Seven years on, Shane McMahon's son recalls emotional WrestleMania entrance that changed his views on WWE
Shane McMahon came out with his sons at WrestleMania 32, and nearly seven years on, his oldest son Declan has now opened up on the significant moment.
Having grown up in the McMahon family, Declan always knew he was amid some massive personalities. However, it took him a while to realize what wrestling actually meant, and it dawned on him when he made an entrance alongside his father at WrestleMania in 2016.
It's interesting to note that Declan's first appearance was during a taped segment at WrestleMania 20, where he was a young baby in Vince and Shane McMahon's hands. 'Mania 32 was sort of a return for him at The Grandest Stage of Them All.
The 19-year-old recalled the experience on the Developmentally Speaking podcast and credited it as the exact moment he figured out the true scale of WWE's operations.
"I've always known [how big a deal it is to be a McMahon], but the first time, I think I really realized what everything was about because I had seen it on TV," said Declan. "Again, I've seen it and knew we owned it and that my dad was a wrestler, my grandpa, whatever. But I think the first time I really understood [what] everything was when I was seven years ago when I walked out at WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, Texas. My dad's music hit, he walked out, and me and my two brothers, Rogan and Kenyon, ran out right behind him." [2:34 - 3:00]
WrestleMania 32 taught Declan McMahon WWE was more than just about wrestling
For a very long time, right from the days of Vince McMahon's peak, WWE has been more about entertainment than just plain wrestling. Declan McMahon said that the roar of thousands of fans inside the stadium made him understand why many dream of being a WWE Superstar.
He got the gist of ensuring fans have the best time, and he walked away from WrestleMania that day learning some subtle yet essential lessons about the business.
"Walking out and hearing the roar of the crowd of a 100 thousand sold-out AT&T Stadium was truly, truly incredible. It makes you realize why these guys do every day and do what they do. Just to hear the roar of that crowd, just to feel so in the moment, is just so incredible. That's when I realized this is so much bigger than just wrestling. It's so much entertainment." [3:01 - 4:10]
Declan McMahon named The Undertaker and a current WWE star as his favorites, and you can read more on that here.
If you are taking any quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.