The last week of July is an important one for Atlanta sports. The Falcons report to training camp to start their quest for a Super Bowl title. Local college football teams prepare for their seasons.
But WWE fans will be in for a treat because the No. 1 professional wrestling organization in the world will make its return to Atlanta on July 26 for a live event. And for the fans, they will have a chance to see some of their favorite WWE Superstars including Randy Orton, Sheamus and Rob Van Dam. But one superstar that fans should really pay close attention to is Damien Sandow, who is one of the hottest Superstars right now. Sandow made a name for himself Sunday in the latest pay-per-view event, Money in the Bank.
MAKING A SPLASH …
Sandow took part in the Money in the Bank match, which is a ladder match where seven wrestlers compete for either a WWE Championship or a World Heavyweight Championship contract. Sandow was in the match where a World Heavyweight Championship contract was on the line and was able to come away with the victory. Now, depending on how one looks at it, the way Sandow won the match could be looked at as either very intelligent or very unfair because he sat back and let the other six superstars beat each other up and he came out of nowhere to climb the ladder and grab the briefcase. But Sandow thinks his victory is a lot more than just using his intellect.
“Experts are calling my victory the most gut-wrenching, heartfelt and most inspirational victory in the history of the WWE,” Sandow said. “To put it bluntly, I displayed courage the likes of which the WWE has never seen.”
Sandow’s victory may not be as inspirational as he makes it out to be, but at the end of the day he has won the right to take on the World Heavyweight Champion anytime he wants within the 365 days he won on the contract. And based on the recent history of Money in the Bank contract winners Sandow will be the next World Heavyweight Champion, but he has to cash in the contract in the right place at the right time.
“The plan is at the opportune moment,” Sandow said talking about when he will cash in his contract. “A lot of people think that [Dolph] Ziggler held on to the contract and waited for the right moment. I disagree. Sure he won the world title, but it was a short-lived reign. Once I win, I plan on retiring with the title.”
ROAD TO WWE …
If Sandow plans to retire with the World Heavyweight title, it will be a very long reign because Sandow made his television debut last year, and he had a certain goal when he started, which is still alive today.
“I have focused on enlightening the unwashed masses,” Sandow said who considers himself as the Intellectual Savior of the Masses. “If the Money in the Bank briefcase enables me to get the world title and further my cause, I will run with it. My crusade goes on.”
Before Sandown made his WWE debut, he has wrestled in its developmental territories, Ohio Valley Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling. While wrestling at both organizations, Sandow got the opportunity to learn from former WWE Superstars and get better each time he stepped into the ring.
“Every day is a chance to learn from life experience,” Sandow said. “What I’ve learned in various other places has made me the intellectual savior that I am today. That has also made me Sir Money in the Bank.”
Another place that made Sandow the Superstar that he is now is at Killer Kowalski’s wresting school where other superstars such as Triple H and Kofi Kingston were students and became top guys in the WWE.
“It was the Harvard of professional wrestling schools,” Sandow said. “If you are going to do something, learn from the best. And that’s what I did.”
With the help of learning from Kowalski’s school, Sandow was able to win various titles at OVW, FCW and other independent organizations, and it was only a matter of time before the WWE gave him his shot.
BEING THE BEST …
When Sandow was taking part in the Money in the Bank ladder match this past Sunday, one of his opponents was tag-team partner, Cody Rhodes, who is from Marietta and went to Lassiter High School.
Rhodes and Sandow were known as Team Rhodes Scholars and were one of the top tag-teams this past year. However, that all changed when Sandow took down Rhodes to get the briefcase.
But Sandow did not see it that way.
“Do you know how hard it is with a 220-pound man on top of the ladder, reaching and moving about?” Sandow asked. “I was actually trying to help Cody and make sure the ladder didn’t fall. He fell off the ladder, the briefcase was there and I grabbed it. That was how that picture should have been painted by the media.”
Regardless, Sandow is now focused on the road ahead and when he comes to Atlanta on July 26, he will take on Sheamus and those two always have a battle inside the ring.
“Sheamus and I had our differences in the past,” Sandow said. “We are going to iron them out in Atlanta.”
Another match fans will see at Philips Arena is Dolph Ziggler vs. CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight title. And Sandow did not rule out the possibility of cashing in the contract after that match was over.
“If the opportunity presents itself, I may strike there,” Sandow said. “You can’t afford to miss this.”
Sandow is on the rise in the WWE and plans to be the absolute best superstar in the world. But he also wants to do a lot more as his career in the WWE continues to grow.
“To simply better humanity,” Sandow said. “It’s to use the WWE as a platform to get my message out. Once I have affected humanity in a positive way, I have attained the world title and the WWE title, my mission will be complete.”
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