83 Weeks - The Career of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Steve Austin in WCW

Steve Austin came to WCW in May, 1991. He was the PWI Rookie of the Year in 1990

When did you first meet Steve Austin?

Initial impressions?

Austin got the call to join WCW by Magnum TA. What was Magnum's role with the company at this time?

Steve was flown to Atlanta and they offered him a contract for $75,000 a year. 

When Steve first debuted, he was put with Vivacious Veronica as his valet. She was wrestler Rex King's ex girlfriend.

A few weeks later, Austin was paired with his real life wife, Jeannie, who came in as Lady Blossom. There was no explanation or anything given on TV, they just swapped them out.

She wrote in his book that Dusty named her that because she was blossoming out of her top

Any memories of Lady Blossom when she came in?

For those who have only seen Steve Austin in WWF, if they saw pictures of videos of Austin when he first joined WCW, they wouldn't believe it was even the same person. When Austin came in he had long, blonde hair which he wore in a pony tail. He wrestled in multi-color bicycle shorts and white boots. He often wore a red & black robe to the ring.

His work style was much different too. In WCW, he was a bumping heel. He'd fly around, bump a lot & often have long, technical matches 

All of those were very much different from what we would come to know as Stone Cold Steve Austin several years later.

Talk about your memories of Steve's physical appearance and how he worked when he first came into WCW.

He was also given the name Stunning. So he was now known as Stunning Steve Austin. Any idea who came up with that?

Steve said on his first night in, they told him they were going to put the TV title on him. The current champion was Beautiful Bobby Eaton, who is famous for his long and successful run as apart of the Midnight Express. He became a singles wrestler and even challenged Ric Flair for the World Title in a 2 out of 3 falls match on the Clash of the Champions

Eaton defeated Arn Anderson to win the TV Title.

Steve's 1st match in WCW was on May 13th, 1991. He defeated Chuck Coates

On June 3rd, Austin beat Bobby Eaton to win the TV title. 

It was very rare for someone to come in and win a title right after they debuted. In this case, it was just a few weeks and Austin was already the TV Champion, which was a very prestigious title at that time.

Do you know why they put the TV Title on him so quickly?

Do you know if any of the boys that had been there for a long time had a problem with it?

What was the opinion on Austin when he came in? Do you know if they had big plans for him right away?

Little known fact, the next day Austin defended the TV Title for the first time, and it was against Flyin' Brian Pillman. And that was in Birmingham. Austin's future World Tag Team Championship partner.

Right after Austin won the TV Title, he'd defend it against Tommy Rich, Tommy Angel, and even Keith Hart, who is the brother of Owen & Bret Hart, both of which would great impact Austin's career in the future.

Austin would have more defenses which included Sam Houston and several rematches against Bobby Eaton. Some went to time limit draws, others Austin won

At the Great American Bash 1991 on July 14th, Austin would team with Terry Taylor to take on PN News and Big Josh, in a scaffold match. Austin himself has said this is one of the worst matches in his career and it's been criticized many times for being bad. It was actually voted Worst Match of the Year in 1991

Any memories of this match?

Through the rest of July 1991, Austin would continue to succesfully defend the TV Title against Eaton, Big Josh (the future Doink the Clown in WWF), Johnny B Badd, The Yellow Dog & Mike Graham

In August, Austin would continue to defend the title against Bobby Eaton, mostly going to the time limit. 

In a match that you might find interesting Tony, on the Great American Bash tour on August 12th, Austin would team with The Diamond Studd, who we all know as Scott Hall and The Hardliners, Dick Murdoch & Dick Slater. They would lose to the team of Big Josh, Bobby Eaton, Dustin Rhodes & The Z-Man.

Later in August Austin would fact Eaton in several matches where the TV Title was on the line for the first 10 minutes of the match only. Eaton would win those matches, but after the 10 minute mark, so Austin retained the title

On August 25th, at the Omni in Atlanta, Austin would be involved in a tournament to crown a new United States Champion. Austin would defeat Barry Windham by DQ in the quarter finals.

Try not to be too upset but in the semi finals, he beat Z Man and in the finals Austin would lose to Sting. So Sting was the new US Champion

Austin had been in the company for a few months at this point and obviously the company was thinking pretty highly of him to keep the TV Title on him, and have him wrestle the biggest star in the company, Sting in the finals of the US Title Tournament. They even showed highlights of that match on Saturday Night.

Do you remember what the feeling on Austin was at this time in late August of 91?

At the Clash of the Champions 16 “Fall Brawl” on September 5th, 1991 Austin would successfully defend the TV Title against Z-Man. Were you mad about that?

Later in the show, Austin would compete in a battle royal, which was eventually won by El Gigante

In September, Austin would start working with Dustin Rhodes for the TV Title. Little known fact, Austin and Dustin were born in the same hospital, in Austin TX. Austin's Mom and Dusty went to high school together.

Both guys were very young in the business and in life at this time and they would both go on to have very successful careers. Do you remember their matches when they started working together here in late 91?

Interesting match here – October 10th 91- The Fabulous Freebirds, Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin defeat Steve Austin & Tony Mella.

Fast forward 5 years, Michael Hayes interviews Steve Austin at the King of the Ring 1996 in the WWF when Austin says Austin 3:16 and changes his career forever.

October 10th and 11th – Dustin Rhodes & Big Josh defeat two future WWF World Champions, Steve Austin and Oz.

Any memories of the Oz gimmick of Kevin Nash?

The rest of October, Austin would defend the TV Title against PN News & Dustin Rhodes

November 2nd and 3rd – Dustin & Big Josh beat future Oz tag team partner, Diamond Studd & Austin

November 5th – Austin & Hayes wrestle to a time limit draw for the TV Title

Also on November 5th, Austin would team up with Arn Anderson for the first time and they would beat Eaton & Rhodes

Austin would continue to defend the TV title through November against Brian Pillman & Dustin Rhodes

On December 25th - 28th Austin would defend the TV Title in a series of time limit draws against Scott Steiner

Any memories of a younger Scott Steiner years before Big Papa Pump days?

How was he different?

Starrcade – December 29th, 1991 in the Lethal Lottery tournament Austin & Rick Rude defeated Big Josh and Van Hammer

The Lethal Lottery was a drawing of random tag teams, who'd face each other and the winner of the matches would advance to a battle royal later in the night.

Austin & Rude advanced to the battle royal later in the show, which was eventually won by Sting.

To finish up 1991, on December 30th Austin would wrestle Scott Steiner to a draw

How would you judge Austin's 1991 in WCW?

In early January 1992, Austin was put in the new group, The Dangerous Alliance.

The Dangerous Alliance was one of the most underrated and least talked about groups in wrestling history. Look at this lineup ….Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko & Steve Austin. It was managed by Paul E Dangerously and close friend of Tony Schiavone, Madusa.

How did that group come about?

Why do you think the Dangerous Alliance doesn't get the credit that they deserve? They were really the backbone of WCW during this time. All great, working heels that could carry the company

Side note, Austin was managed by Madusa here, and later in life he'd marry Debra McMichael. How does that make you feel?

On January 5th, Austin wrestled his first match as a member of the Dangerous Alliance. Austin & Eaton beat Big Josh and Van Hammer. 

What's your favorite Van Hammer match?

The next day on the 6th Austin defended the TV Title against Marcus Bagwell. The match went to a 10 minute time limit draw.

Later that night on Saturday Night, Austin & Eaton beat Sting & Bagwell

Any memories of a young Marcus Bagwell when he came into WCW at this time?

The rest of January, Austin would continue to defend the TV title against Van Hammer and be in a lot of tag matches with members of the Dangerous Alliance. 

At the Clash of the Champions 18 on January 21st, Austin & Rude would lose to Sting & Ricky Steamboat

Power Hour – 2-1 – Austin, Eaton, Anderson beat Rhodes, Steamboat, Ron Simmons

Feb 15 – House Show – Windham, Rhodes, Steamboat beat Austin, Rude, Anderson

February 16th – Cage -House Show – Sting, Rhodes, Steamboat, Simmons beat Austin, Rude, Eaton, Anderson

Feb 16th- Main Event – Austin, Rude, Eaton beat Sting, Steamboat, Bagwell

Feb 21s – 23 – Sting & Steamboat beat Austin, Rude

Feb 25th – Cage -House Show – Sting, Simmons, Rhodes, Windham beat Austin, Rude, Arn, Eaton

SuperBrawl 2 – Feb 29th – Windham & Rhodes beats Austin & Zbyszko

In early March, Austin would compete in a series of tag team elimination matches, teaming with Anderson and Eaton and they'd lose to The Steiners and Dustin

March 8th – House Show – Sting & Steamboat beat Austin & Rude

For the most of March,Austin would be in 6 man tag matches mostly with other members of the Dangerous Alliance

March 25th – WCW Saturday Night – Austin defeated Zman in a 2 out of 3 falls match to retain the TV Title

This was the time when Bill Watts changed Saturday Night to having the main events be 2 out of 3 falls matches. It didn't last very long, but what's your memories of that change?

For the most of April, Austin & Zbyszko would lose to Dustin & Windham in Bunkhouse matches

• April 25th – Saturday Night – Austin & Windham would wrestle to a draw in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the TV Title
• Saturday Night – April 27th – Windham defeats Austin in a 2 out of 3 falls match to win the TV Title
• May 2nd – Nikita Koloff beat Austin
• May 9th – Austin & Cactus Jack beat Junkyard Dog & Ron Simmons
• May 10th – Omni – Great Muta, Windham & Rhodes beat Austin, Eaton, Arn
• WrestleWar – May 17th, 1992 – War Games – Sting's Squadron, Sting, Nikita, Steamboat, Windham, Rhodes beat Austin, Arn, Eaton, Zbyszko, Rude
• May 23rd - WCW Worldwide – Austin defeated Barry Windham to win his 2nd TV Title
• Clash of the Champions 19 – June 16th, 1992 – NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament – Austin & Rude beat Z-Man & Bagwell
• Beach Blast – June 20th – Ole Anderson is the ref – Koloff, Windham & Rhodes beat Austin, Eaton, Arn
• June 26th – Austin defeats Pillman to retain the TV Title
• Great American Bash – July 12th – NWA Tag Titles Quarter Finals – Windham & Rhodes beat Austin & Rude

Around this time, the Dangerous Alliance and Zbyszko parted ways. On July 14th, Austin successfully defended the TV Title against Zbyszko

Through the rest of July, Austin would sucessfully defend the TV Title against Steamboat, Windham and Big Josh

Clash of the Champions 20 – September 2nd – Steamboat defeats Austin for the TV title

Clash 20 was also the last TV appearance of Andre the Giant.

Any memories of that night?

This was the last time that Austin would ever hold the TV Title. He was the longest reiging TV champion in WCW history.

Austin has said the TV Title is one of his favorite titles that he's ever won.

September 19th – Austin challenges for the World Title for the first time. He lost to then champion, Ron Simmons

September 29th Austin & Brian Pillman team up for the first time. They beat Chris Sullivan & Tommy Angel

Later that night, they defeat, Scott Steiner & Marcus Bagwell. Very interesting team there, considering how they'd be paried together in the NWO many years later

October 3 – Lynchburg, VA – Shane Douglas defeats Austin

Later that night in Harrisburg VA – Austin defeats Z-Man

The next night, Austin once again loses to Ron Simmons in a World Title match

Around this time, The Dangerous Alliance was disbanded when Heyman was fired from WCW. What's your memories of that happening?

Halloween Havoc 1992 – Maybe for the first and only time in wrestling history, 2 men with the exact same name (no relation) team up. The team of Steve Williams challenged Windham & Rhodes for the World Tag Team Title. It went to a draw

For some reason, Austin was not scheduled for this event. He wrote in his book that at the time, he was living in Douglasville Georgia and he was just about to open his garage door so he could go dirt bike riding, when he got a phone call from Bill Watts saying that they were in Philadelphia and Terry Gordy didn't show up and they needed Austin to come up and team with Steve Williams to face Windham & Rhodes for the tag titles

Austin told him, ok I'll go to the airport

Any memories as to why Terry Gordy didn't show up?

• Dec 25th – Erik Watts beat Austin. Not a good Christmas gift for Steve
• Dec 26th – Austin beat Watts
• Dec 27th – Mashihro Chono beat Austin
• Dec 30th – Sting beat Austin
• Jan 2nd 93 – Austin beat Douglas
• Jan 3rd – Scorpio beat Austin
• January 5th – The Hollywood Blondes are officially formed. They beat your favorite tag team of all time, Johnny Gunn and Z Man

How do you feel about Zman always losing to Steve Austin, whether it's singles or tags, Mr. Zenk is always counting the lights when he faces Austin

As for the formation of the Blondes, Austin has told the story and written in his book that he was told by Dusty that he was going to be put with Harley Race as his manager, and become the US Champion.

Not long after Dusty told him that, they were in Columbus GA for a TV taping and Brian Pillman came up to Steve and told him that they need to come up with a finishing move, ebcause they're now a tag team,

Austin wasn't happy about the news so he went and confronted Dusty about it, and in Steve's book, he wrote that Dusty said 

“Yeah baby, we changed our mind. Now we're going to make you and Brian a tag team. Just trust me baby. This team has legs.

When they started the team, they were wearing different colored trunks. One day Brian said to him “God dang, kid, if we're going to be a tag team, we gotta have a name. Every good tag team has a cool name and some matching outfits and stuff like that. 

Steve said that Scotty Levy, later known as Raven was traveling with them and they were bouncing ideas together of different team names and ring attire & that's when they came up with the name of The Hollywood Blondes. Steve credits Raven for coming up with the name.

There was already a team in the 70s named the Hollywood Blondes. It consisted of Jerry Brown and Buddy Roberts, who would later be in the original Fabulous Freebirds.

Austin said that he had just ordered $150 of new ring attire and Brian wanted to order all new stuff for their team. 

They ended up getting a black pair and a red pair of trunks with a star on the back and the name Hollywood Blonds & 3 stars on the front. Brian had the jackets made, a silver leather jacket and a black and red jacket.

Brian also bought Steve a gold chain. Austin would wear it many years later often on TV in the WWF. Steve says it's the most sentimental thing that he owns. Steve said when he wears it, he feels that Brian is right there with him. He's said that Brian was his best friend in the business.

Steve said that he had it ripped off one time in a fight and it was thrown in the bushes. He was worried that he was going to lose it, but he ended up finding it.

Austin said about the time they ordered the ring gear is when they came up with the concept of where they could mock like they were filming a camera with their hands, and using the slogan “Brush with Greatness.”

What's your memories of when The Hollywood Blonds were formed?

They started working weekly on all of WCW's TV shows. They defeated Brad Armstrong & Marcus Bagwell, Gunn & Zman, and they started getting World Tag Team title matches.

• January 8th – Tag champions Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas defeated The Blonds
• January 9th – Steamboat & Douglas beat The Blonds
• January 10th – Steamboat & Douglas beat The Blonds

Clash of the Champions 22 – Steamboat & Douglas retained the titles over The Blonds by DQ

They'd wrestle Douglas and Steamboat in several more matches through January

Feb 9th – Steamboat, Douglas & The Rock n Roll Express fought The Hollywood Blonds and The Heavenly Bodies (Prichard & Lane) to a double DQ

The Blonds would continue to wrestle Steamboat & Douglas through February

SuperBrawl 3 – Feb 21 – The Blonds beat Erik Watts & Bagwell

Just for you Tony – Feb 23rd – The Blonds beat Gunn & Zman

March 2nd – Macon, GA – The Blonds defeat Steamboat & Douglas to win the World Tag Team titles.

Austin has said that there were no real plans for them when they were put together, but they got over and here they win the World Tag Team Titles. What's your memories of The Hollywood Blonds becoming the world tag team champions?

You interviewed them right after this match

The next few days they'd face each other in a few rematches

Very cool match here – March 8th, 1993 – The Hollywood Blonds beat Brad Armstrong and Robbie V. Robbie V would later be known as Rob Van Dam

RVD wasn't in WCW for very long in 1993. Any memories of him being there?

Through the rest of March, The Blonds would wrestle Douglas & Steamboat in more rematches. They really had classic, old school tag team matches against each other. Many of their matches would go over the 30 minute mark. Just mat classics. Do you remember any of those matches?

WCW Worldwide – April 6th - Computer Contender's Challenge – A computer supposidly put a bunch of info and stats in to determine who the #1 contenders to the tag title would be and it decided that Scorpio and Bagwell would be the #1 contenders. They wrestled The Blonds to a draw this night.

April 14th – Madison Square Garden Paramont Theatre – The Blonds beat Scorpio and Bagwell. 

Any memories of going to the MSG Paramont Theatre?

April 16 & 17th – Austin beat Steamboat in a cage

Slamboree 93 – May 23rd – The blonds defeated Dos Hombres in a cage to retain the tag titles

Pillman worked the match with a broken nose. During the match, they showed 2 guys in the crowd that you and Zbyszko talked about, it was actually Jesse Ventura's agent, Barry Bloom & Mitch Ackerman, of Disney's TV division.

A few weeks prior on TV, a masked team from Mexico went to a draw with the Blonds then the next week, they defeated The Blonds, and after the match during an interview with you, Steamboat unmasked to reveal it was him. Steamboat said the other one was Douglas, but he didn't unmask

Douglas has said that he told WCW that he wasn't going to be there but they kept advertising that he would be. So, they came up with the Dos Hombres gimmick and put Tom Zenk under the mask. Yet, they kept referring on TV that it was Douglas.

Douglas has said that the night of the ppv, he was in a store and a fan came up to him and said I just saw you on TV

What's your memories of that whole thing?

Did Zman let you wear the mask later that night?

The Blonds went onto Ric Flair's talk show, A Flair For The Gold. During the interview, the Blonds really insulted Ric & Arn's age. They called Arn a statute, and told Ric to settle down before he blows the pacemaker. It was the setup to them having a match. In reality, Arn was about 33 or so at this time.

Was Ric or Arn sensitive about the age thing, or did they encourage it?

Not too long after this, The Blonds did a Flair for the Old. A parody of Ric Flair's Flair for the Gold. Pillman dressing up in a wig and was walking with a cane and he interviewed Austin They also had a maid, Pattay who was imitating Fifi.

Arn eventually came out and punched Austin, threw him in the ring and they fought until Pillman came in and hit Arn with the cane, which brought Flair out, who chased The Blonds away.

Austin said that everything they did was ad-libbed and it got them legit heat with the office, because it turned them babyface.

You and Zbyszko were hosting the show when the Flair for the Old started. What's your memories of when The Blonds started working with Ric & Arn, who came up with it? This was right after Ric returned to WCW from the WWF.

June 9th - The Blonds and NWA Champion Barry Windham wrestled Ric, Arn & Paul Roma to a draw

Steve Austin really got over in the WWF because of his promo style. However in The Hollywood Blonds it was Brian who was the promo man. Steve has said when they would travel, Brian would study vocabulary books & use words he learned in their promos. 

What's your memories of the Blonds promos?

When Steve was a singles wrestler in WCW, do you feel his lack of promo skills at that time hurt him?

June 17th – Clash of the Champions 23 – Norfolk, VA - Ric & Arn defeat The Blonds by DQ in a 2 out of 3 falls match. Ric & Arn won the first fall when Ric pinned Brian, then Windham interfered in the 2nd fall. The Blonds retained the titles

Do you recall if there was talk about putting the belts on Ric and Arn?

The Blonds were the champions, the most over team in the company at the time, even as heels. Do you think it was a mistake to not let them win even 1 fall? Against a team that they were making fun of their age and calling them old men before the match?

June 22nd – Roma pins Austin on Saturday Night.....yeah

Flair and Arn would again beat The Blonds on house shows on June 25th and 26th

The Blonds would continue to defend the titles against Scorpio & Bagwell, and some enhancement teams.

Beach Blast 93 – The Blonds defeat Anderson and Roma

This wasn't long after Roma joined The Horsemen. Do you think it would've been a good idea to have The Hollywood Blonds join The Horsemen instead? 

Missy Hyatt has said that she was supposed to manage The Hollywood Blonds, but they put her with The Nasty Boys instead. Did you ever hear that she was supposed to manage The Blonds?

July 27th – The Blonds beat The Kole Twins. What's your favorite Kole Twins match?

Clash of the Champions 24 – August 18th – Austin & Lord Steven Regal, who was subbing for an injured Brian Pillman lost the tag titles to Arn & Roma.

Why did they decide to take the titles off of them?

Austin said that when they would travel, it was the Blonds and Raven and they called themselves the Comedy Trio. He said they had their own comedy league in the company and a Comedy League Heavyweight Champion, as voted on by his peers.

They had a tournament to crown the Champion. In the tournament was Austin, Brian, Raven, Kevin Nash, Cactus Jack, Tex Slazinger (Mideon) Shanghai Pierce (Henry Godwin) and Dan Spivey. Nash won the tournament and was crowned the Comedy League Heavyweight Champion

Did you ever hear of this?

September 25 – Steve beats Arn

September 26th – British Bulldog beats Steve by DQ

October 11th Saturday Night – Ric & Arn wrestle Vader & Steve to a 35 minute no contest. It was supposed to be Sid and Ric but as they were entering the ring, the Awesome Kongs attacked Sid outside of the ring. Arn replaced him in the match.

Any memories of this match?

Around this time, Col Robert Parker who came in several months earlier as Sid's manager started making overtures to Steve to become his manager. The Blonds were stll together and Parker would approach Steve during Blonds interviews and talk to Steve, but totally ignore Brian.

This was the beginning to the Blonds split. Why was it decided to have Parker manage Steve?

Halloween Havoc 93 – US Title – Dustin Rhodes pins Steve to retain the title. Austin lays him out with the belt after the match.

The Blonds defeat Chris Sullivan and Chris Keirn. After the match, you're interviewing the Blonds outside of the ring, and Parker comes down and insults Brian about his injured leg. Pillman hits Parker and then Steve attacks Brian and leaves him laying. Austin then leaves with Parker and that's the end of the Hollywood Blonds.

Austin has said that he didn't want to split up, he wanted to stay in the team with Brian. Do you feel WCW made a mistake by splitting up the Hollywood Blonds? They were the most over team that WCW had in years.

The Hollywood Blonds were voted the Wrestling Observer tag team of the year in 1993.

Where would you rank The Hollywood Blonds on the list of the greatest tag teams in WCW history?

Clash of the Champions 25 – November 10th 1993 – Austin pins Pillman

Steve and Brian were a dominant team in 1993 and after they broke up, they only had 1 singles match at the Clash. No rematch at a later clash, or no singles match at a ppv. Why do you think WCW never put them in a long feud? It would've made logical sense to do so...

WCW Worldwide - November 12th – Austin pins Scorpio

WCW Worldwide – November 14th – Austin, Rude & Orndorff beat Brad Armstrong, Frankie Lancaster, Mark Starr

BattleBowl – November 20th – 1993 – Austin & Flair beat Scorpio & Maxx Payne.

Austin & Flair advance to the Battle Royal later in the ppv. It's eventually won by Vader

Very interesting team, Austin and Flair. Was it's Ric's idea to put them together here?

Flair has said in recent years that he considers Austin the biggest star in the history of wrestling. Do you know how Ric felt about Steve here at the end of 1993?

• November 26th – Pillman & Sting beat Austin & Regal
• Later that night, Pillman & Steve fought to a double CO
• 11/27 – Pillman beat Steve by DQ
• 11/28 – Pillman v Steve ends in a NC
• WCW Saturday Night 11-30 – Steve beats Brian Armstrong. Armstrong would later be known as The Road Dog
• WCW Saturday Night – Dec 7 – Steve beats Sting by DQ, when Pillman attacks Steve
• 12-11 – Steve beats Scorpio
• 12-13 – Pillman beats Steve
• 12-25 – Steve beats Pillman
• Starrcade 93 – Dec 27 – Steve beats Dustin in a 2 out of 3 falls match to win the U.S. Title. Austin won the first fall by DQ and pinned Dustin in the 2nd fall, to beat him 2 straight.

Surprised Austin beat him 2 straight? Any memories of Steve being given the US Title here?

Who was a big supporter backstage of Steve at this time? Ric? Dusty? Someone else?

• 12/28 – Steve beat Pillman
• 12/29 – Steve beat Pillman
• 12/30 – Flair beats Austin
• January 3rd, 1994 – Austin defeats Bobby Walker
• Janury 3rd – Austin & Rude beat Pillman & Dustin
• January 10 – Saturday Night – Flair, Sting, Boss beat Austin, Rude, Simmons
• January 11 – Austin beat Terry Taylor
• January 15 – Saturday Night – Pillman pinned Austin – non title match
• WCW Main Event – 1/31 – Pillman, Sting, Rhodes beat Austin, Regal, Mongolian Mauler.

What's your favorite Mongolian Mauler match?

In storyline, Parker brought him in to take out Pillman. He wasn't around very long at all

WCW Main Event – 1/31 – Austin & Mongolian Mauler beat Pillman & Rhodes

SuperBrawl 4 – 2/20 – Thundercage – Pillman, Sting, Rhodes beat Austin, Rude & Orndorff when Pillman pinned Austin

Later in the show, Flair defeated Vader in another Thundercage match. Any memories of the Thundercage?

• 2/22 – Saturday Night – Steamboat beat Austin by DQ
• 2/22 – Saturday Night – Arn & Steamboat beat Austin & Regal
• 2/25 – Sting beat Austin
• 2/26 – Sting beat Austin

Why do you think Austin vs Sting never happened on a PPV? Do you know if they ever talked about doing that match?

The February 24th, 1994 Observer reported that -

Some question regarding the futures of Steve Austin, Brian Pillman and Ron Simmons. The first two have contracts that expire shortly. Austin is known to be coveted by Titan and apparently wants a raise from his current $190,000 deal. Pillman has a deal in the $240,000 range and there is some question as to whether they'll try to cut his salary down. Simmons is working without a contract, and actually has been for some time. 

Wow, kind of a glimpse into the future..

• 3/3 Saturday Night – Austin beat Tanaka San aka Pat Tanaka to retain the US Title
• 3/3 Saturday Night – Austin beat Haito to retain the US Title
• 3/3 Saturday Night – Austin beat Fire Cat (Brady Boone) to retain the US Title

These 3 matches against “Japanese wrestlers” were set up by Col Parker to get Austin ready for his upcoming US title match against Muta

Austin would work more house show matches with Pillman at the end of March and going into April

On the March 12th Saturday Night, Austin wrestled Steamboat with the winner facing Flair for the World Title at Spring Stampede. Steamboat won by DQ when Parker came in the ring and attacked Steamboat.

Terrible finish to a huge match. You can never go wrong with Flair/Steamboat, but it would've been great to see Austin get that main event World Title match against Flair

Spring Stampede – April 17th 94 – Austin defeated The Great Muta by DQ when Muta backdropped him over the top rope. 

Very lame finish for such a big match.

Why did they bring Muta in for this one match, just for it to end by DQ?

The April 18th, 1994 Observer reported that- 

The status of Brian Pillman and Steve Austin has to considered murky. Pillman's contract expired a few weeks ago but is fulfilling his commitments through the PPV show, but isn't on the booking after 4/17 and the sides were far apart enough on figures (WCW's offer was a serious pay cut, believed to be in the $50,000 to $60,000 annual range from the $240-250,000 range to $190,000) that is looks difficult to come to an agreement. 

Austin is on the sheets through the end of May, but his contract expires well before that and it was known he wanted a significant raise but WCW offered him a cut in pay as well. The fact that Pillman & Austin, coming off a year where they were the best tag team in wrestling and being two of the only top-level performers the company has, and probably the two that show the most potential for the future, that aren't pushing 40, are being offered cuts has made everyone else coming up for renewal in great moods as well. 

Obviously the line is there is a mandate the company has to cut back on wrestlers salaries because of how much money it has lost over the years, which is believable, but it's hard to justify that to some wrestlers when the amount being offered Hogan is probably as much as the total combined salary per year of everyone being asked to take a cut, not to mention the added expense of announcers and renovating Center Stage. Gene Okerlund on the WCW hotline acknowledged Austin's problem and said he may be departing WCW for parts unknown. Reports we've gotten seem to indicate there will be an attempt to sign Austin, but that Pillman's leaving is pretty much acknowledged. If one or the other leave, the only viable options would be WWF or All Japan and indies. 

Then the April 25th Observer reported that Bischoff had signed both Austin & Pillman to 2 year contract extensions.

Both Pillman and Austin had met with Titan Sports in recent weeks and tested the waters with All Japan and were considered somewhat likely to leave the promotion. It is believed Austin's contract calls for 200 dates minimum (at the present rate, WCW won't book 200 shows so he'll get his minimum) per year at $1,000 per show, which would be a slight raise from what was believed to be a $190,000 base per year deal he was under, although both contracts reportedly had several bonuses worked in so comparing flat figures could be misleading 

• Saturday Night – 4/20 – Austin beat Rhodes
• 4/21 – Austin beat Bagwell
• 4/21 – Austin beat Brian Armstrong – Future Roaddog
• 4/28-29 – Steamboat beats Austin
• WCW Worldwide – May 7th – Tuxedo Match – Austin beat Johnny B. Badd
• Worldwide – May 12 – Austin beat Bobby Dee
• Worldwide – May 15 – Austin beat Barry Houston
• Worldwide – May 15 – Steamboat beat Austin by DQ
• May 19-20 – Rhodes & Pillman beat Austin & Bunkhouse Buck
• Slamboree 94 – Austin beat Johnny B Badd to retain the US Title
• May 28 & 29 – Sting, Rhodes, Badd beat Austin, Eaton & Buck
• Clash of the Champions 25 – June 3rd – Badd beats Austin by DQ. Austin retains
• Bash at the Beach 94 – Austin pins Steamboat to retain the U.S. Title

Meltzer really liked the match, it really was a classic-

Steve Austin pinned Rick Steamboat in 20:10 to retain the U.S. title. This started slow but turned into a super match. Steamboat was the best performer on the card. The crowd got into it in spots but it didn't get the heat it should have because so much of the crowd was either papered and there to cheer for Hogan or paid just to see Hogan. Either way, they weren't going to get into anything underneath. Highlight was a triple reversal in a tombstone piledriver set-up before Steamboat did the move. At one point the ref was about to DQ Austin when Steamboat asked for it to continue. Finally Steamboat did a cross bodyblock but Austin reversed the move and held the trunks for the pin. ***3/4 

Around this time, Austin and Col Parker split up. There was no angle or no real explanation for it. You said on commentary during an Austin match that Parker felt it was better for Austin that he focuses on his own career. Do you remember why they were split up?

On the July 9th, 1994 edition of Saturday Night, there was an angle done where the fans would get to call in and vote for the main event of the show. The babyfaces that you could vote for were in 1 locker room and the heels that you could vote for were in another one. 

When they showed the heel locker room, you could see Steve Austin and standing very close to him was a guy by the name of Jean Paul Leveque, who we now know as Triple H. You guys had them both in 1994....wow.

Sting & Ric Flair ended up winning the voting, by the way.

7-19 – Saturday Night – Ric & Austin beat Sting & Steamboat, when Austin pinned Steamboat. Pretty famous tag match its even on one of the Austin DVDs from WWE

Any memories of this match?

• 7/23 – Austin beat Badd
• 7/30 – Steamboat beat Austin by DQ
• 8/10 – Pillman beat Austin by DQ
• 8/12 – Austin beat Steamboat
• 8/13 – Austin beat Steamboat
• 8/14 – Badd & Steamboat beat Austin & Regal
• 8/14 – Austin beat Steamboat
• 8/14 – Badd & Steamboat beat Austin & Regal
• 8/15 – Sting & Steamboat beat Flair & Austin
• 8/16 – Sting & Steamboat beat Flair & Austin
• 8/17 – Austin beat Terry Taylor
• 8/18 – Austin beat Steamboat
• 8/19- Austin beat Steamboat
• Clash of the Champions 28 – 8/24 – Steamboat beat Austin for the US Title

Austin had a very long US Title reign, 9 months. Steamboat beat him for both the TV and US titles. Any memories of this going down?

Do you think it was a mistake to take the title off of Austin?

8/25 – 28 - Steamboat beat Austin

Fall Brawl – 9/18 – It was supposed to be a rematch between Steamboat and Austin, but Steamboat suffered a back injury which would end his career, so the title was given back Austin in the ring. Commissioner Bockwinkel then annouced that he had to defend it against Jim Duggan.

Duggan pinned Austin in 35 seconds to win the U.S. Title. Just terrible.

Steve couldn't of been happy about this. Do you remember how he felt about this mess?

Meltzer wrote in the September 26th Observer - It was a bad weekend for Steve Austin. Not only did he have to put Duggan over in 30 seconds, but his house flooded the day before.

Austin would then lose to Duggan on several house shows in early & mid October

October 3rd Observer reported -  It is believed Sherri Martel will be moved to join up with Steve Austin, who will be getting a character makeover and receive his long-awaited push to the top although others are saying Austin will at best tread water when it comes to his position because of plans for a series of monsters to occupy the top slots. 

Any memories of this?

Halloween Havoc – 10/23/94 – Duggan beat Austin by DQ to retain the US Title

Austin would put Duggan over on several house shows for the rest of October and November

November 7th Observer - Sherri managed Steve Austin as the Disney tapings and Austin was picking up more of the Flair mannerisms. Word we got is that Austin originally when doing the job at the Bash for Duggan was promised the belt back at the last PPV but guess who overruled the committee. Now he's being told they are grooming him as the next Flair, with Sherri, to copy his mannerisms leading to work against a face Flair next year. 

Really too bad that WCW didn't follow through with this, it would've been awesome. Do you know why they didn't?

November 14th Observer - As part of the legal settlement with WCW for WCW using the "When Worlds Collide" name on the PPV over the weekend, WCW will send Steve Austin, Sherri Martel and Kevin Sullivan to the 11/19 show which goes head-to-head with Dennis Coraluzzo's NWA tournament, which in and of itself is the subject of yet another dispute this week with Jim Crockett. Austin & Shane Douglas, managed by Martel, face Ron Simmons & Scorpio, while Sullivan & Cactus Jack face Public Enemy. 

That match never ended up happening, because Austin hurt his knee

Clash of the Champions 29 – 11/16 – Duggan beat Austin by DQ in 54 secs when Vader interfered

Austin had a knee brace on during this match and appeared to be limping heavily after the match and he wouldn't wrestle again the rest of 94. He blew out his knee on 11/14 in Sarasota.

He probably wasn't too mad about being out of action considering how embarrasingly bad that he was being used.

Do you know if Hulk Hogan had anything to do with Austin's push being suddenly stopped, and Austin having to put over Hulk's buddy Duggan for about 2 months?

Earlier in 94 around March or so, you guys were teasing on TV that Austin and Flair might wrestle at some point for Flair's World Title, when Austin was the US Champion. Hogan then comes in a few months later, and Austin loses the US Title a month after Hulk debuts, and is quickly shoved down the card, never come back up it again until his eventual departure from WCW.

Seems like kind of an odd coincidence...

Do you recall of any talk to put the World Title on Austin before Hogan came to WCW?

Did you ever talk to Steve about his feelings on how he was being used at this time?

The December 12th Observer reported that - It appears Steve Austin may be out of action for as long as eight months to one year. Austin's knee injury suffered on 11/14 in Sarasota, FL was diagnosed as two torn posterior ligaments and he's going to need major reconstructive surgery, although at press time we'd heard he's getting a second opinion. With the recent departures of Flair and Steamboat, losing Austin absolutely kills the company as far as what's left of the possibility of having quality matches. For Austin, however, this could be a blessing in disguise for his career. They were going nowhere with him, and now, if he's out, they've got nine months to figure out a new direction for him, freshen him up, and bring him back in a key angle where he won't be in that stationary position in the company. 

Austin would return to action on February 3rd, 1995 when he beat Bagwell on Worldwide. Meltzer wrote of the match - Austin needed 12 stitches in his eye after a mistake in the ring. While he didn't wrestle the remainder of the week, he's expected back in the ring shortly although nobody seems to think with much of a push 

Austin ended up not having the knee surgery, that's why he returned much quicker than originally thought

Around this time when he returned, Austin and Col Parker were put back together. Any rhyme or reason for this?

• 2/24 – 26 – Stars & Striples (Patriot & Bagwell) beat Austin & Regal
• March 4 & 8 – Austin beats Tim Horner
• March 8 – Austin beat Kenny Kendall
• March 18th Worldwide – Austin beat Bagwell
• March 19 – Austin beat Horner
• March 21st – Alex Wright beat Austin by DQ
• March 21st – Wright & Badd beat Austin & Arn 
• March 22nd – Saturday Night – Sting pins Austin
• March 22nd – Saturday Night – Badd & Wright beat Austin & Arn
• March 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 – Duggan beats Austin
• April 23rd – U.S. Title Tournament – Austin FINALLY pins Duggan
• Austin would be pinned in a few minutes in the US Title Tournament by Randy Savage
• May 11 – Sting, Renegade, Alex Wright beat Austin, Flair & Arn by DQ WHO BOOKED THIS SHIT?!

The May 15th Observer that Austin refused to do a job for The Renegade. The next week's Observer reported that - Steve Austin had his meeting with Eric Bischoff early in the week and everything was worked out. Austin was pretty well forced, because anything else would have killed Ric Flair's authority as booker, to do the job for Renegade at the TV tapings on 5/10 at Center Stage and do another in 2:00 for Randy Savage on 5/11 in the U.S. title tournament. There was a lot of talk that in exchange, they would reform the Hollywood Blonds with a push but that hasn't happened yet. 

Do you remember hearing talks that they might reform The Blonds? That unfortunately never happened.

During a tour of Japan in June, Austin jumped off the ropes to deliver a splash and he landed wrong on his right arm, and tore his right tricep off of his elbow. He wrestled for 2 and a half weeks with a torn tricep and a sore knee.

When he returned to the States, he had to get surgery to reattach the tricep to his arm.

Austin said while he was out of action, he'd sometimes go to WCW Saturday Night tapings to visit the boys and watch the matches. During one such visit, he passed Kevin Sullivan in the hallway. They had some small talk and Austin said the he felt Sullivan didn't like him for some reason & Steve felt that Sullivan played a role in what was about to happen to him.

Not long after, Austin got a call from Janie Engle who worked for you. She told him to give you a call.

Austin said he knew what was going to happen when he called you

First, talk about when you made the decision for sure to fire him

So, he made the call. You told him “I just wanted to let you know that based on the amount that we're paying you and based on the number of days you've been incapacitated, we're going to exercise our right to terminate the agreement.

Does that sound pretty close to what you remember saying to him?

Steve then said, “well, basically you're telling me I'm fired, right? Austin was making $300,000 a year at the time

You said Yeah. The next day, Steve got his termination papers the next day in the mail.

What else do you remember from that call? Do you remember what all Steve said, did he sound surprised?

Steve said that he was pissed by how he was fired. He said he lived 30 miles from CNN Center, and he would've liked to of been fired face to face.

Why didn't you call him to the office and fire him in person?

Steve said that some time before he was fired, you said to him “You know, Steve, you might need to find something else to do for a living, or somewhere else to go, maybe New Japan or ECW, because you go out there in those black trunks and black boots, and there's not a whole lot of ways for me to market that.

Steve then said that you actually told him that he'd never amount to anything, and you fired him. 

Do you remember saying those things to him?

Austin then said looking back, it actually turned out to be one of the best days of his career.

There's been rumor and innuendo that not long before he was fired, Tony called his house & his wife answered. He told her that you wanted him to come in and do interviews & she told you that he wasn't there. However, Tony could hear Austin in the background saying to tell them to fuck off, or something of that nature.

Did that actually happen?

Steve pitched several ideas to work angles with Hogan, Sting, Savage, but he was always declined. Do you remember hearing about him doing that?

Meltzer wrote of the firing - 

WCW did fire Steve Austin (Steve Williams) on 9/15. Austin, 30, was considered for years as perhaps the best young wrestler in the United States. His career languished for the past year almost to the point that he was spoken of, like his former tag partner Brian Pillman, as a wrestler who had made a lot of money by signing good contracts but had great careers ruined by a WCW organization that had been both unwilling and unable to get any wrestlers over. 

Austin had been in the doghouse with WCW management over the past year over a reputation for not exactly keeping quiet with his discontent about how he was used and for those involved in cost cutting seeing the $200,000 or so figure he was earning per year while not being involved in any significant programs as wasted money. While on a tour with New Japan in June, Austin tore his tricep and has been out of action since and was believed to be about six weeks from being ready to return when he was fired. This of course paints WCW as a real class organization for firing a guy while injured when he suffered the injury on a tour the company sent him on. 

Austin's main problem appeared to be in the cliquish nature of WCW (which is consistent not only in wrestling but in most jobs but worse in WCW than most places obviously). He didn't hang with the right crowd. When the Hogan camp got into power, they dismissed Austin as a highly-paid wrestler who was a good worker with no charisma and in their view of wrestling, workrate meant next to nothing. 

The Hogan clique basically consisted of WWFers from the mid-80s when wrestling was hot and thus, could dismiss any wrestler who came along later as being "unable to draw money" (forgetting that most of those who drew money in the mid-80s became suddenly unable to draw money either when the business lost popularity). 

He wasn't in the Flair clique either, so nobody spoke up for his workrate on the inside at the meetings. Austin was given little chance to show his stuff after the career ending back injury of his main opponent, Rick Steamboat. Austin then suffered a knee injury which kept him out for a few months, and before he was plugged into a new planned program, a reuniting of his tag team with Brian Pillman, he went to Japan and suffered the tricep tear. 

It's unknown what Austin's plans will be once he's able to return to the ring, but he would be able to get a strong spot with ECW if he would want it since he's a long-time friend of Paul Heyman, although that would entail a major comedown in money. I don't know if he has any connections or has made any with All Japan, but if he wants to make a career out of Japan, that promotion and him almost seem tailor-made if he can learn that style and psychology. 

All Japan needs new foreign stars they can push and very few Americans have the ability to make it with that group and Austin potentially fits into that select group. Of course WWF is the most logical option. He probably could also return to WCW if he was willing to work for less money and a per night deal although I'm betting the nature of his dismissal which will almost certainly result in very bitter feelings will make that very difficult. 

A few hours later, WCW and Gene Okerlund's agent Barry Bloom agreed verbally to a two-year contract which, with incentives, is more potentially lucrative than his previous deal which was said to have a $250,000 base. Okerlund's WCW contract had expired two days earlier and it was questionable if the deal hadn't been put together whether he would have appeared at the Fall Brawl PPV show. Naturally the timing of the Austin firing, particularly being fired while injured ala Steamboat, and the Okerlund raise didn't set well with several wrestlers within WCW for obvious reasons. 

DDP has said when he heard that Austin was fired, he said to you “No! Not that guy!” 

Did any other of the boys come to Austin's defense and ask you what you were thinking

After you fired him, Paul Heyman, who was the owner of ECW called Steve, and offered him a job. Steve told him that he couldn't work because of his arm, and Paul said he doesn't have to work, just come and do promos, so Steve accepted. Paul managed Steve a few years earlier in WCW, in the Dangerous Alliance, so he knew the potential that Steve had that was still untapped.

Steve did some legendary promos in ECW. The Monday Nyquil segment where he imitated you, dressed in a black wig, said I dont know the names of any of the holds, implying you didn't know any of the names of any of the holds.

Did you see that? What did you think of it?

He did another parody when he debuted, dressed as Hulk Hogan

He also cut a great promo at about 4am which Paul has described as magic. If you saw any of his promo work in ECW, were you surprised?

As we know, Steve Austin would go to the WWF a few months after he was fired from WCW, and about 3 years after WCW fired him, he was the WWF World Champion and the biggest star in the business. He was probably the biggest factor in the turn around of the Monday Night Wars, which eventually be one of the factors that led to WCW going out of business.

Granted the Steve Austin that you fired and the Steve Austin in WWF during that time were different performers, However, in hindsight, have you ever looked back and thought, I really messed up on that one?

Fast forward to 2003, Steve had left the WWE in 2002, he walked out because he wasn't happy with what was going on and he didn't want to job to Brock Lesnar on Raw. But, fast frward to January or so of 03 and things got worked out and he came back.

The No Way Out 2003 ppv in February, Steve's first match back was ironically against you.

Austin said that when he finally saw you in WWE he went up to you and said Hey man, can I talk to you for a minute? I pulled him aside where we could speak privately and I said, Hey Eric, I guess a lot of people think there's gonna be a lot of heat between you

and me. You probably think so too. And for a long time, I was pretty mad at you for firing me the way you did.

But that's a long time ago. I've been watching you since you came to WWE and I think you're doing a great job. You know, what happened, happened. That's in the past. As far as I'm concerned, if it's all right with you, let's wipe the slate clean and start from zero right here and put all that other crap behind us. I got no animosity toward you. I'm not mad at you.

And you could see a sea of relief wash over him.

Eric answered, That would be great with me, Steve. And we shook hands.

Steve said Eric called him a few times to work out their upcoming match. Steve said, Has anyone said anything to you because of the old heat between you and me that I

might try to hurt you? And he said, no, nobody's said anything.

I said, I'm just telling you right now, Eric, I am stiff, and I haven't kicked or punched anybody in 7 months.My timing might be off, but I'm not intentionally going to try and mess you up or hurt you

He said, Okay, it'll be fine. I'm sure it'll be ok

Do you remember those convos with Steve and were you worried about the match?

Austin beat you really quick at No Way Out, you guys also had a rematch on Raw not long after, with the same result

Austin said of the match, I know I caught him with a couple of really good stiff shots. Hey it was my first time back and I needed it to look vicious and look good. But I certainly wasn't trying to take advantage of the guy.

Several months later, you guys would be co-GMs of Raw together. You did a lot of segments together and really had great chemistry, Steve has spoken very highly of your combination and has said he would've liked for it to of gone on longer. What's your memories of that?

He has said he wasn't given a reason why you two were split up, were you given a reason?

He would go down to be maybe the biggest star in the history of the wrestling business. When Vince McMahon inducted him into the Hall of Fame, he called Steve the greatest superstar in WWE history. And you guys had him.

Be honest, are you surprised at all about what Steve went on to do after you fired him?

This is a very interesting question, because you fired him, but in your opinion, if you would rank the biggest stars in wrestling history, where would you rank Steve Austin?