WWE Releases Damien Sandow
Popular star had disappeared from TV in recent months.
WWE's 2016 "spring cleaning" session has continued with the news that the company has released Damien Sandow.
Sandow, real name Aaron Haddad, was trained by Hall of Famer Killer Kowalski and made his wrestling debut in 2001 at the age of 19. After competing in Northeastern independent promotions and wrestling several try-out matches, Sandow was signed by WWE and assigned to OVW.
Taking the name Aaron "The Idol" Stevens, the future Damien Sandow won Tag Team and Television gold in OVW. In 2006, he was called up to Smackdown as Idol Stevens and paired with KC James. The duo had a brief run with Michelle McCool as their manager, but were soon sent back to OVW. Sandow was released in 2007.
In 2010, WWE re-signed Sandow and he reported to Florida Championship Wrestling. Two years later, he was called up to the main roster as "the intellectual savior of the unwashed masses," a pompous heel who rubbed his intelligence in the fans' faces. He teamed with Cody Rhodes and eventually won the Money in the Bank match, but failed to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.
In 2014, Sandow was reimagined as Damien Mizdow, The Miz's stunt double. His antics soon made him a babyface who overshadowed The Miz, and the two subsequently feuded. Inexplicably, Miz won the program, and Sandow was shunted down the card until his release.