Damien Sandow Is Thriving as The Miz's Stunt Double

Damien Sandow has taken the most unexpected of routes back to relevancy—serving as The Miz's doppelganger. 

Given a silly gimmick, Sandow has maximized its potential. He's turned it into one of the more entertaining elements of WWE programming going right now.

What could have been a one-note character has turned out to be much more. In addition to aiding The Miz, the character has pulled Sandow out of the funk he had been suffering through over the past year.

When The Miz introduced Sandow as "Mizdow", his personal stunt double, on the Aug. 25 edition of Raw, it seemed like just another single-serving gimmick for him.

Sandow had been donning ridiculous costumes each week, playing WWE's punching bag in everything from a spacesuit to a leotard. Sandow lost to Dolph Ziggler that night, just as he had done so often throughout this succession of shifting personas.

Few could have guessed that fans had just witnessed Sandow beginning an upward trek.

Maybe it was just meant to be another throwaway, temporary gimmick, but Sandow's dedication to the character and comic timing made it something worth keeping around. In fact, as Mick Foley posted on his Facebook page, the role has become a highlight on Raw:

"

There is no denying that Sandow has taken whatever was given to him and done his very best with it—sometimes falling, but never failing to put his very best effort into everything that came his way. And, now, with Damien Mizdow, he has come up with a character that has become must see TV on WWE Monday Night Raw.

"

Foley is absolutely right here.

Sandow could have sleepwalked through his performances, frustrated about not being anywhere near the world title scene. Instead, he seemed to embrace the opportunity, regardless of its goofiness. 

On the Raw from Sept. 1, he attended to The Miz, who sat outside the ring in a director's chair. The self-proclaimed A-lister was supposed to be battling in a tag team match, but was more concerned with his looks.

Sandow soon provided one of the bout's biggest highlights. The Miz demanded that Sandow take his place, despite not being in his match. Focus beaming from his glare, Sandow ripped off his towel, yelled "Action!" and hopped in the ring.

Moments like that have come regularly since he took on his stunt-double duties.

His short turns as Sherlock Holmes or D-Sizzle had little impact because they were just random costume changes. There was no clear motivation for him taking on these personas. With his current one, the story is more obvious.

He's been hired to be Miz's fill-in and has taken the role seriously, a method actor diligently studying his subject.

That allows him both a chance to wrestle and show off his personality. His previous incarnations simply led to being steamrolled by his opponents. He has since been asked to tag with The Miz on a regular basis.

Alternatively, he can take the beatings that The Miz wishes to avoid. That gives him ring time he just didn't have before. 

Watching him mirror The Miz's move set is fun, as is seeing him stomp on a foe or cower when his opponent has him lined up for a haymaker.

It's what he has done in Miz's shadow that is most impressive, though. Beyond dressing like The Miz, he's added entertainment aplenty from ringside by mimicking his mentor.

That has included him, as Cageside Seats points out, performing The Miz's moves when he's not even in the match:

Sandow has inspired smiles from the audience by hoisting up a cheap replica of the Intercontinental Championship.

Credit: WWE.com

On Tuesday's Main Event, he stole the show even with red-hot Dean Ambrose on the same stage. Ambrose was the guest on a Miz TV segment. Sandow sat next to The Miz, acting as his echo.

It was hard to keep one's eyes on the former IC champ. Sandow mouthing Miz's words alongside him was too hilarious to ignore. 

While R-Truth being Ziggler's stunt double was a singular running joke about the difference in their skin color, Sandow's role has delivered surprises and moments worth rewatching. Sandow has gone from afterthought to entertaining as a result.

He has also shown glimpses of why this angle may be his ticket out of the midcard.

Daniel Bryan spent months doing silly scenes with Dr. Shelby and Kane before gaining the momentum required to ascend to the main event. He connected with the crowd during that span much like Sandow is doing now.

In a confrontation with Ziggler on the Main Event from Sept. 2, Sandow reminded us that he's not just an effective jester, but a top-level mic worker.

Revealing a possible plan for him gaining the IC title, Sandow was smug and indignant. He made it easy to hate him and hard to look away. The smooth delivery, natural charisma and confidence on the mic that he displayed early in his career was back in the spotlight.

This is a far cry from what Sandow was doing just a few months ago.

He's experiencing a career revival with a persona that not many wrestlers could have made work. WWE giving Sandow the stunt double gimmick seemed like handing someone a Wiffle ball bat for a street fight.

Sandow, though, is doing some impressive damage with that flimsy weapon.