Former WWE talent Aron Stevens, known to many fans as Damien Sandow, has carved out a steady presence in National Wrestling Alliance following his WWE departure in 2016 and a brief stint in TNA. Over the years, Stevens has captured both the NWA National and Tag Team Championships, but according to him, championships are not the main reason he stayed.
Speaking on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Stevens recalled how he nearly walked away from wrestling entirely before NWA owner Billy Corgan pulled him back in.
“I was completely out of wrestling. I was in Hawaii doing a TV show when Billy called me, and he was like: ‘Hey, I bought the NWA. You need to come back to work!’ I was like, ‘No, I don’t!’ and then, ‘You already got a plane ticket, just come on.’ So I went there.”
Stevens compared stepping into NWA to walking into an 80s era Georgia Championship Wrestling environment, reigniting the passion that originally drew him to the business.
He emphasized that Corgan’s integrity has been the defining factor in his loyalty.
“I’ve worked for almost every major promotion there is, and the one thing I will say about Billy is, the thing that keeps me loyal to not just the NWA, but to him is his integrity. That, to me, goes far further than a lot of the other attributes that some wrestlers may take into consideration when picking a promotion.”
Stevens also explained that early financial discipline gave him the freedom to choose where he works rather than chasing paydays.
“I don’t really have to go and look for work, which is why I don’t do a lot of signings. But the NWA? It’s a place that I want to be. It’s a place that I feel I can give back to.”
In NWA, Stevens says he contributes both in the ring and behind the scenes, mentoring younger talent and focusing on fundamentals he believes are being overlooked in modern wrestling.
When discussing the locker room culture, Stevens described it as genuinely collaborative.
“We are very interdependent on each other,” he said, noting that wrestlers and production staff operate as one unified team. “We all just want to put on the best show that we can.”
He also addressed critics of the promotion by pointing to live audience reactions, specifically referencing an anniversary event at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia. Stevens noted that Philadelphia crowds are famously unforgiving.
“If you’re not good, Philly will let you know it.”
For Stevens, the proof is in the response. If fans leave smiling, the mission is accomplished. In an industry driven by exposure and scale, Stevens appears content prioritizing purpose, stability, and creative fulfillment over spotlight size.
