Santino Marella Thought WWE Would Call An Audible To Have Him Win The World Heavyweight Title At Elimination Chamber 2012

Though largely portrayed as a comedic figure during the majority of his WWE career, Santino Marella had a couple of brushes with the company's main prize. 

He was the last man eliminated in the 40-man 2011 Royal Rumble match and then, a year later, came close to upsetting World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan inside the Elimination Chamber. 

Discussing the match and moment with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, the Milan Miracle revealed that he thought somebody would 'call an audible' and change course mid-match due to the response he was getting from the crowd. 

"I didn't really realise the magnitude of the crowd reaction. But when I watch it back, even when I came back, [John] Cena's like, 'I know what I'm capable of and I could not get that crowd that hot tonight. That was insane'. I've had a handful of standing ovations in my career, and that was one of them when I came to the back. I honestly thought there was going to be an audible called and I was gonna win the title. Mike Chioda, he was watching Vince, and he also thought Vince was about to call an audible".

Though he scored a very close near fall after hitting The American Dragon with The Cobra, Marella would ultimately tap out to the LeBell Lock.

Santino did, however, capture the United States Championship just a few weeks later. 

H/T Wrestling Inc.