WWE Elimination Chamber 2012: Santino Marella Is the Best Replacement Possible

It is no longer considered a spoiler, folks!

WWE has put the headline on their front page and have made no secrets about it. Thus, everything following this sentence will be about the replacement for Randy Orton at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event!

Santino Marella is going to be in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match this Sunday for the World Heavyweight Championship. He will be replacing an injured Orton.

Once again, the news is openly available on WWE.com.

First, I must give well wishes to Mr. RKO! Fans often wonder why I focus so much on the concern of wrestlers' health. Mark this up as yet another reason why.

Kayfabe or not, Orton has had a long list of injuries in his career. Whether this instance is "real" or not doesn't matter. Concussions are nothing to joke about, especially for a man who has had many in his lifetime already.

Storyline or not, I hope to see Randy again one day. It certainly won't be this Sunday live in Milwaukee, WI at the Bradley Center.

As for this replacement in the match? Santino!

I tend to stay away from spoilers for the Blue Brand, but I have been checking more and more the past few weeks. Ratings haven't been affected one bit for SmackDown by the "IWC," so I no longer find that to be an excuse not to look every now and then.

My first thought was "Please not Mark Henry!"

I am as positive as they come, but I can't even begin to tell you how much this would bother me. Let the man rest already! How many days in a row must I say this? Get well, big man. Return when you are healthy and ready to go!

As usual, that didn't stop the "reporters" from jumping the gun. It is just Reminder No. 45,932 not to believe everything you read online. You just can't do that.

I love how WWE teased somebody with "charisma" would replace Orton. I just loved this. You had to know everybody was getting all pumped and amped for Christian to return. As always, WWE made the right move in not bringing back Christian...yet.

As I wrote about last month, there is no reason for Christian to return right now.

Do fans really want him to enter the Chamber and last five minutes before being eliminated? Wow, big impact he made. Or return with no story and lose every week again? Yeah, nice return!

No. He has nothing to do right now, so let's just wait until there is an actual reason for him to appear again. Not just appear for the sake of it. It's the same reason I rarely get near "fantasy booking."

"Let's bring Christian, Alberto Del Rio, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Kharma and countless others to WWE TV right now! There is no time or need for them, but who cares? Do it anyways!"

No. Christian being back would do more harm than good right now.

WWE decided to go with Santino Marella as the replacement for this Sunday, and I love the choice. It makes sense on a few levels. Here they are:

1. Santino has to eventually win matches. He is a lovable loser, but if he never wins, he is worthless. Even Brooklyn Brawler, Funaki, John Morrison and other WWE "jobbers" won every now and then! They have to.
2. You know the crowd loves this guy. Deny it all you want. Just like Hornswoggle, the man is "over." Something a lot of others can't say. Fans react to him each and every show. Being live in Milwaukee this Sunday will be no different.
3. The Elimination Chamber has never had any sense of comedy. It is always been straightforward and serious. Having a "fun" character in the match for a few minutes isn't going to hurt any credibility. He certainly won't win, so why not just smile for once? You know, fun?
4. Also, who says he will even compete? There are theories already going around about Mark Henry attacking him before he enters the match to steal his spot. Edge did that to Kofi Kingston in 2009. Santino would be the perfect wrestler to do that to. He would fill that role so perfectly.

Santino would be carried to the back. Mark Henry would force his way into the match, and we have yet another story on our hands. As long as the big man is healthy, you know I approve of this. Again, it would make sense of WWE giving Santino the spot.

All in all, WWE knows what they are doing. Call it the power of positive thinking. Call it wanting to actually enjoy the product. Call it what you will.

I will be live at the event in four days. It is going to be a great time, and my money will be well spent, which brings me to my final point. I ask for a little bit of honesty though!

Honest question: If Christian (or any other of your favorites) was added to the Chamber, would you have spent $50 on the PPV this Sunday night? The same question goes to anybody in Wisconsin about buying a ticket to attend the show!

I don't want to assume here, but my guess would be no. You wouldn't have paid money no matter what the decision was.

Thus, what does it matter? People will still be at their favorite illegal stream sites and still find faults with the program, all the while not being a real paying customer.

I, on the other hand, will be supporting WWE and cheering Santino on. Milan Miracle!

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