Aron Stevens’ retirement promo at NWA Alwayz Ready

Aron Stevens (aka Damien Sandow) has traveled around the globe as a professional wrestler, and now it is time to go home. Stevens was granted his Swan Song request for a match against the handpicked opponent of Trevor Murdoch at the NWA’s Alwayz Ready PPV. Win or lose, it would be the dawn of a new age for Stevens as he heads off into retirement.

Murdoch was in an ornery mood and put a beating on Stevens. It didn’t help that Stevens leg got caught up on the turnbuckle causing him to slip down to the mat on an attempt at a flying attack. Stevens still had the fortitude to rally for a Russian leg sweep and standing elbow drops. When Stevens tried to finish with a discus elbow strike, Murdoch ducked and slammed him to the mat. Murdoch finished with a flying bulldog for victory.

NWA Alwayz Ready

The crowd chanted, “Thank you, Aron,” in honor of Stevens’ Swan Song. He grabbed a mic to respond, “You’re welcome.” The fans showered Stevens in cheers.

Later in the broadcast, May Valentine interviewed Stevens about what he’s going through at this moment. For context, Stevens and Valentine have a thing going on.

NWA Alwayz Ready

Aron Stevens: May, as wonderful as you are, as wonderful as all of the fans are, there is no way you can know what I am going through right now. There is no way the fans, my amazing fans, can know what I’m going through right now.

My journey has been a roller coaster up down since I was 16 years old when I walked in the door of Killer Kowalski’s school and I was a child. And all I ever wanted was to be a success in this business. The success, be a world champion. And when you get this close to just touching everything you wanted to and you never get that, and then you fight, and you come back, and you never, ever, ever, ever, ever get to taste that carrot that’s dangled in front of your face since the time you’re a child. I don’t think that there’s are a lot of people that can relate to that.

Tonight, Trevor (Murdoch) was the better man. Either way, something inside me told me that it was time for me to step away. Because you know what? When you chase something long enough and that something does not love you back, eventually, you have to choose yourself. Eventually, you have to choose your own health. Eventually, you have to choose your own life. Because when you give your life to something that gives you nothing back except adulation, but adulation doesn’t pay the bills. Adulation does not let me look at myself in the mirror and like what I see.

Now, on the other hand, there’s another side to it. We have a (airplane) ticket, just like I promised. Tonight, Trevor was the better man. Tonight, the business goes on. Tomorrow, the business will go on. The business will go on and on and on and on and on. But I think you and I, let’s just go. Brazil, like we said? That’s it. I can do that. I can do that.

I’m done. I am done. This industry, in some respects, has been very good to me. And even though I never, ever, ever will get to hold and place that world title above my mantle and go to Killer’s grave and put the world title on his grave and say, “Thank you. I did it.” That’s okay. Because you know what? This industry has given me other things (eyeing May), like people.

And you know what? It’s like, sometimes we don’t get what we want, but we get what we need. And if I had to do it all over again to be at this point where we’re going to go tomorrow, May, I would.

Knowing that Stevens is a master thespian and retirements rarely last in professional wrestling, this promo did have a sense of finality to it. You could see the emotion in Stevens’ eyes when discussing not being able to place a world title on his trainer’s grave. It really does seem like the end of the line for Stevens. On the positive, he will ride off into the Brazilian sunset with May Valentine by his side. Three cheers for love!

Get full results for the Alwayz Ready PPV here.