10 Things We Learned From Damien Sandow On Chris Jericho's Podcast

Once Sandow had the basics of his heel persona complete, it took two of the greatest icons of professional wrestling ever to refine the gimmick into its final version. Dusty Rhodes will always be seen as one of wrestling's legends and was hugely influential to young talent in the last years of his life in his position as head writer and creative director of NXT.

It was Rhodes who suggested that Sandow hold the microphone like a wine glass to add to his snobbish persona. Sandow states that he can't think of anyone else who has postively affected so many people across so many decades as Dusty Rhodes.

Once Sandow left developmental it was another wrestling titan who would guide his new character forward. Vince McMahon himself came up with the phrase "intellectual saviour of the masses" and also advised Sandow to make sure he kept his aggression high in the ring.

He felt that similar characters in the past had suffered by concentrating too much on being a braggart or smart-alec therefore not being enough of a threat to their opponents in the ring.