Kevin Sullivan Takes Issue With Creative Shift On WWE Attitude Era Star

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin aligning himself with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 17 is widely considered one of the most unexpected heel turns in pro wrestling history. Austin and McMahon had been at odds for the better part of three years, and the two linking up was an unfathomable idea not just to fans, but even to veteran wrestlers such as Kevin Sullivan.

Reflecting on the infamous moment, Sullivan believes the creative decision backfired on WWE since Austin reverted back to being a babyface within a year of his character turn. Also, Sullivan thinks that Austin appeared uncomfortable doing comedy routines and skits as part of the McMahon-led faction. "I would have never turned 'Stone Cold' heel," Sullivan said on his "Tuesday with The Taskmaster" podcast. "He was playing a little goofy banjo guitar [shakes head]  ... brother, he's Billy the Kid, he ain't Billy the Kid the goat, you know what I mean? I don't like to knock what people do creatively because we see things different, right?" 

"...But you can't make that type of mistake. There's some things you just can't do," Sullivan added. 

Austin himself has previously admitted that the heel turn didn't prove to be as productive as he had hoped, referring to the creative decision as "a bad idea" during his 2014 "Talk is Jericho" appearance. Even Jim Ross felt like the promotion backed itself into a corner by turning Austin, leaving the fans and the rest of the WWE locker room in a confused state.