Aron Stevens’ swan song from professional wrestling has a few more notes to be played. Stevens (aka Damien Sandow) rode off into retirement after losing his final match to Trevor Murdoch at NWA Alwayz Ready on June 11. Stevens didn’t miss much time off camera returning to manage Rodney Mack. One thing led to another, and now Stevens has found himself participating in a tag team grudge match at NWA 74.
It began on Night 1 of NWA 74 when Stevens physically interfered to assist Mack in beating Pope on the pre-show. During the finishing sequence, Pope retaliated to elbow Stevens off the apron. That distraction allowed Mack to win via Euthanizer choke. After the bout, Stevens stomped a mudhole in Pope. Then a familiar face from Stevens’ past made a surprise return to the NWA. Kratos!
Kratos is a former tag team champion partner of Stevens. Kratos cleared the ring of Mack then ran wild on Stevens to suplex him across the ring. Mack pulled Stevens to safety to prevent further harm.
During the PPV broadcast, Stevens had something to say about the situation with an ice pack on his face.
Aron Stevens: This is why I hate professional wrestling, why I hate professional wrestling, and the only thing that I hate professional wrestling more... I’m sorry. I can’t think straight, because, I just, I had my brains scrambled by an idiot.
But the only thing that I hate more than professional wrestling is the professional wrestling fans. Why? And see...
(Fans booing loudly.)
Shut up. I’m not even talking to you. Sit there, be quiet, and look at the best posterior (his ass) this side of the arch. Ow, it hurts to talk.
The only thing that I hate more than professional wrestling is the professional wrestling fans. And why? Because I stood in the ring helping my client celebrate, and then an idiot accosted and attacked the temple that is my body. And these nitwits cheered like a bunch of wild sorcerers. Chanting the name Kratos again and again. After everything I’ve given, after everything I’ve done, I’ve retired and I am still here, and these idiots want to chant Kratos, Kratos?
I’m going to explain something to you (Kratos) right now. This isn’t how we do it in the NWA. I know you’ve gone off to different places or whatever. Bottom line, you couldn’t cut it here then, you can’t cut it here now. So tomorrow night, you and I are going to settle this. Oh yeah, it’s going to be me and you, but don’t for one second think that I’m going to be alone. Because here’s the deal. I would fight you alone and I would destroy you, but Rodney has my back like I have his. Wonder who’s going to have yours? Oh, that’s right, no one, because you don’t work here.
The NWA made the match official. Stevens and Mack were to square off against Kratos and a tag team partner on Night 2 of NWA 74. News broke on Sunday afternoon that Kratos chose Pope and the bout will be contested as a Missouri Tornado Tag Team Match. Rules are all men legal, no tags, falls count anywhere.
When it came time for the match, Kratos sprinted to the ring, and Stevens weaseled away like a coward. The powerhouse chased the thespian backstage off camera. When Stevens returned, he backed into Pope. Pope sent Stevens into a thunderous clothesline from Kratos. Stevens was punched head over heels rolling out of the ring. After a few more exchanges with Stevens getting his ass kicked, Kratos ran for a flying attack to the outside. Mack saved Stevens by hitting Kratos with a chair mid-leap.
Stevens grabbed the mic to insult the nitwit crowd as bloodthirsty savages for cheering on Kratos. Stevens is above each and every one of them, and he is going to knock out Kratos. That idea immediately failed when Stevens ran into a sitdown slam from Kratos.
The match broke down into a brawl on the stage for a cool comical scene. The competitors split off in pairs in opposite directions backstage to go behind the two big screens for fisticuffs. All we could see was their shadows throwing punches. It was a cool effect like in a monster movie. The funny part came when Stevens was ping ponged back and forth between screens. Kratos landed a punch, Stevens stumbled on stage in clear view over to the other side, Pope landed a punch, Stevens stumbled back over to Kratos, and the routine repeated as a creative moment.
Kratos applied the Claw to crush Stevens’ cranium. He wound up for a windmill punch knocking Stevens off stage. Mack clutched Pope with the Euthanizer choke. Kratos hooked Mack’s foot, so Pope could fall on top for the winning pin on stage. Stevens’ revenge was foiled.
While technically Stevens returned from retirement for this match, I’d shade it in the gray area of wrestler comebacks. This was more of a comedic performance than going back on his word trying to chase glory.
Did you enjoy Stevens’ return to the ring?
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