "The Animal" Steele, Ivan Putski, Gerald Brico, and "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. If opponents of Santino's induction into the Hall say it's a place only for true legends, that's not quite true.
7. WWE Always Has a Story For Him- It seems like Santino always has something going on. Currently, he and Emma are feuding with Fandango and Layla. It's quite boring and done to death, but at least it's something. Many other midcarders, such as Damien Sandow and Titus O'Neil, cannot say that.
6. Comedic Effect- Santino is by no means a serious character. His gimmick is totally comedic. This can be seen all over his career, from Glamarella to his mini feud with Sheamus in late 2010. It's what really sets him apart, no one else in the WWE is used for comedic effect more than Santino.
5. Over With Fans- Fans may be sick of the rivalry between Santino and Fandango, but they still like Santino, at least for the most part. He was really over a couple of years ago, but that's died down. Nonetheless, he still gets a decent pop every time he comes out.
4. Championships- To date, Santino has won four championships: two Intercontinental titles, the WWE Tag Team Championship, and the United States title. It's not exactly John Cena or Ric Flair material, but it's nothing to scoff at either. They won't play a major role when the WWE is deciding whether or not to induct him, but it could tip the scales.
3. Elimination Chamber 2012- In the World Heavyweight Championship match at this event, Santino gave what is probably the best performance of his career. Entering the match fourth, Santino eliminated Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes, who was Intercontinental Champion at the time, and was the runner-up to Daniel Bryan, who retained his title. It's recognized as one of the ten best performances inside the Chamber.
2. Royal Rumble history- Yes, being eliminated in 1.9 seconds is history. It may not be a great record, but it's a record nonetheless. In total, his Rumble stats are decent: five appearances, more than 16 minutes in the ring, one elimination, and being the runner-up in 2011. Like I said, not eye-popping, but that 1 second is a record that will stand forever.
1. There's No One Like Him- In short, there is no other superstar like Santino and there never will be. He's been on some terrible comedy segments, but at the same time has won the only Steeel Cage match for the United States title in SmackDown history. He's extremely unique, and the WWE needs to recognize that.
Do you think Santino deserves to be a Hall of Famer? Comment and let me know.
10. His Debut- While it's not necessary to have a great debut to make the Hall, Santino's debut is definitely noteworthy. In Milan, he came out of the crowd (kayfabe) and pinned Umaga (with the help of Lashley) to win the Intercontinental Championship. It's easily one of the best debuts in WWE history.
9. Solid Midcarder- Throughout his career, Santino has been in the midcard. Sure, he never made the main event level, but at least he never stooped to the jobber level. He's been in his fair share of squash matches but he also has picked up a lot of wins. He's even been involved in some three and four star matches, including the World Heavyweight Championship match at Elimination Chamber 2012 (more on that later).
8. Other Inductees Are Not Always Top Notch- As I stated before, not every inductee is a former icon. There are many questionable entries in the Hall, including Koko B. Ware, George "The Animal" Steele, Ivan Putski, Gerald Brico, and "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. If opponents of Santino's induction into the Hall say it's a place only for true legends, that's not quite true.
7. WWE Always Has a Story For Him- It seems like Santino always has something going on. Currently, he and Emma are feuding with Fandango and Layla. It's quite boring and done to death, but at least it's something. Many other midcarders, such as Damien Sandow and Titus O'Neil, cannot say that.
6. Comedic Effect- Santino is by no means a serious character. His gimmick is totally comedic. This can be seen all over his career, from Glamarella to his mini feud with Sheamus in late 2010. It's what really sets him apart, no one else in the WWE is used for comedic effect more than Santino.
5. Over With Fans- Fans may be sick of the rivalry between Santino and Fandango, but they still like Santino, at least for the most part. He was really over a couple of years ago, but that's died down. Nonetheless, he still gets a decent pop every time he comes out.
4. Championships- To date, Santino has won four championships: two Intercontinental titles, the WWE Tag Team Championship, and the United States title. It's not exactly John Cena or Ric Flair material, but it's nothing to scoff at either. They won't play a major role when the WWE is deciding whether or not to induct him, but it could tip the scales.
3. Elimination Chamber 2012- In the World Heavyweight Championship match at this event, Santino gave what is probably the best performance of his career. Entering the match fourth, Santino eliminated Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes, who was Intercontinental Champion at the time, and was the runner-up to Daniel Bryan, who retained his title. It's recognized as one of the ten best performances inside the Chamber.
2. Royal Rumble history- Yes, being eliminated in 1.9 seconds is history. It may not be a great record, but it's a record nonetheless. In total, his Rumble stats are decent: five appearances, more than 16 minutes in the ring, one elimination, and being the runner-up in 2011. Like I said, not eye-popping, but that 1 second is a record that will stand forever.
1. There's No One Like Him- In short, there is no other superstar like Santino and there never will be. He's been on some terrible comedy segments, but at the same time has won the only Steeel Cage match for the United States title in SmackDown history. He's extremely unique, and the WWE needs to recognize that.
Do you think Santino deserves to be a Hall of Famer? Comment and let me know.
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