Damien Sandow on WrestleMania 42: “Prestige Has Taken a Hit” With Two Nights

Former WWE superstar Aron Stevens has shared his thoughts on WWE hosting WrestleMania over two nights, outlining how it has taken away the event’s prestige. 

In an exclusive interview, produced in collaboration with The Game Plan, Stevens, formerly Damien Sandow in WWE, reflected on the backstage atmosphere during WrestleMania season, and the company’s shift to a weekend-long celebration. 

Stevens, now wrestling and serving as an on-screen manager for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), performed at WrestleMania under the Vince McMahon regime in WWE. 

While in WWE during WrestleMania season, Stevens recalled the roster’s overwhelming excitement to perform on their biggest stage. Some superstars made their WrestleMania debut, while others were returned as major attractions.

“Everyone’s gearing up, it’s a big show and everything, but the ride never stops,” Stevens exclusively told SportsBoom.us. 

“The reality was when we performed at WrestleMania, we had Monday Night Raw the next night.”

Stevens noted that the week as a whole goes by fairly quickly and the company immediately shifts focus to the next event.

“The pageantry and it’s WrestleMania week. And then the WWE Hall of Fame [takes place] and okay, WrestleMania ends. We gotta go to TV. That’s the reality,” he added.

TWO NIGHTS OF WRESTLEMANIA

WWE’s biggest event of the year began as a one-night only event and often much longer than usual pay-per-views and later Premium Live Events. 

In 2020, WWE decided to shift to a two-night format due to the global pandemic, as it allowed them to film their matches and spread everything out. 

WWE has since continued their two-night WrestleMania format to ensure the crowd is not fatigued later in the show. This year, WrestleMania 42 will be no different. Night One takes place on April 18, followed by Night Two on April 19.

“I one hundred percent do [ think WrestleMania has lost prestige as a two-night event.”

While the star power is spread out over the two nights, Stevens feels that it takes away from the magnitude of what WrestleMania once was. Despite that, he is happy that the event continues to cross over and remain mainstream.

“WrestleMania has always been this intersection between pro wrestling and the rest of the entertainment world. And that’s a wonderful thing,” he added

WWE NEEDS TO PRODUCE STARS

Several of WWE’s top stars are either close to 40-years-old or well into their 40s. In addition, there are other superstars that are former collegiate standouts and just approaching their prime years in the industry. 

That mix of veterans and young, promising superstars is crucial to WWE’s success. The company needs to ensure they are put in a position to thrive and become major stars to the public. 

This year, several superstars will debut in meaningful matchups. Former NXT champion Oba Femi is arguably in the biggest match among the other younger stars, as he faces former UFC heavyweight champion and multi-time WWE champion Brock Lesnar. 

The buildup has seen Femi get the upper hand on Lesnar, signaling that the company has high hopes for him. 

While evaluating WWE’s current landscape, Stevens explained the importance of constantly producing stars that the audience feel emotionally attached to. 

‘The Intellectual Savior of the Masses’ referenced the famous Attitude Era as a blueprint for why that period stood out, despite the athleticism not being on par with the modern era.

“[WWE] has an almost unlimited surplus of wealth, but in terms of resources, I would just love to see more true stars like in the Attitude Era. The wrestling, the in-ring [ work ] wasn’t close to what it is today,” Stevens said.

“Why did the people wait in the rain to watch ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and The Rock, The Undertaker? It’s because they were emotionally invested,” he concluded.