Former Damien Sandow Opens Up About Working With WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes

Even after "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes' unfortunate passing in 2015, his fingerprints are still spread throughout the wrestling landscape. During the final stage of his illustrious career, Rhodes was an integral part of FCW and "WWE NXT," helping mold stars such as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Charlotte Flair into the superstars they are today.

On the "Developmentally Speaking" podcast, Aron Stevens, formerly known as Damien Sandow, delved into the profound impact Dusty Rhodes had on his career. Stevens, who gained fame in WWE as "The Intellectual Savior of the Masses," shared insight into how Rhodes was not just a mentor but a steadfast ally. 

"I had always known Dusty and Dusty had been a fan and supporter of mine. But to get to know Dusty a little better on that level, you know, he's another one [where] when the going got tough ... I will say this — every single time my ass was on the line, Dusty was there. Professionally, Dusty was always there for me. I owe my career to him," said Stevens.

Further reflecting on his transformation into Damien Sandow, Stevens revealed how Rhodes directly influenced his character's direction. 

"You know the blue robe was his idea. I was pissed off and I was watching Rip Rogers and I decided I was gonna grow a beard and wear pink tights and whatever. Someone from WWE who was not qualified to be in the position they were in said some [negative] things and evaluated me as a talent and Dusty was pissed. Like he got hot and it was like, okay, that's it. This is what we're gonna do. So we did, and the rest is history," recalled the former WWE star.

Since retiring from in-ring competition, Stevens has transitioned into a managerial role within the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Developmentally Speaking" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.