Steve Austin says he expected to dislike WWE Unreal but found himself won over by the talent on the show. Speaking with Zack Heydorn at The Takedown on Sports Illustrated, Austin explained why his old school background made him skeptical going in.
“I thought I was going to hate it,” Austin said. “When you come from the era that I came from, especially if you were in a Bill Watts territory, it was kayfabe. You didn’t smarten up anybody. If you smartened up anybody, you’re going to get fired. If you get in a fight with some guy at a bar and he kicks your a–, you’re going to get fired, because you got to protect the business. So, I thought I was going to hate it from that standpoint. They give away a lot of information, but that’s what it’s for, right?”
Despite those reservations, Austin said the personalities on the show changed his mind. “The talent is so likable,” Austin said. “Whether they’re heels or babyfaces, the talent shines so much. You end up liking it just because the talent is so likable. The old school part of me says, ‘hey, man, you can’t give away too much,’ and I think it’s a good show because of the freaking talent on there.”
Austin did question, however, whether a show like Unreal would have helped his own career. “When I was doing my thing, you really thought I was that guy,” Austin said. “I wasn’t back there just doing interviews, laughing, and joking because I got a sense of humor. Back then, you didn’t think I had a sense of humor. You believed that I was an a– whipping machine. Now, if you saw me back there just laughing and joking with everybody, you might have a different perspective of Stone Cold the character.”
Austin is scheduled to appear at the WWE World interactive fan experience during WrestleMania weekend in April. He will also be on Busted Open Radio this Monday.
