- 05/14/2016 (10:43:08 am)
- Bob Mulrenin
…
DAMIEN SANDOW ON LIFE AFTER WWE AND HIS 'THANK YOU' TOUR
After being released by WWE last week, the fan favorite has
big plans – including a return to the ring and studying
Shakespeare
Last week, several superstars were released by WWE. Fans reacted to all the cuts – in one way or another – but one in particular had them howling: the company's decision to part ways with Damien Sandow.
That was undoubtedly a testament to his talents as both a wrestler and a performer, because over the span of his relatively brief WWE run, Sandow repeatedly showed that he could get just about anything over. He debuted in 2012 as the "Intellectual Savior of the Unwashed Masses," turned into a Rhodes Scholar and then became Mr. Money in the Bank in short order. But after an unsuccessful cash-in of the MITB briefcase, he fell by the wayside, only to eventually reemerge as the Miz's endlessly entertaining stunt double.
That winning turn earned Sandow plenty of accolades – and his lone WWE title, a Tag Team Championship with the Miz. Their dynamic was a staple of the company's programming through WrestleMania 31, yet for whatever reason, WWE never really capitalized on their chance to build a new face, and Sandow was seen only sporadically in recent months.
But whether he was a regular on Raw or merely a bit player, Sandow routinely received some of the biggest reactions of the night. It's part of the reason he plans on embarking on a wrestling "Thank You Tour" (while working under the name Aaron Stevens) before turning his eyes to other projects – one of which has the potential to truly amaze.
In his first interview since being released, Sandow opens up about his time in WWE, his relationship with the fans and what happens next.
Take me through what happened last week, when you received the phone call from WWE.
First of all, I know a lot of people within the wrestling community were a little surprised. With me, I was more grateful for my time there. Looking back, I had a great four years there. The truth of it is, as a performer, the goal is to get the audience to feel something, to evoke some kind of emotion. In the WWE, from the second I debuted, there was an extreme feeling of dislike towards me. They really did not like me from the second I came on. Which was huge. A lot of guys spend years and years trying to get that kind of a reaction. They gave me the platform to do that character. Then, as time went on, especially with the Mizdow thing, the fans went from hating me to loving me. The crowd invested as me as a person. I never thought that I'd get that level of popularity as far as being cheered. As a performer, in that genre, the only thing we can ask for is fan response, especially genuine fan response. It's the most satisfying thing. In reviewing my WWE career, which I did instantly when the call came, I was just grateful, and excited for the future.
Were you surprised they had decided to release you?
Not really. I had some conversations with them before, where I had said that I think, as a character, we had gone through the gamut. What more could I do with that character? Some people say, "This company should have done this, or that." No, the company gave me a platform, and I maximized my opportunity. That's all I can ask for. In maximizing it to the point that I did, as a character, sometimes all you can do is get a new coat of paint. As a television show, the WWE, they have so many talented performers there. There is so much talent in the WWE. I have no problem with them needing time to let the other guys show their craft. I am not selfish in that respect. When I was on TV, they knew they'd get a reaction. When you look at it, if you know you can plug me in any spot, and you don't have to invest the TV time, then it makes sense to give TV time to guys who need to build their reactions. Just look back at the Royal Rumble in January, when I was on the preshow. I was in the ring for the first time in months, and fans were chanting my name, when I was just standing on the apron. That, to me, means more than any title I could have won in WWE. That means the world to me.
After the news broke, what did you think of the fan reaction on social media?
The funny thing about that is, the first thing I did when I got off the phone was clean my shed out. I had been meaning to do that for years. With my schedule in WWE, I really hadn't been able to do that. My girlfriend was ecstatic. I hadn't been able to do anything around the house in years. So I thought I'd use the time positively. I cleaned the shed out, I played with the dogs and then just relaxed. That night, my phone was ringing a lot. I checked in with my family, who were wondering if I was OK. I was fine, I told them not to worry about it. Then I turned my Twitter on. I was amazed. I was shocked that people cared that much. In the entertainment world, it's always about, "What's the next big thing?" It meant the world to me that people cared. It meant more than winning titles, to see the outpouring of emotions. And the feeling is mutual. It's clichéd to say that without the fans, there's no WWE. But it's true. Without the fans, I wouldn't be the performer I am.
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