Among the WWE fans in attendance to celebrate the Lakeland Center’s first WWE event was New York Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon. Joined by his son Jackson, Damon was on hand for the SmackDown/ECW live event in Lakeland, Fla. and spoke to WWE.com.

“I grew up watching Hulk Hogan, Junkyard Dog and Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka,” Damon admitted. “It’s amazing how much bigger and how much more athletic the Superstars are these days.”

Whereas his father mentioned more vintage names, Jackson, who has been a WWE fan for more than two years, named Batista his favorite Superstar.

Damon, who attended high school in Orlando and has been playing Major League Baseball since 1995, is finding himself to be a sports-entertainment fan all over again with Jackson’s passion for WWE.

“I was a fan growing up, back in the day,” said Damon. “Now [Jackson] seems to memorize the names and the moves better than I do. It’s like a family tradition.”

Tonight serves as the battlegrounds for the first SmackDown and ECW events of the year, adding up to a night that neither Johnny Damon nor the Lakeland Center may ever forget.