Hey, remember Santino Marella? That little Italian guy that (kayfabe) came out of the crowd and beat Umaga for the Intercontinental Championship? And he was actually a legitimate wrestler for a bit? However, a short two years later, he won the Miss Wrestlemania Battle Royale as…Santina Marella. Yes, in a mere 24 months, Marella went from champ to chump. While that story is sad in itself, it can also be a learning experience for WWE. One of their hot development stars of the past year has been No Way Jose. Although he started as a comedy act, he has the potential to be an actual star in NXT.
No Way Jose: From Comedy to Legitimacy
The Name
I mean, his name is No Way Jose. While that seems like a total joke, you know what else it is? Incredibly over with the fans. Even though Jose has been off television for a couple of weeks, his name is still fresh in the minds of fans. How could one even dare to forget such a ridiculous, yet catchy name? Most people even say in their everyday lives, thus keeping it fresh and at the forefront of their mind. WWE went with the “it’s so ridiculous that it just might work” approach here, and it’s really paying off. Good work on this one, WWE.
The Song
In the recent past, WWE has had a downright amazing habit of creating hit after hit for their theme songs. See here: Shinsuke Nakamura, Tye Dillinger, Mike & Maria Kanellis, and especially Bobby Roode. The thing that works with most of these themes is that they’re all so incredibly simple, but with just enough of a hook to make them catchy. Jose’s theme is no different. Just a simple little Latin beat, with the perfect amount of “syllables” for the fans to chant along, “No! Way! Jo-Se!” It’s almost too perfect, and it works so well with his character and bubbly, babyface personality.
The Storylines
The juxtaposition of No Way Jose’s storylines are what make them so intriguing. Not only are the stories he’s involved in hilarious, but also as interesting. For example, he was recently in a feud with SAnitY. Yes, that SAnitY; the complete and utter antithesis of Jose. Along with babyfaces Tye Dillinger, Ruby Riot, and Roderick Strong, they took on the dark and brooding faction. Although they lost, it still showed the incredible versatility and memorability of Jose’s storylines. Because Jose is so goofy and likeable, putting him against a dark heel faction just works.
The Finisher
It’s a baseball punch. No seriously, that’s it. And really, that’s all it needs to be. The greatest finishers of all time are usually quite simple. See here: The Stone Cold Stunner, Tombstone Piledriver, and the F5. The best and most brutal finishers don’t have to have an elaborate setup, and Jose’s definitely does not. He pops you up, he lays you out. That’s about it, and that’s about all it has to be. It just works so well with his character, and honestly makes a lot more sense than “The Cobra.” Hopefully for Jose, WWE keeps his momentum, his goofy character, and his incredible finishing move going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G1bPJETIvE
