“Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently recorded the monumental 316th episode of his podcast, The Steve Austin Show . Last week, the Texas Rattlesnake revealed that he worked WrestleMania 32 despite tearing his rotator cuff while training for the appearance. WWE booked “Stone Cold” to take part in a beat-down of the League of Nations alongside fellow WWE Hall-of-Famers Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley. Austin stunned everyone, including Xavier Woods, who was simply trying to encourage “Stone Cold” to participate in a New Day dancing celebration.
Austin also revealed that the first punch he threw in Rusev’s direction actually landed flush, causing the Bulgarian Brute to bleed from the mouth or nose. “Stone Cold” said he felt bad, but he had to keep plugging. Unfortunately for him, he tore the rotator cuff of his beer-drinking arm but still managed to toss a few back after the segment. The surprise arrivals of Austin, Michaels and Foley certainly left an indelible mark on the event, but it didn’t prevent “Stone Cold” from being critical of another aspect of WrestleMania .
When Steve Austin conducts his podcasts for the WWE Network, he’s a little more censored when it comes to evaluating the current state of the wrestling product. But on The Steve Austin Show , he’s able to take an unfiltered approach . And “Stone Cold” didn’t mince words when it came to evaluating the WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event between Triple H and Roman Reigns. (As transcribed by Wrestling Inc )
“It was way too long. That match should have been 15 minutes. I mean, from bell to bell, 15 minutes, and, that being said, all the bells and whistles and action that needed to happen within that 15 minutes. And just, this is a deal where, okay, if it’s Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels and you’re out there, hey, give them 30 [minutes] because they can go 30 [minutes]. But here’s a case, and Triple H can go any amount of time you want him to go. But what needed to happen on this, just to make Roman, because if you’re going to let Roman go over clean in the middle of the ring, shine him up like a million bucks. Let him bounce Triple H all over kingdom come. Finally, let Triple H just get a frog’s hair of heat on him. And then boom, big finish, bam, 1-2-3. Make an impact with that match. Make an impact with the finish. And make a statement for the kid!”
“Stone Cold” wasn’t done there. He’s actually praised the work of Roman Reigns in the past but says the spot the company put him in in Dallas exploited his weaknesses, which could have been totally avoided.
“You’re trying to make Roman Reigns. I don’t think you make him in a 28-minute chess match. This match needed to be all about excitement, explosion, and testosterone out of Roman and that’s how I think they should have booked it. Making Roman Reigns work this long exposed more holes in his game than we’ve already known that exist.”
A lot of WrestleMania critics agreed with “Stone Cold” as it pertained to the length of the main event, as well as the Hell in a Cell bout between Shane McMahon and the Undertaker. The third marquee match on the card featured Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar in a No Holds Barred Street Fight. At least one of those was widely predicted to see some type of outside interference, namely from Bray Wyatt and The Wyatt Family. Instead, the Wyatts were booked in a segment with The Rock. A high-profile spot to be sure, and “Stone Cold” continues to see big things from Bray, just maybe not the way WWE originally had intended.
“I love listening to this guy talk. He doesn’t scare me. I don’t consider him a menace. He’s a guy I can identify with. I think he’s in transition. You make this guy a babyface, I think the kid has money written all over him because I love the sound of his voice. I love the drawl. I love the cadence. He’s a charismatic dude and he doesn’t got to be the handshaking babyface, but I see big money in the kid as a babyface because I just like him.”
“Stone Cold” even went as far as to compare Bray to the late, great Dusty Rhodes. It felt like WWE officials were acquiescing to Austin’s wishes regarding Wyatt, but his latest injury might have derailed any face-turn momentum for the time being.
[Image via WWE]