Grilling JR - Austin 1995-96 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today Jim we’re going to be discussing the beginnings of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as we discuss his career from 1995 to 1996. Steve turned 57 on December 18th and what a way to celebrate his birthday than to talk about what sets the stage for the biggest professional wrestling star in history.

Austin is dealing with injuries as 1995 begins in WCW and makes just a small amount of appearances. He spends most of the time putting over Jim Duggan on house shows before beating him in the first round of the WCW United States tourney and than lost to Randy Savage in 2:19 in the quarter finals which would be Austin’s last appearance in WCW. How crazy is it that Austin’s last TV appearance is against Randy Savage?

Austin works some in Japan and hurts his bicep again. At the same time WCW is adding a ton of talent including Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero & Dean Malenko in the prep for the launch of Nitro. Do you think that ended up playing a role in Austin’s release?

From the Observer: “WCW did fire Steve Austin 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. 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". 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.”

How much are you talking to Steve at this time?

Do you think Steve’s attitude played a part in his release like Meltzer speculates?

Do you immediately go…we need Austin in the WWF?

You wrote this in Austin’s book: “I have told Eric Bischoff several times since he joined WWE that one of the best things he ever did while he ran WCW was to fire Austin, because we would wind up signing him and the rest is history.”

You obviously didn’t know at the time but can it be overstated how big it was for Austin to be let go by WCW?

A lot of people had always said that he was a good hand but they didn’t know if he could be the top guy. Did you know it?

He goes to ECW for a short but memorable run when Paul Heyman sits him in front of the camera and lets him talk. He mocks Hulk Hogan, takes shots at Eric Bischoff, but it’s the stone cold glare into the camera that you can tell he’s serious about the wrestling business. Passionate. Was that Steve’s greatest attribute to the business?

Austin would write in his book that Kevin Nash spoke up to Vince McMahon about Steve being the hottest free agent out there. Are you talking to Vince about Steve as well?

You’re just getting involved in talent relations…did you think this was your guy to stick your flag in the ground and say, “We need him. He’s a cornerstone.”

You wrote in Austin’s book that he was brought in to be a mechanic and not going higher than the Intercontinental title. Is that what Vince slotted him as?

Austin wrote extensively in his book about the growth of your relationship once he came into the WWF. How big was that friendship to you?

Austin finishes up in ECW with a crew cut to begin in the WWF. Who’s idea was the crew cut?

The speculation in the Observer is that Ted DiBiase is going to get a renewed push as a manager and that the return of the Million Dollar Belt will be going to a newcomer. Meltzer has an interesting quote, “When people used to say that Austin was going to be the next Ric Flair, I always disagreed and thought it was more likely he'd be the next Ted DiBiase.”

What say you Jim? Was Austin more akin to being the next DiBiase compared to Flair?

What were your conversations about Steve’s creative when he came in?

Coming off those amazing ECW promos…why pair him with a mouthpiece?

We know Vince didn’t watch ECW but you did. Did McMahon not see someone who could cut a promo?

The return of the Brother Love Show on Monday Night Raw on January 8th, 1996 features the debut of Steve Austin as the Ringmaster. Austin sets his goals high in the promo though as he talks about entering the Royal Rumble and going onto WrestleMania. Was this the presentation you were hoping for?

The next week in his wrestling debut he defeats…Matt Hardy with the Million Dollar Dream. Did you think a sleeperhold would be an effective finisher in 1996?

Is there talk of a program with Steve with anyone when he comes in? I mean look at the babyface roster at the time - the Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, Jake Roberts. Did anyone come up and say…I wanna work with that kid.

A memorable story Steve has told over the years took place at the Royal Rumble. Austin has said he was scheduled to be in the last 4 of the Rumble which is a big deal. But before then Fatu - who Steve has said had a ton of baby oil on - clotheslined Steve and Steve tumbled over the top rope without being able to hang on to be eliminated early. It means the whole finish of the match has to change. Do you remember the reaction backstage to it - and did this affect Steve’s standing early on?

Austin isn’t on the In Your House pay-per-view for February but the next night on Raw Vince McMahon refers to Steve Austin as to having a “Stone Cold” personality. Is this the first memory of that phrase being paired with Austin?

The Ringmaster moniker is dropped on March 2nd, never to be heard from again. Was this a collective decision from creative?

Was Steve excited about that?

In early March on a Texas loop Austin gets to work a fellow Texan and the future WWF Champion - Shawn Michaels. Was Shawn interested in working with Steve to get a feel for him or was it just that it was Texas?

How important are these matches to Steve’s eventual top run?

Diesel & Razor both give notice. How big are those two leaving in retrospect for Austin’s career in the WWF?

In an odd scenario Steve Austin is inserted into the WWF Tag Team Title Tournament to team with Savio Vega when Razor is suspended. They lose to the Body Donnas after Austin turns on Savio and it begins the Austin - Vega rivalry to lead to Steve’s WrestleMania debut. It’s an undercard match so really what’s the big deal…but was it a big deal for Steve?

Savio and Steve are two really good workers. What was it about them that just clicked? Similar lines of thinking?

Marc Mero & Mick Foley both sign in 1996 right around WrestleMania. Any worry from Steve that it’s two more guys that will block his path to the top?

At WrestleMania Austin and Vega square off. From the Observer: “Steve Austin pinned Savio Vega in 10:08. Finish saw Vega spin kick the ref, who sold it forever. Vega kicked Austin in the face for a fall but no ref. Ted DiBiase then got the Million Dollar belt and gave it to Austin who hit Vega with it twice, then put on the Million Dollar dream. The ref still was out, so DiBiase got a coke from an official and poured it on the ref, who revived and saw Vega out and signalled the finish. Austin got the move on for a long time after the match. Both guys worked hard but there was no heat and the finish died live. The work itself was good in spots and slightly off in other spots. **”

Steve Austin gets the win at his first WrestleMania. How big a deal is this for Steve? Did he think this was about to be a run for him to continue to move up the card?

The reliance on the million dollar dream for example…was Austin feeling trapped in the character?

Out of Mania Austin loses to “The Caribbean Kid” which is Savio Vega in a mask at a Superstars taping and it’s Austin’s first TV loss. Just trying to get some heat on the program as it continues?

Coming off WrestleMania is the customary European tour and Austin is working with some big names. The first night in Dortmund, Germany he puts over Bret Hart in his first time working him. He does 27 minutes with Shawn in Kassel, Germany in a main event loss, loses to Ahmed Johnson in Bonn and then loses to Bret again in Frankfurt. Losses on house shows mean nothing but going almost 30 with the champion and getting to work Bret in what is one of his major drawing areas has to be a sign of confidence in Steve’s working ability does it not?

His ability to work a main event against the World Champion on an overseas tour is something that Steve never got to do in WCW. Its only April but there are signs he’s not just a midcarder right?

Steve isn’t on Good Friends, Better Enemies but that’s probably just a time constraint. The next night on Raw Austin defeats Scott Taylor … yes Scotty 2 Hotty … and Savio Vega challenges Austin to a Caribbean Strap Match. Austin begs off but we know it’s going to be coming. At this point do you know DiBiase is going to be leaving?

Do you think Austin was more valued by Vince than Savio was at this time?

At this time the WWF runs a bunch of sold shows in Kuwait and Austin again gets to work with the likes of Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels. How invaluable is it to work in front of an audience like this?

The Caribbean Strap Match at In Your House: Beware of Dog has the stipulation that if Savio loses he will become an errand boy for Steve & DiBiase. Does this fit the DiBiase character considering you couldn’t get away with something like this in 2021?

Brian Pillman has his humvee accident and being a former partner of Steve’s was Steve concerned about Brian do you know?

At the infamous curtain call show there’s an interesting note from the Observer I want to bring up to you. “At MSG, Steve Austin pinned Jake Roberts in about 3:00. After the match, Austin told Roberts he was washed up and challenged him to another match. Austin then pinned him again. I guess they are going to use Roberts' name value to give the younger guys some credibility which you have to give Roberts credit as a team player for, since his days as a headliner are over.”

How professional was Jake here and how big an honor was it for Steve to get someone like that to put him over? All he’d ever dealt with in WCW was veterans afraid of losing their spot and here is Jake really making him at MSG of all places.

After the Curtain Call goes down do you remember Steve coming to you about what happened and his opinions on it?

Do you think the Curtain Call changes the course of Steve’s career? The rumor and innuendo has always been Triple H was slotted to win the King of the Ring and we know that Steve will eventually be the man who takes the spot. Was Steve going to get over at some point anyway and this just sped up the process?

From the Observer: “Savio Vega vs. Steve Austin was made into a match where if Austin lost, as he did, Ted DiBiase would leave the WWF. That was due to DiBiase giving notice a few days earlier to WWF that he would be leaving for WCW when his contract expired (believed to be in August), accepting a three year deal with figures reportedly being $225,000, $250,000 and $275,000 over the three years to work as both an announcer and a manager. DiBiase, 42, has a Lloyd's of London disability deal that is about to pay a major lump sum after a career ending neck injury, but it is believed after the deal he won't return to the ring, but will at least be able to take bumps once again in a managerial role, something he couldn't do in WWF. WWF decided instead of building up DiBiase's eventual leaving, they would write him out of storylines immediately.”

Was Steve happy to get away from Ted? Do you think Steve had anything to do with Ted leaving?

Did Steve see this as a break for him?

From the Observer: “1. Vega beat Austin in a strap match in 21:27. This was an excellent match. They traded solid strap whips back and forth. At one point Vega took a bump over the top and held onto the strap so Austin flew over about a second later. Vega did a superplex while standing on the top rope. They did a double tombstone reverse with neither ending up with the move. Biggest bump was Austin on the top rope and Vega on the floor and Vega pulling Austin, who flew off the top over the post and crashed into the guard rail. Austin used a piledriver but instead of going to win, DiBiase told him to do another and this time Vega reversed the move. After a Million Dollar Dream, Austin hit three buckles but Vega stopped him. Finally they did the same finish as in almost every strap match in history. Austin again dragged Vega around hitting three buckles while Vega also touched them. As they were struggling for the fourth, Austin won the tug-of-war and pulled Vega who crashed into the fourth buckle for the pin. ****”

Why is this always the finish for a Caribbean strap match? Is it just lazy booking?

So DiBiase is gone and now it’s Steve’s time to sink or swim. And what does creative do right after? He’s put into the King of the Ring Tournament and beats Bob Holly in the first round and then Savio Vega in the second round. Going into the tournament was it known this was going to be the guy who wins it? Any talk of Vader or Ahmed Johnson or anyone like that or just…Steve’s the guy.

Austin debuts the “Stone Cold Stunner” at TV on Superstars June 8th and defeats the future Joey Abs of Mean Street Posse fame with it. It’s Michael Hayes who suggests the move to Austin. We’ve seen in just 6 months a complete 180 on the character. The Ringmaster…to Stone Cold. The Million Dollar Dream to the Stone Cold Stunner. Ted DiBiase by his side to not being alone. Every little part played a role in the formation of the biggest star in pro wrestling. And really…all of it happened by chance. He wasn’t supposed to get over. He wasn’t supposed to be the biggest star ever. What was it about Steve that just willed it to happen?

King of the Ring 1996 and the infamous Austin 3:16 promo and Cause Stone Cold Said So catchphrases are born and he beats Mero and goes to the hospital and comes back and beats Jake Roberts. It’s been covered ad nauseum and we recently covered the show in our archives. But Jim…leaving the arena that night…did you think it was as big a deal as everyone talks about now?

Here’s the Observer recap of the promo which is just fascinating in hindsight: “Austin got the pin with the Stone Cold Stunner and did a strong post-match interview knocking Roberts religion and drinking problems.”

That’s it.

From Austin’s book: “I do have to say that even after I did my 3:16 promo at King of the Ring and I introduced my new catchphrases, Vince still didn’t listen to all my ideas. I don’t think he had ever pushed anybody like me before. I’m not saying I was the best. I was just a different breed of cat. I was trying to be a heel, but I was accepted universally as a babyface. This was new ground—for me too. I was just kind of working my way through it, but it was new to me.”

Austin even admits in his book nothing much changes after the fact and the narrative has always been the rocket was strapped to him immediately. Why do you think it took much longer for it? Wrong place, wrong time?

The next night on Raw Austin’s big push begins with a…loss to the Undertaker by DQ after Goldust interferes. After this Austin actually has to take a few weeks off due to getting his lip fixed by a plastic surgeon as the kick from Mero really did some damage. Was this part of the whole start stop push?

During this he’s pushed more to do promos and Austin has a story in his book I need to ask you about. “I remember running down Aldo Montoya (Justin Credible) on one of our TV shows. He had that yellow mask on his face and I called it a jockstrap. I just cut him and cut him and cut him. Then, later on when I watched the show, I noticed that some of these good things I’d said weren’t on the air. I was like, “Man, what the hell?” We were in a real snowy town in the Northeast, at the old building in Lowell, Massachusetts, and I called Vince aside. I said, “Vince, can I talk to you?” He said, “Yeah.” I said, “Man, what’s going on? It seems like every time I say something, y’all take it back to the shop and chop all my stuff out.”

He said, “Well, Steve, your stuff is making the people laugh back in the studio. We are concerned because, as a heel, we want the fans to not like you.” I said, “Well, Vince, let me tell you something. I’m six-two, two hundred and fifty pounds. I got a bald head and a goatee. I got black trunks and black boots and a big mouth. Man, if you take my personality away from me, I can’t compete with anybody here. You got guys here six-ten, seven feet, three hundred and fifty pounds or whatever. But if you give me my personality, I can compete with anybody. I guarantee it.” Vince listened to me and said, “Okay,” and walked off. We left it at that. But Vince had gotten the message. He started letting me just go, and stopped editing a lot of my lines out of the show. Vince was beginning to “feel” and understand the Stone Cold character, which was essential in the development of my in-ring persona.”

Did Steve have a better understanding of the business at this point than most in creative and maybe even Vince?

Is this something looking back was needed at the time in the business compared to now where everything in the WWE is mostly scripted?

How quickly does the Austin 3:16 merchandise begin after King of the Ring and was it an immediate top seller or did it take some time?

The nWo launches around this time and it’s really crazy to think two merchandise kings and the two things that really turn the business on its head happen within weeks of each other. And they’re both the same premises. Heels that people like…black t shirts with white writing…it’s the opposite of everything Vince McMahon preached. Bright colors, bigger than life stars…the shift of the business is colossal. Did you feel it?

Austin and Mero work again at International Incident in a return from King of the Ring and Austin gets the win again. But it feels like the crowd doesn’t know how to react. He is a heel but they wanna cheer him but he’s not really giving them any reason to cheer. This is kind of his tweener phase. Does creative not know what to do with him?

We’re coming up on what is the biggest show of the summer for the World Wrestling Federation. SummerSlam in Cleveland, OH. And Steve Austin…is on the Free-For-All against Yokozuna. And this is as Dave Meltzer is reporting if Bret Hart returns to the World Wrestling Federation he wants Austin to be his first opponent when he returns. Is this putting Steve on ice in case Bret does come back or doesn’t come back?

Did Steve bring this up working with Yoko on the free-for-all?

The match goes 1:52 and ends when Yoko falls off the top rope and Austin gets the pin. It’s very limited what you can do with Yoko but couldn’t he had at least hit the stunner?

The crowd is starting to cheer Steve more and more but there’s a distinct shift in creative to make him more of a heel. Brian Pillman, Steve’s old partner, is now in the World Wrestling Federation and is being used as an interviewer because of his injuries, and he’s constantly asking Steve about Bret Hart. The connection between Austin and Pillman never left did it?

Austin is scheduled to work Savio Vega at In Your House: Buried Alive and as we covered way back in the archives the match doesn’t happen as Vega gets hurt and ends up being replaced by Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The two are heels but the crowd is definitely behind Steve and Austin gets the win. Crazy to think how many times these guys would work together on top in the future don’t you think Jim?

Austin is still getting cheered but the plan isn’t for Austin to be a babyface at this point. He needs to be a top level heel to go up against Bret Hart in his return to the World Wrestling Federation at Madison Square Garden for Survivor Series. Jim we recently covered the Brian Pillman - Steve Austin gun angle. We didn’t talk about this but we’ve always heard Bret had issues with the content and the edgy stuff. Here this is in the middle of the build for his return match to heat Austin up for Bret…what did Bret think of it?

Were you worried something like this can hurt someone’s career that’s involved in it like Steve?

In the build up to Bret vs. Steve at Survivor Series was there any consideration at all to putting Steve over?

Austin is also getting pretty edgy with his words. Saying ass a lot and so on and so forth. Was this a directive from Vince? Did Steve get any heat about it?

Looking back - was Steve vs. Bret the main event of Survivor Series compared to Shawn vs. Sid?

We just covered it in our archives this legendary match but what we didn’t discuss is right after the match you & Vince seemed to get into a battle of of who’s telling what story. Your story is Bret showed no ring rust while Vince talked about Bret barely beating Steve with ring rust. Was this a legit difference in opinion or did you think it was important to protect Steve and also Bret out there?

The next night on Raw one of the underrated classics of that time frame - Steve Austin vs. Mankind happens. Vader was scheduled originally for the match but got hurt the night before and this is one of the early examples of the WWE main event style that would be to come. Brawling, spending a lot of time outside the ring, etc. Austin gets the win via DQ after Executioner interferes but you should go out of your way to check this out. It had to be a proud moment for you to see these two in the ring together having a banger to open Raw coming off a hot pay-per-view does it not?

Austin interferes in the middle of a Owen vs. Bret match on Raw which starts the seeds of Bulldog and Owen breaking up as well as Owen and Austin aligning against Bret. Was there talk of a Bulldog & Bret against Owen & Austin story?

In Your House: It’s Time takes place and all you see from Austin on the show is interfere in the Davey Boy & Owen tag title defense against fake Razor & fake Diesel and Davey Boy and Austin get into it again. Austin also interferes in the main event and attacks Bret in his World Title match against Sid. Keeping Austin prominent is a focus on creative at this point is it not?

The next night on Raw Vader and Steve Austin open … and I’m noticing a theme in the last two months. Off a pay-per-view Austin is in the opener of Raw. Was that done on purpose? Was he already showing he was a ratings draw?

Bret attacks Austin and puts him in the sharpshooter as this story continues. Austin is also announced as competing in San Antonio at the Royal Rumble. So in just one year’s time Austin comes in as the Ringmaster with Ted DiBiase as his manager and the Million Dollar Champion and closes the year feuding with Bret Hart going into 1997. What a rise is it not Jim?