Steve Austin On Rumors About Heat With WWE, Why He Wasn't At WrestleMania, WWE Micromanagement
Recently on The Steve Austin Show, WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin set out to clarify some of the rumors that he is at odds with WWE. Also, Austin talked about current WWE Superstars being creatively stifled by WWE's micromanagement and concerns over political correctness.
During the podcast, Austin addressed the rumors that he did not appear at WrestleMania because he is on the outs with WWE, as there has been talk that 'The Global Icon And National Treasure' was dissatisfied with his role at WrestleMania 32 and that he does not agree with the presentation of today's product. Austin divulged that he was not in Orlando, Florida over WrestleMania weekend because he was busy selling his ranch in Tilden, Texas.
"In putting the place up for sale, man, you never know when all these things are going start lining up. And from a business standpoint and from a personal standpoint, I had a lot of irons in the fire and they were all heating up as WrestleMania became right down the road and then it happened. So you have all this speculation going on on the internet that, 'oh, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin is done with the WWE,' 'he's no longer a part,' 'his contract expired,' 'he's not satisfied with what's going on,' and just all this malarky, which was total B.S."
Austin said, "so I was frankly too busy taking care of my personal business, and some professional business I'm working on as well, to make it down to WrestleMania 33. But I just wanted to put to rest all these rumors and B.S. that say I'm at odds with WWE, this, that, or whatever. Hell, I was down there, selling my ranch, moving all my stuff."
Although Austin never talked to WWE about being a part of WrestleMania 33, 'The Texas Rattlesnake' was invited to WWE Hall Of Fame, as the office is aware of his affinity for that event over WrestleMania weekend.
"WWE reached out to me and invited me down to WrestleMania 33. They know I love going to the Hall Of Fame and I had some of my close friends going in on this year's induction, but, as it goes, I was having to drive down there, fly down there, to get all my stuff, drive back after just selling the place, getting all of our stuff. Man, I was too busy. I told the person who invited me to go down there, I said, 'hey man, I sure appreciate the invitation, but I've got so many things [going on].'"
Austin went on to say that he is on good terms with WWE and will be with WWE for life.
"I will always be part of the WWE. The WWE will always be a part of my life. Man, I'm in this thing for the rest of my life. That's the relationship I have with the WWE, so there has never been [any] heat, no this, no that, no whatever. I'm at a great place with those guys and I'm thankful for everything they've done for me. I'm sure they're thankful for the things I did for them. And, again, I'm a WWE member for life, so anybody that spreads any of the internet B.S. or rumors, you're hearing it straight from the horse's mouth. You're hearing it from 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. I was down there taking care of personal business. And, anyway, I just wanted to clear that up because that was really chapping my ass and it was really bothering me."
On a prior podcast, Austin touched on the rumors that he is at odds with WWE, saying he simply cannot be at every WrestleMania.
"Jesus Christ, I just can't be at every single WrestleMania. I had a lot of personal stuff going on, and good stuff and professional stuff I was trying to take care of when all that WrestleMania stuff went down. I got an invite from WWE to be there. We never talked about me being a part of the show, just as far as being there for Hall Of Fame, an event that I really enjoy, but all of a sudden all of this because I wasn't there, because I had a busy schedule, there are all these reports that I'm at odds with the company when it couldn't be further from the truth. I'm fine with the company. I had a bunch of s–t I had to take care of, bottom line."
Also during that episode of The Steve Austin Show, Austin spoke with Attitude Era writer Vince Russo, and commented that this generation of WWE Superstars is every bit as passionate as Attitude Era stars, but this era does not enjoy the creative liberty past generations did.
"I can't say that the guys aren't as passionate as we were. I can't say that because I think they are, but, I think, Vince, it's the micromanagement, it was the freedom. I mean, if you go back to the older days and some of the glory days when [Russo was] watching and back at WrestleMania 1 through 3, which you really dug, those guys kind of had their marching orders or some direction, but everybody in that locker room was a character and almost everybody in that locker room was over. I think it has to do with the creative freedom."
Austin observed that WWE Superstars today "walk on eggshells" because there are no viable alternatives for work in the professional wrestling industry. Then, 'The Bionic Redneck' continued on his point that micromanagement in WWE has prevented people from getting over.
"I think these guys today in the locker room, I just think that the world? it's the whole world, Vince. Everything is so P.C. and the micromanagement. I think everybody is almost walking on eggshells because WCW is not around anymore. TNA, with all due respect, they're still around, but nobody wants to work there if you don't have to. The other promotions, I don't need to name it. WWE is the big leagues and the micromanagement, I think the micromanagement has got the ceiling keeping a lot of people from getting over.
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Source: The Steve Austin Show