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Steve Austin Reveals Why He Thinks Roman Reigns’s Beating Cody Rhodes at ‘WrestleMania’ Was Right Call

Many fans were surprised Reigns retained his title, but ‘Stone Cold’ says he ‘wouldn’t have changed a thing.’

Justin Barrasso

SI.com’s Week in Wrestling is published every week and provides beneath-the-surface coverage of the business of pro wrestling.

‘Stone Cold’ reviews ‘WrestleMania 39’ main event

Steve Austin is a man of many passions.

Hunting, fishing, time with his dogs (and, of course an ice-cold can of his Broken Skull beer) all certainly speak to his soul. Yet there is nothing that can fire him up like a must-see WrestleMania main event.

That was exactly what was served up earlier this month, when Cody Rhodes challenged Roman Reigns at WWE’s signature event. It was a bout neither man wanted to lose; Rhodes has had designs on the industry’s top title since he returned a year ago at WrestleMania 38, and Reigns is in the midst of a history-making, box office phenomenon championship reign. Backstage creative discussions in the preceding months had to be fascinating, though even the most enthralling details would have a tough time going head-on against the actual match, which was spectacular.

Austin headlined the WrestleMania marquee on three different occasions, and he possesses the secret to making magic on wrestling’s grandest stage. He also closed out the show on the first night of WrestleMania 38 in a no holds barred match against Kevin Owens. This year he was a spectator, delighted to sit back and watch Reigns and Rhodes—and eager to see how they arrived at the finish.

“I have a five-star scale, O.K.?” says Austin, who was promoting his new show Stone Cold Takes on America, which premieres on A&E on April 30. “I’m going all-in. To me, they got it just right.

“I was wondering how they were going to do this match. They built it perfectly. I told my wife, ‘I think they’re going 30 [minutes].’ They ended up going just over 34, and it was a classic. I loved it, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I texted a couple people who were involved, and I sent a one-word text: Magnificent.”

Austin is not easily impressed, so his high level of praise certainly stands out. While there were many watching who wanted to see Rhodes finally reach the pinnacle and win the title, Austin believes raising Reigns’s hand was the right call.

“I loved the finish,” says Austin. “I loved all of it. Roman is so good right now. The story was there—Cody coming back from injury, coming back into the fold after he left from AEW, and putting himself in the position he’s in now, overcoming all this adversity as part of one of the most famous wrestling families that’s ever been in the business, and trying to finish the story against Roman.

“I watched both nights of WrestleMania 39 very intently. To me, you can’t take that belt off Roman right now. You want to get it to Cody somehow, someway, some time—but now’s not the time.”

The finish saw Solo Sikoa reemerge and drill Rhodes with a Samoan Spike, which was followed by a spear from Reigns. The closing sequence also featured cameos from Owens, Sami Zayn, The Usos and Paul Heyman.

“I kept asking, ‘How are they going to do this?’” says Austin, marveling at the pure intensity—one of his most defining trademarks—of the match. “To have Solo Sikoa, who has a great career in front of him, Jimmy and Jey Uso, who are just so badass, plus Sami and Kevin, Paul E., I love all those guys—they all played a great role. Roman is so hot. It just wasn’t time to pass that torch yet.

“Just thinking about that finish, I thought it was definitely the right call. I loved the outside interference. You didn’t know what was coming next. That spike to the throat, for me, it was money.”

WrestleMania 39 was a bona fide success for WWE. But there is no denying it would have been even more of a thrill ride if Austin had returned, which was a distinct possibility.

“I haven’t spoken to this, but I’ll give you the story,” says Austin. “I met with some people from WWE. We talked about the possibility of me wrestling at WrestleMania 39. The biggest thing in my mind was the presentation and what kind of match it was going to be. Going back to 38, the way the KO thing was presented—I love KO—I turned that down three, four, five times until the creative finally came to what it ended up being. I didn’t want it constructed as a real match, per se. I needed something that could turn into one, and it did, but I think that’s why we got away with it. The Dallas crowd was very receptive. I hadn’t been around, so the timing was right.

“But to do a proper match, I’d have to be in off-the-charts shape. I told them, and this is the exact truth, I said, ‘Guys, I’m just fixin’ to go into production on this show, Stone Cold Takes on America, and until we start production, I don’t know what my life looks like. I can’t commit.’ Sure enough, there were technical issues before we finished. I was supposed to finish a month before we did. There’s no way, with the schedule I was doing—driving an RV all over God’s creation, doing all I was doing—that I would be ready. I had two 30-pound dumbbells, a 45-pound sandbag, and a 25-pound kettlebell. Working 15 hours a day, then getting in a 30- or 40-minute workout, that doesn’t get you ready for WrestleMania. And I was really protected at WrestleMania 38. This time, that wasn’t going to be the case. That was a true statement: Until this show was over, I couldn’t commit.”

Austin did not wheel around the country in a luxurious Lex Express–inspired bus. Instead, per his own request, he took pride in driving an RV, which helps bring a certain charm to Stone Cold Takes on America.

“That was my idea,” says Austin. “I said, ‘Let’s start off in a big ol’ Super C and do this right.’ There’s a story that happens with the Super C—we downgraded RVs, but it was my idea. If I was going to go do these things, I was going to drive to them—and every single mile we drove, I drove.

“Every night, I slept in that damn RV. I’ve been RVing my whole life, so I was having the time of my life. Driving and camping out, driving around with a crew of great people, laughing and joking our heads off and having fun.”

Austin’s new show is full of intrigue. Footage from his career will be included, as well as his insight, as he embarks on a plethora of challenges that take him far outside his comfort zone.

“I got pitched this idea, and I thought it was the greatest idea I’d ever heard,” says Austin. “It was a range of emotions. There was some fish-out-of-water stuff. Through the good and the bad, it was all entertaining. It’s a cool show; I hope people enjoy it. It’s called Stone Cold Takes on America because that’s the marquee. But this was Steve Austin. That’s me. I’m a bit of an introvert for those who don’t know me, so there were some tricky situations. It was incredible, and I’m very proud of it.”

The backbone of the show mirrors Austin’s legendary career, and that is his connection—genuine and pure—with those who proudly champion themselves fans of “Stone Cold.”

“When I left Dallas [in 1990], I was still driving a forklift and working a 40-hour work week,” says Austin. “I shipped off to Tennessee to work in Nashville for Jerry Jarrett, God rest his soul. There I was, getting paid off what you draw. I’m on the bottom of the card getting a $20 payout every night, traveling 400 miles round trip damn near every single night, and you realize you need to get higher on that card. It took me many years. I was not an overnight sensation.

“Through trials and tribulations, I learned how to identify with people. When you pay your dues, and you have to scratch and claw, you sure gain a different appreciation. I was never handed anything and I was never the chosen one. I worked my tail off to get the following that I did. The fact that people still ask for my autograph, that never gets old. When you’re in the entertainment industry, and they’re not asking for your autograph, it means they don’t remember or they don’t care.”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nIYzoAhHxUA

Eternally grateful for the support of his fans, Austin is hoping they will come along for the ride—RV or not—for Stone Cold Takes on America.

“All that I have, I owe that to having a fan base,” says Austin. “I’ll never forget that, and I’ll never stop acknowledging that. My fan base has stuck with me, through highs and lows, and I am always grateful for that.”

The (online) week in wrestling

  • If Kenny Omega isn’t on a collision course with CM Punk, then AEW is missing out on a major program.
  • Jeff Hardy is back in AEW. He was on leave without pay after being arrested for DUI for the third time in five years. There are plenty of must-see matches for Hardy in AEW in singles and teaming with his brother, Matt, but that is secondary to his well-being. Hopefully he receives support, makes the most of this opportunity and maintains his sobriety.
  • Fightful is a fantastic site, and readers are in great hands with Jeremy Lambert in his new position.
  • Mercedes Moné has a must-see match at Stardom’s All Star Grand Queendom on April 23.
  • John Morrison made a successful boxing debut this weekend. With a group of pro wrestlers in his corner, he defeated Harley Morenstein by TKO at Creator Clash 2.

Best wishes to Vladimir the Superfan

If you’ve been watching wrestling for years, particularly WWE, you are likely quite familiar with Vladimir Abouzeide.

Better known as Vladimir the Superfan, or just Vlad, he is wrestling’s most beloved fan. Always sitting ringside, a viewer could feel his intense passion whenever the camera flashed his way.

Two years ago, WWE teased the release of a new documentary. Entitled Superfan: The Story of Vladimir, it appeared to be a heartwarming tale of one of wrestling’s most dedicated fans. Yet for reasons that have yet to be explained, WWE hit pause on the project, and it has not been released.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson wrote a poignant piece last week imploring WWE to release the film to the public. A longtime friend of Vlad, Johnson shared the disheartening news that Vlad has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A spinal surgery is scheduled for later this week, which, if all goes well, could ease some of Vlad’s ongoing pain.

In the Superfan trailer, Vlad says, “It’s a part of me,” speaking directly about his connection with pro wrestling. “If I bleed right now, you’ll see wrestling in me.”

Here’s hoping Vlad’s surgery is a success, and he is back to doing what he loves as soon as possible.

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Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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Justin Barrasso
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