Shootkick Man
06-17-2016, 02:16 AM
Former WWE Superstar Aaron Stevens (Damien Sandow), who was among the large collective roster cuts that WWE recently made, appeared on Chris Jericho's "Talk Is Jericho" podcast at PodcastOne.com about spoke about his WWE departure and what was ironic about it, as well as which match he feels was the best of his career. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On thinking about taking time off from WWE right before he was released from the company:
"It was very, very mutual because I had actually thought about 'what if I was to take some time off anyway?' and that was something I had brought up to them about a month ago to explore that because, again, just there are so many different directions and so many different cogs in the wheel and elements and facets in the WWE that a lot of people, even myself included who have been with them for a number of years, we don't understand why things are the way they are. But, as a performer, look, all you can do is focus on you, do the best you can with everything, whether you're dressed as an astronaut, or Daniel Boone, or God knows what else I dressed up as. I even forgot. But you do that, you try to hit a grand slam every time, and you go on."
On the 2013 Money In The Bank match, which he won, being the best match he feels he was ever in:
"Everyone in that match, we were all heels. Yes, if you go back and watch that match, I mean, Cody [Rhodes] and I were partners at the time. We came down [to the ring] together, which, again, considering the finish of the match, I mean, ah! And everyone was getting booed." Stevens added, "I mean, Wade [Barrett] was in that match, [Dean] Ambrose, Cesaro, but everyone had a part and then nobody saw the finish coming. I mean, I was hiding out in the announcers' pit, but the goal was to make the people want to see Cody win. And just like Cody getting beat down and coming back and he's just continually fighting. I mean, he had inadvertently gotten busted open a little bit and there was just enough where, like, the crowd was so behind him. The Usos did a run in. The Shield did a run in. It was awesome. And then, when Cody was finally climbing to get that Money In The Bank [briefcase] and he had been in the Money In The Bank [match] before and almost won, they were so with it. And I just come from behind, push him, and grab the briefcase. I mean, it was just so well done."
On thinking about taking time off from WWE right before he was released from the company:
"It was very, very mutual because I had actually thought about 'what if I was to take some time off anyway?' and that was something I had brought up to them about a month ago to explore that because, again, just there are so many different directions and so many different cogs in the wheel and elements and facets in the WWE that a lot of people, even myself included who have been with them for a number of years, we don't understand why things are the way they are. But, as a performer, look, all you can do is focus on you, do the best you can with everything, whether you're dressed as an astronaut, or Daniel Boone, or God knows what else I dressed up as. I even forgot. But you do that, you try to hit a grand slam every time, and you go on."
On the 2013 Money In The Bank match, which he won, being the best match he feels he was ever in:
"Everyone in that match, we were all heels. Yes, if you go back and watch that match, I mean, Cody [Rhodes] and I were partners at the time. We came down [to the ring] together, which, again, considering the finish of the match, I mean, ah! And everyone was getting booed." Stevens added, "I mean, Wade [Barrett] was in that match, [Dean] Ambrose, Cesaro, but everyone had a part and then nobody saw the finish coming. I mean, I was hiding out in the announcers' pit, but the goal was to make the people want to see Cody win. And just like Cody getting beat down and coming back and he's just continually fighting. I mean, he had inadvertently gotten busted open a little bit and there was just enough where, like, the crowd was so behind him. The Usos did a run in. The Shield did a run in. It was awesome. And then, when Cody was finally climbing to get that Money In The Bank [briefcase] and he had been in the Money In The Bank [match] before and almost won, they were so with it. And I just come from behind, push him, and grab the briefcase. I mean, it was just so well done."