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rt316
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00:00I was fixing to go out, and Vince asked me, he goes,
00:03Hey Steve, I see Dallas Page down there, and he's doing that diamond cutter sign
00:07that everybody does it with him, because he wasn't a fan of the middle fingers.
00:11He goes, Is there something you could do that everybody could do with you?
00:15Because the middle fingers is kind of edgy.
00:18I looked at him, I didn't even hesitate.
00:20I said, No.
00:21I kept using the middle fingers.
00:23So taking a chance and pushing the envelope just to be different.
00:27But, you know, I think that Kelsey Green does that a lot of times.
00:32She's pretty fearless out there on a creative note.
00:36She'll go for it, and it's done well for her.
00:41You know, sometimes you have to rise above creative, but do creative and.
00:48Yeah.
00:53What is going on, everybody?
00:54Welcome on in.
00:55And it's The Takedown on SI on YouTube.
00:59I'm Zach Haydorn.
01:00It's 316 day, so I'm super excited to be chatting with the man next to me,
01:06Stone Cold Steve Austin.
01:07Steve, what's going on?
01:08Thanks for taking the time to chat, man.
01:11Oh, man, just technology problems, as usual.
01:14Living out here in the middle of nowhere, Nevada.
01:16And all of a sudden, I'm trying to strike up a conversation on this contraption.
01:21So now that I can hear you and I can see you, all is good, man.
01:24Good.
01:25Good to hear.
01:26Good to hear.
01:26I understand.
01:27You know, you talk about technology, but I understand you're building a race car right
01:33now, too, with Kawasaki.
01:35I mean, so, like, you're in it with the technology.
01:38Well, I don't know about that, man.
01:39I got a bunch of good friends on my race team that's helping out.
01:43And we've got a race next week on the 21st.
01:46So literally, it's a little bit over a week away.
01:50And today, we're doing, right after I get through talking to you, I'm heading over to
01:53my buddy's house.
01:54So we're spending all day today on the car, all day tomorrow.
01:58Hopefully, Sunday, we'll be able to go out and start testing.
02:01But just running a new car and the race season, for many people, has already started.
02:06There's a couple races in.
02:07But for the federation that I run in, I'm much like the wrestling territories.
02:11I've run with all my races with the Vora Series, Valley Off-Road Racing Association.
02:16So, man, crunch time is on.
02:19We just got the motor fired up the other day.
02:21We're wiring in the radio, the communication systems, putting on bumpers.
02:26There's a lot of work to do, but I'm very excited about the racing career I found.
02:31And luckily, I've teamed up with some great people to pursue this passion.
02:35So we need all the luck and all the help we can get.
02:38And you're out on your own now, correct?
02:42Yeah, I decided to kind of just do my own thing.
02:45And, you know, kind of just as far as being self-reliant and making sure, you know, all
02:52the T's are crossed, N's are dotted.
02:54And I like doing my own thing anyway and just kind of make the circle a little bit smaller
03:00without so many people involved.
03:02We've got some great sponsors, and we just look forward to making this a good year.
03:06Kawasaki came out with a brand-new car.
03:08It's the Terex 4H2.
03:11It's a supercharged car, 250 horsepower, which is going to be a lot faster than the car I've
03:16raced the previous three seasons.
03:19And it's a lot of excitement.
03:22I mean, getting into racing is kind of like going back and, you know, you learn by repetition.
03:28So you need seat time, and it's just like being in the ring.
03:31You know, when I used to work in the USWA, it was a weekly territory.
03:35So we were in the same towns every single week, and that helped you get your chops up.
03:39Much the same with racing.
03:41Repetition is key.
03:41Wow.
03:43So what – I mean, how much, like, hands-on work did you do on the car?
03:48Like, were you able to help get in there and design, or did you have an idea of what you
03:52wanted before, you know, you went into the shop?
03:55Not really, but just this being my first endeavor.
03:58But I've been running a suspension system from a guy named Ed Teixeira, and he's right
04:04outside of Sacramento, California, Teixeira Tech Suspension.
04:07So I've been on the suspension for a couple of years, and we went down just to – he
04:12was going to build our roll cage, and he started kind of thinking.
04:15He goes, hey, man, do you guys want to do a collaboration?
04:18And I said, what do you mean by that?
04:20He goes, I'll build the entire car.
04:22Wow.
04:22And, man, you know, it's just because of the newness of the car and having to scan everything
04:28into a computer to get all the measurements and all the specifications that, you know, is
04:34needed to build a car, we said, hell yes, we'd love to do something with you.
04:38And I wish you had a picture of the car right here with me.
04:42But he did a phenomenal job, and we got beefed up suspension.
04:46He did the roll cage.
04:48He did everything else.
04:49It's just my other buddy now that we've gotten the car back here where I live in Nevada,
04:53wiring in the radio system, the popper system because you're running an air filtration helmet
04:57because you get behind somebody with all that dust, it's a long process that we've had
05:05to do in a very short time.
05:07And I think Ed did a great job, and it's up to us to finish it.
05:10And we just hope this is a 250-mile race.
05:13Wow.
05:14So, like, without proper time to really go out and pre-run and test the car, we're going
05:20to do our best to be out there this Sunday.
05:22And depending on that, it's going to determine how we run next Saturday.
05:27And if I just got to go 50% and just get the car around the track, you know, for
05:31250 miles,
05:32that's what I'll do and try not to push too hard, break anything because we're entering
05:38a race with a lot of unknowns.
05:40Well, you know, you've never wrecked any vehicles in your day or anything like that.
05:45You know, you never drove anything into big buildings.
05:48So, you know, you're going to put a couple of close calls.
05:54Oh, man.
05:55Well, where can the audience or fans of yours, how do they follow your racing career?
06:02How can they follow you?
06:03Can they watch it on YouTube?
06:05Or is there anything?
06:05Where can they track you?
06:06You know, we're installing the Starlink that's going to run on the roof of my car.
06:12A lot of people live stream while they're racing.
06:15So, prior to the race, I'll send out a link probably on my Instagram account.
06:20And if you just click on the link, if we get our Starlink hooked up, which I'm sure we will,
06:25they'll be able to watch two cameras, what I'm seeing in front of me and should be, you know,
06:30seeing me as well driving.
06:32So, there's two cameras in the car.
06:34We have our Starlink up and running.
06:36I will send out a link prior to the race.
06:38And if they want to log in, they can watch me the entire race.
06:41It's also on racetracks.
06:43It's a device we use up there on the right A-pillar.
06:48Just as far as positioning and where you're at on the track, there's a couple of ways to follow it.
06:53But the easiest way should be the live stream.
06:55And I hope to have that hooked up.
06:57Very cool.
06:58Very cool.
06:58Well, there you go.
07:00Steve, you know, look, it's 316 day, your day.
07:04It's also nearly 30 years since you cut the Austin 316 promo, man.
07:11That's wild.
07:12Like, I mean, how crazy is that given all that's happened since that moment?
07:19And I was down here trying to get this computer all dialed in and I was sitting there thinking to
07:23myself,
07:24I was trying to count back how many years it had been.
07:26And, yeah, it's been a long time.
07:28I mean, almost, you know, three decades and for something to still be a thing.
07:33And, you know, on that night, you know, just because of the events that happened with me getting my lip
07:39busted
07:40and Jake cutting that promo and me kind of really ad-libbing that and coming up with that promo,
07:46it was a make-or-break type thing.
07:48And, you know, because at the end of that promo was also, and that's the bottom line because Stone Cold
07:53said so.
07:54So, it was unplanned and for, you know, I didn't sit there and say, okay, March 16th is now Steve
08:03Austin Day.
08:04Right, right.
08:04This was something that the people did.
08:06So, hey, man, I'm happy to be along for the ride.
08:09And, you know, it's kind of like you can't give yourself your own nickname and make something real cool.
08:14You just get a nickname that was bestowed upon you by your friends.
08:17And so, I didn't declare 316 Day as my day, but it just seems that seems to be the case.
08:23And I'm super proud of that moment and, you know, proud to be talking to you 30 years later
08:31about something I did way back then on a whim.
08:34And if you go back in time, Triple H was supposed to win that event
08:38and ended up because of the things that happened.
08:42Vince said, hey, man, you're going to win King of the Ring.
08:44And I said, all right, no big deal.
08:46And then all of this happened since.
08:48So, it's been a real – it's been a fun ride.
08:51And I don't sit there and dwell on it every day.
08:53But 316 comes around every year, and here we are.
08:57Is that how – I don't know, man.
08:59Is that how, like, the wrestling industry is, like, in terms of, like,
09:06you just got to be ready for your opportunity and take it when it comes?
09:10Because, like you said, it was unplanned and not just the promo,
09:14but the whole situation of you winning unplanned.
09:17And, you know, it happens, though, and the rest is history.
09:21Man, it always seems like – you know, that's a bureaucratic red tape in WCW.
09:26It's kind of held me back a little bit.
09:28But I wasn't really a fully fleshed-out character with the Stunning Steve thing.
09:32And then USWA prior to that, you know, I was learning and traveling down the road
09:36with Dutch Mantell, one of my mentors, who really helped me pick up the psychology
09:40of the business.
09:41But just for some reason, things lined up for me.
09:45And, you know, I think in any walk of life, but we're talking about pro wrestling,
09:49you got to be ready.
09:51You know, any time you can get out there to prove yourself, you have to.
09:56And it wasn't like Vince was designing a concerted push.
10:00Hey, we've got to get Steve Austin over.
10:02Hey, maybe we'll come up with a Stone Cold name or whatever.
10:05It wasn't a case of that.
10:07It was a case of I got into a position, and I took advantage of it when I could.
10:13And it ended up defining my career.
10:17So, you know, to anybody out there still in the business, you know,
10:20always look at the Royal Rumble because it's a chance.
10:23You might not be winning the Royal Rumble, but just going out there
10:27and having a great show might put you on the map.
10:30So anytime you can take advantage of a situation like I did back then,
10:35you must do so.
10:37You mentioned Vince McMahon.
10:39What was his – do you remember what his reaction was to the Austin 316 promo?
10:43Like when you walk backstage, does he got dollar signs in his head at that point?
10:48No, it hadn't hit it.
10:49You know, not that night.
10:50But the next Monday night at Raw, all of a sudden,
10:53there was Austin 316 signs out there in the audience.
10:56So we knew we struck a nerve and got people's brains to spin it.
11:01And it just kind of started building from that moment on.
11:05And, you know, like people – I think I was doing an interview a while back,
11:08and someone said, you know, what was the defining moment
11:11that kind of helped put you on the map?
11:12And I said it was a culmination of just little things that kept happening
11:17that helped me gain traction, you know, as a heel first.
11:22But then I started talking so much trash, and then I became, you know,
11:25I guess entertaining.
11:26And that's when, you know, Brett and I did the match at 13,
11:29which kind of turned me babyface with work to do.
11:32And, you know, things turned out like they did.
11:34Yeah, yeah.
11:36I mean, so, like, how often was it where –
11:39because you struck gold many other times, not just with the Austin 316.
11:45And, like, you know, when you go backstage and Vince McMahon's there,
11:49is it like – do you both – can you both feel it at the same time?
11:53Like, that's money.
11:54That's money right there.
11:55What's money?
11:56Like, what – how in tune is he with that?
11:59How was he in tune with that with you throughout your career?
12:02He was very in tune with it.
12:04You know, I remember when I won the belt at the Boston Fleet Center
12:08against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 14, I believe,
12:11with Mike Tyson, the special guest referee.
12:13Having him there was awesome.
12:15Helped bring a lot of eyeballs, you know, to the product.
12:18And I remember Shawn was pretty beat up that night.
12:21I mean, his back was really bothering him.
12:22He did good to just get in the ring.
12:25And that was a night where, you know, I've had a lot of great matches
12:29with Shawn Michaels in house shows, and that wasn't one of the best ones.
12:34And it was actually kind of a letdown.
12:36So, I remember Vince being right there when I walked backstage,
12:40and I shook my head because I knew it wasn't a great match.
12:43And I said, man, that was kind of rough.
12:45And he looked at me, and he goes, don't worry about that.
12:48It'll all change tomorrow.
12:50And, you know, when Vince says things are going to change,
12:53and he lights a rocket and sends you up, that's what he does.
12:57And that's when it was all hands on deck, and I knew Vince was behind me.
13:00Man.
13:01So, let's talk a little bit more about Vince.
13:04Obviously, a huge rival that you had.
13:08And, you know, what was it like working with him as a talent on a day-to-day basis?
13:12Because, look, this is the boss.
13:13It's not like there's a roadmap to how to do that successfully at that time.
13:18Like, you know, how much did you help him as a performer?
13:22And, like, was it – did you feel added pressure because he was the boss?
13:27No, there was no added pressure.
13:29But, you know, Vince was green.
13:30You know, he didn't ever wrestle before.
13:32Yeah, he started, you know, in the business.
13:34And I remember his dad was having a hard time promoting Banger, Maine.
13:39And, you know, his dad didn't really want him in the business.
13:42And he said, hey, if you could promote Banger and make that a success,
13:45I'll let you in the business.
13:46That's how Vince got in.
13:48And he never was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
13:51And then, of course, one of Vince's ring announcers was trying to get a raise.
13:56And Vince's dad said, hey, you're announcing now.
13:59So Vince started at the ground level and went all the way up.
14:04And so he's seen a lot of pro wrestling matches and been a part of them.
14:10And just as far as, you know, some input creatively or maybe from booking.
14:15But he didn't have reps in the ring.
14:17So he's green as hell.
14:19But for some reason, that guy just had an innate ability to perform.
14:23And he thrived on the reactions of the people.
14:28And because he had such a vast knowledge of seeing some of the greatest heels,
14:32some of the greatest babyfaces or workers in the business perform, I think he drew from that.
14:37And certainly, I think he put in some reps behind the scenes, maybe with somebody there in Stanford.
14:44I don't know.
14:45But he's clumsy.
14:47You know, he's not graceful.
14:49But, you know, I'm not necessarily the most graceful human being in the world either.
14:54But for some reason, you know, the chemistry between us was so strong that whatever obstacles were there,
15:02his greenness or whatever, he really spun up and learned, you know, the patience process,
15:09letting moments build, working the crowd, not pandering to the crowd.
15:13There's a fine line there.
15:14But for some reason, you know, or for a lot of reasons, that guy picked on to the business really
15:21quickly.
15:22And there was never any nervousness about working with him.
15:26I was just always mad that when he came to the ring, he was more jacked up than I was.
15:32He's a – Vince was a gym rat, and he really took care of his body.
15:36And, you know, he ate clean all the time.
15:39That was one of his – and probably still to this day, he does the same thing.
15:42But I would just remember watching him walk to the ring, and he was, you know, obviously older than me.
15:47And I was like, God dang, he sure is in good shape.
15:51I mean, that's hysterical.
15:54I think, you know, Vince, obviously, like, in the ring.
15:58I thought – I always thought with you and him, the clumsiness of Vince worked well
16:03because it's like he's not – you know, he wasn't positioned as a, you know, champion-level pro wrestler.
16:09He's the owner of the company.
16:10So I think it – like, I don't know.
16:12I always thought that it worked better when he's stumbling around
16:16and you're trying to pick him up to punch him in the mouth.
16:18Like, it just seemed like that's how it would be if you were really roughing up your boss.
16:24Well, he was slow and methodical during his heat.
16:27And if you watched him with his chest puffed out –
16:30and some of his mannerisms to me reminded me of maybe he was drawing some inspiration
16:35from superstar Billy Graham who had one of the cutting-edge physiques back in the early days of the business.
16:42He is one of the best bodies.
16:43And I know, you know, Vince interviewed him several times and, you know, worked together with him many times.
16:48I always thought maybe there was some superstar influence as far as his ring presentation.
16:53But his in-ring gear was fitting of being the CEO or owner of the company before we went public.
17:01But it was just a good time, man.
17:03You never knew what to expect out of that guy.
17:05But I remember one time we worked that pyramid over in Memphis, Tennessee,
17:11and we were having that cage match.
17:13And he was resolute on taking that bump off the top of the cage onto that announcer's desk.
17:18And I remember telling him, I said, God dang, man, are you sure you want to do that?
17:21I said, I don't think you need to.
17:23He goes, oh, you know, Steve, it'll be great.
17:26And sure enough, we did the thing, and he took the bump, and it was a hell of a crash
17:30landing.
17:31But, you know, his thirst as a performer to give the fans their money's worth and then some, he would
17:38do anything.
17:39And so I loved working with him.
17:42And you and him just could cut promos together, too.
17:46I mean, he was a good promo.
17:48I think, like, he gave so much time for the audience to react negatively to him that he took his
17:57time with that.
17:58And then you came out there and just, you know, ran with that heat.
18:03Well, it was interesting because it was like a give-or-take type thing or give-and-take type thing.
18:07I would listen to him, and then I'd kind of respond accordingly.
18:09Those weren't really scripted moments.
18:12That was just you guys going at each other.
18:14Now, Vince was very methodical and very planning as far as what he was going to say.
18:18But you have to understand, as the owner of the territory and one of the bookers, if he was booking
18:23with Pat Patterson or somebody else,
18:25always knew where the big picture was going.
18:28And having so much knowledge of the business and being in meetings, the stories were famous of, like, talent going
18:36into Vince and, like, maybe having a problem
18:38or wanting to talk to Vince about getting a push.
18:41And, you know, all of a sudden, you know, you go in there one-on-one with Vince, and all
18:47of a sudden, you go in there with an issue,
18:49and he does this whole cycle thing with you.
18:52And all of a sudden, you shake hands with him, and you walk out the door, and the door closes,
18:56and you're like,
18:58holy, I just got finished.
18:59I walked in there with a problem.
19:01I still got the problem.
19:02But all of a sudden, I'm in there with him, and I agreed that everything was cool, and I didn't
19:06get anything done.
19:07So he's a master of mind games and psychology, and he's super intelligent.
19:13And I think he used all of his skills from, you know, growing up in the business and negotiating with
19:19talent
19:19and, you know, managing so many pieces of talent with, you know, guys that are kind of a little bit
19:26on the edge,
19:26and you're out on the road, and, you know, people have problems, so – and everybody's talking to Vince about
19:31the problem.
19:32So he's kind of a psychiatrist.
19:33He's kind of a psychologist.
19:34He's kind of a motivator.
19:36He's – I think he wore – there was a lot going on underneath a lot of hats.
19:42Yeah, wow.
19:43And, man, as a top guy working with him, or not just in the ring, but just being his top
19:50guy, like, were you able to –
19:54in those meetings, right, were you able to kind of nudge your way a little bit further
19:58than maybe other people could have, you know, and less – like, didn't get Jedi mind tricked as much?
20:05No, no, just because I understand him.
20:09I understood him, and, you know, we were working together.
20:12There was no reason for him to try to deceive me, and I was the top guy.
20:17And if – I was a low-maintenance guy.
20:21I don't require a whole lot of attention.
20:22You know, just tell me what we're doing, and I'm good.
20:25I'm going to make all the house shows.
20:26I'm going to stay early.
20:27I'm going to, you know, stay late.
20:29I'm going to show up early and stay late, and I'm going to be there.
20:32So I'm not – I never was a diva.
20:34You know, sometimes towards the end, an injury might get me,
20:38but I was just a guy that liked to show up on time and mind my business.
20:42If somebody else was getting a push, I was happy for them.
20:46You know, you have to have a strong card.
20:48I was never jealous of anybody.
20:50I was happy, you know, DX, all those people that got so hot.
20:54The Rock, Mankind, Undertaker.
20:56He changed his gimmick into, you know, kind of the biker thing
20:59because he was always, you know, had his hands on the pulse
21:02as far as what he needed to do.
21:04But that whole roster, you know, that we had back in
21:07was basically just a pile of Hall of Famers.
21:10So, you know, I didn't need to get involved with anything.
21:15Vince, once I proved myself to Vince as the guy that I could be,
21:20we were golden.
21:22You talk to – I guess, you know, you do a lot of interviews.
21:26You've talked about The Rock.
21:27You've talked about Bret Hart.
21:29I was listening to an interview that you did earlier this year
21:33with Chris Van Vliet.
21:34And in that interview, you mentioned Dustin Rhodes.
21:38And when I wrote the book, I watched so many Steve Austin
21:45against Dustin Rhodes matches from multiple territories
21:49and multiple companies across decades.
21:53You know, and then even so much as to watch a Steve Austin
21:58against the Gold Dust in a Shotgun Saturday Night match
22:01in that bar environment, which was wild in 1997.
22:05What, like, what made him so good that he still stands out to you today
22:11as, like, one of your best – one of your best opponents?
22:14Like, why such the high praise for him?
22:19Well, I mean, as it almost goes back to –
22:21and Dustin's a little bit younger than me,
22:23and I remember Dustin was already working
22:25when I was going through the Wrestling Academy,
22:26and he'd come in there and have some matches
22:30with the local Dallas talent, and then all of a sudden,
22:33you know, we saw each other down there in WCW,
22:35and they gave him that gimmick, or whoever came up with it,
22:39the natural Dustin Rhodes.
22:41And I think, you know, the easy thing to have done,
22:45well, as far as trying to be somebody,
22:48would be to emulate his father, you know, the son of a plumber,
22:51but nobody's going to emulate, you know, Dusty Rhodes,
22:54so you don't go down that road, but he was second generation,
22:57so the natural.
22:59And the natural came from – it looks like that old Robert Redford movie.
23:02He was just good because he was just damn good,
23:06and that's just the way it is for some people.
23:08The second generation helped him, and he just happened to be a great athlete.
23:14He's a big guy, 6'5", 6'6",
23:17and just could move like a cat for the size that he was,
23:20and he had it up here, he knew as a baby face when he needed to shine,
23:25he had fire, he sold well because, you know,
23:28obviously his father was one of the great sellers of all time
23:30because you've got to draw some emotion from those people,
23:33but I just think he was good because he was damn good.
23:38That was just natural talent there.
23:40And this – I remember when I came into WWF back in the day, you know,
23:45because of our friendship, and we weren't calling each other
23:48and hanging out, but, you know, we started riding together,
23:51and, boy, they had lit up the Goldust character, and he was on fire.
23:55He had a ton of heat.
23:57He was working on top with Shawn Michaels.
23:59I was down there jerking the curtain or midcard,
24:01whatever I was doing with somebody,
24:03and they would go out and close the show
24:05and just have a barn burner, you know, every single night,
24:09and it was easy for Shawn, and Dustin had so much heat
24:13with that Goldust character, and the character was so over the top.
24:17It's just a shame that they, you know, kind of ended that,
24:20but it was just – it was a hell of a time to be there,
24:23and he was a master of that character,
24:25and had they just left him in that role,
24:28it would have been interesting to see where his career would have gone,
24:31but I just always loved the guy, and, you know, we're good friends.
24:35We don't ever talk, but, you know, we just –
24:38we're good friends, and we'll always be good friends,
24:39and he was just a hell of a talent.
24:42Some other names that I kind of wrote down
24:46that maybe you don't get to talk about too much,
24:49but I saw a clip on Instagram the other day,
24:53and it was you, and it was Kurt Angle, it was SummerSlam,
24:56and, man, the spot – you're outside of the ring,
24:59and you are just laying in some punches.
25:02I mean, just tagging them.
25:05What – you know, how was it to work with Kurt Angle,
25:08and that, Matt, specifically, did you guys just say to yourselves,
25:12hey, all right, we're going out there, and we're going to –
25:14we're laying it in hard, because it looked like it.
25:17Man, it was always fun working with Kurt.
25:19You know, it was a gold medal winner.
25:20I remember we was out in Jacksonville, Florida one time,
25:23and this was when, like, Raw had, like, two diesel rigs,
25:28or semi-rigs with the trailers behind them.
25:31These days, you know, there's, like, ten of them,
25:34and everybody has a bus.
25:35We're out there as talents sitting in the parking lot
25:38getting some sun in these chairs, and there's Kurt,
25:42and, you know, I'm sitting there.
25:43I've been watching his matches, and I'm like, man, I love this guy.
25:46He's really picking it up fast,
25:47faster than anybody I'd ever seen pick it up,
25:50and I was like, man, I just wonder what's going to happen with this guy.
25:53And, of course, you know, he's probably one of the –
25:56definitely one of the most talented people I've ever stepped inside the ring
26:00with at an intensity level.
26:04His matches with some of the other, you know, technicians, you know,
26:07like a Chris Benoit or Eddie Guerrero, those type matches,
26:10when those guys had some of his skill set more so than I did, were barn burners.
26:15You know, he's an elite athlete, and he also had an elite mindset
26:21to go along with his physical skills.
26:26And if you're going to work with Kurt, you know, we laid our stuff in,
26:30and, you know, I wanted the same from him.
26:33And sometimes you just got to beat the shit out of each other sometime.
26:36Now, you're working, and you're not trying to hurt anybody,
26:39but you want the presentation to be, you know, reflective of, you know,
26:46where you are.
26:47I mean, if I'd have been Stone Cold Steve Austin and just went out there
26:50and started, you know, working real light, that, you know,
26:53people would have crapped all over it.
26:55And, you know, so we were just of the same mindset to go out there
27:00and put on the best match possible.
27:01And sometimes, you know, we took the physical nature to a high level.
27:05I'll never forget, and I've got to tell a story.
27:08You know, Kurt, Olympic gold medalist, won the gold medal with a broken neck.
27:11We were wrestling in Fresno one time, and it was a house show.
27:14And for some reason, Kurt just blew up.
27:18I mean, it was purple.
27:20And I remember I said, dude, I said, what's wrong with you?
27:23I said, he goes, I can't get my breath.
27:25And to this day, if I text Kurt Angle and I just say, remember Fresno,
27:32and he'll send me an F you back.
27:36One time I told Kurt, I said, hey, Kurt, so if I blew you up in Fresno,
27:40by proxy, that means if I would have went to the 96 Olympics,
27:43I probably would have beat you for that gold medal.
27:46That's kind of an ongoing rib.
27:48And that meant, you know, the programs that I work with Kurt are, you know,
27:53I remember when I was working with Kurt,
27:54I had three broke bones in my back and transverse processes.
27:59So we resorted to a lot of comedy just to preserve me so I could heal up.
28:04and we kind of started doing comedy just so I could stay entertaining
28:07and not be flat and lose momentum.
28:12And literally 90% of the stuff that we did backstage was ad lib,
28:17hey, here's an idea, turn the camera on and let's run with it.
28:21So a blast and a pleasure to work with one of the most underrated,
28:26and everybody knows how good he is,
28:27and he just doesn't get his name mentioned as much as he should.
28:30But the guy was phenomenal.
28:33When I was writing the book, I mean, I did a whole section on your heel turn,
28:37and obviously you've spoken about it, what you would do differently or not do
28:41or do over.
28:42When you watch those Kurt Angle matches, though, I think, you know,
28:47this is my opinion, obviously, but I think during those matches at SummerSlam,
28:52Unforgiven, those two years, or those two months,
28:54you were a heel in those matches, that you guys worked together,
28:59and I think you got the heat that you were looking for in those matches.
29:05Yeah, you know, I just wanted to be – I was like – in the beginning,
29:10I was trying too hard, and it was just too much of a switch
29:13because I was already aggressive.
29:15But I just – I always liked the way – like a Michael P.S. Hayes
29:21or an Adrian Adonis, when they were working as heels,
29:27and, you know, they're shining that baby up,
29:29and, you know, the opponent is getting the best of them,
29:32and then when they – all of a sudden, when the tide turns through a dirty deed
29:36or something, for them to get the heat, they just seemed to switch gears,
29:42and it was very visible, and they just got meaner and nastier
29:46because they were on top, and they could, and maybe they took their time,
29:49and then they did their character.
29:51But I always like that as a heel, when it's time to get, you know,
29:55get yours in just to flip that switch, and it doesn't – it does not mean rush.
30:00It just means of an attitude and nastiness and underhandedness
30:05to, you know, make those people mad and feel for that baby face.
30:09So I think in working with Kurt, because he was such an All-American,
30:14red, white, and blue type figure from winning the gold medal at the Olympics,
30:18he was a guy that I was able to really do that with successfully.
30:23Interesting.
30:24Let me throw another name at you.
30:26Shane McMahon.
30:28That guy knew how to take a beating from Steve Austin, man.
30:32Man, you know, Shane's tough as nails,
30:34and I never got into a match with him where he was using those quick punches
30:39that he did, but I've heard a lot of Undertaker stories
30:43because he would just light people up because I think Shane trained a lot of boxing,
30:48and, you know, if you watch boxers, their punches are very technical and efficient,
30:54and they don't come from way out here.
30:56Like, you know, my punch is if I'm throwing a punch, it's a swinging door right
30:59so row 100 can see it.
31:02Shane was staying close, and I don't think he gauged his distance very good sometimes,
31:10and so he would light a lot of guys up, and I always had fun working with Shane.
31:15He took a lot of pride in doing the things that he did,
31:18and he had an energy and a love for the business that was palpable.
31:25How did his mind for the – because, you know, he's not as close to the business
31:30as Stephanie was or, you know, obviously as Vince was.
31:33I mean, did he – how was his mind different from the other two McMahons that you worked with?
31:38I don't know just as far as difference.
31:41I just know that he was ready to take it to the next level.
31:45I think sometimes you had to rein Shane in because, you know, with some of the bumps.
31:51Yeah.
31:51So maybe in some other aspects to – maybe he just wanted it so bad he was willing
31:58to do anything to get it, and so sometimes that puts you in a state of rushing
32:03or trying to do too many things, but fearless, a born performer,
32:08and very hungry to satisfy the crowd.
32:12Hmm.
32:13Interesting.
32:14All right.
32:15I've got a couple more wrestling questions for you,
32:17but I want to talk a little bit about your beer.
32:19You've been in the beer business now 10 years, right?
32:22You guys – that's a – I just literally read an article here in Chicago
32:27about beer businesses shutting down everywhere, and there you are, 10 years strong.
32:32Man, I started that relationship with El Segundo Brewing Company,
32:36and we started Broken Skull Beer, and myself and Rob Kroc,
32:40the owner of El Segundo Brewing Company, were introduced by my former manager
32:45who went to high school with Rob, and we liked each other right off the bat.
32:50And I described, you know, as we were drinking about 10, 12 beers,
32:54sipping them, not just killing them, and talking about what I was looking for,
32:58you know, in a beer, in a taste, and I had just kind of over a period of a year
33:04and a half – because I drank – I grew up just drinking every cheap light beer
33:09there was, and when I first came upon craft beer, I was like,
33:12hey, that's for snobs.
33:14And I started checking into it, and I was like, hey, man,
33:17this is some interesting beer.
33:19So about a year and a half swing, I really got into IPAs,
33:22so that's the beer that I wanted to create.
33:24Rob came up with the recipe, and then we started going.
33:28And then, you know, not everybody's an IPA drinker, so they wanted a lager,
33:32so we came out with a lager.
33:34And just to kind of go back into my wrestling roots,
33:37every year now we'll do a 316 batch to celebrate 316,
33:42and this year's beer is outstanding.
33:46We work with Perot Farms, which are right outside of Yakima,
33:49some of the most influential hop growers in the United States,
33:52if not the world.
33:54So the beer – people always ask me, hey, man, Steve,
33:57how come your beer is so high?
33:59I'm like, man, we're a mom-and-pop organization,
34:02and we're using the absolute best ingredients you can put in beer.
34:06But I'm so proud of all the beers that we've come out with,
34:10and, you know, I've been, you know, hands-on on every single one
34:13and taste buds in because it's my beer.
34:16So it is a tough time for a lot of craft beer makers,
34:21and there's some that are going by the wayside,
34:23and that's sad to see, but that's just the nature of the beast
34:28and the nature of, you know, the economy and, you know,
34:31what's going on in the world.
34:33So I'm proud to still be here and still be in the business,
34:35and I couldn't be any more proud of the beers that we produce
34:39because they're that damn good.
34:41Funny story about the beer.
34:43I was driving through Wisconsin, and I was in this small, small town,
34:49like, and pulled off the road, was going to make a stop
34:52before getting to my final destination,
34:55and that stop was a liquor store.
34:57I mean, in this town couldn't have had more.
34:59I mean, tiny, tiny town, two stoplights, and I'm in there,
35:03and I'm like, I wonder what kind of beer I'm going to get,
35:05and sure enough, right there, Broken Skull IPA on right smack dab
35:11in the middle of the cooler in this small Wisconsin town.
35:16So you're taking over, man.
35:18Hey, man, if you're in a store in Wisconsin,
35:21yeah, it's a pretty good beer drinking state.
35:23You know, Milwaukee specifically is a town.
35:25I mean, they got some beer drinkers over there.
35:27So, you know, if you can hold up to that local competition
35:30and, you know, make your way in there, that's awesome
35:33because I believe we're in 25 or 28 states,
35:37but that doesn't mean we're in every single store in that state.
35:41It might be one or two, but, you know, we're trying our best.
35:45We work hard, and it's interesting.
35:47You know, I've been in the beer drinking thing my whole life
35:52just because I've always enjoyed beer,
35:53and we incorporated that as to, you know,
35:56in my act as Stone Cold Steve Austin.
35:58But when you get in the beer business, you realize, oh,
36:01now we're selling beer.
36:02And so selling beer is a lot different than just drinking beer.
36:06And it's not like we have a very high advertising budget.
36:10We don't.
36:11And so it's tough, but we're hanging in there,
36:15and we'd like to be here another 10, 20 years.
36:18Awesome.
36:19All right.
36:20Some more wrestling topics here.
36:22You, in some interviews, you mentioned, like,
36:26the importance of, as a pro wrestler, taking chances,
36:31like taking chances on you and how important that is.
36:36What, I guess, what exactly do you mean by that?
36:40And how risky can you be in an environment like WWE where, you know,
36:47it's corporate in nature and, you know,
36:51you've got to stick to the plan as much as you have to create your own way?
37:00Interesting question.
37:01You know, when you, when I first started out, you know,
37:06I'm in the small towns, you know, in that weekly territory,
37:10and you're with veterans.
37:11And some of those veterans have been in there for 10, 15 more years.
37:15And you, you watch those people and you watch how they work and, you know,
37:20how much that crowd respects them.
37:23And, you know, you're an idiot.
37:25When you first joined a business, you just are.
37:28Unless you're, you know,
37:29you're Shawn Michaels and you kind of get it from the, you know,
37:32day one.
37:34But, and when you're starving and you're making 15 and $20 a night,
37:39you realize that you better get good pretty quick and learn how to,
37:43you know, reach people on an emotional level or for some type of level.
37:49So you can start making some money so you can put some food in your mouth.
37:52So as it's highly motivating to do that, but, you know,
37:55sometimes creative doesn't put you in the best situations, you know,
37:59that, that you can be in. So if, you know,
38:02sometimes we'd be out there on Monday night raw and, you know,
38:04or, or anytime that there was a cameras present or when we went off the air,
38:09you know, I'd do a lot of stuff just to, in an ad lib fashion,
38:12to try to let that crowd do something or experiment with the crowd.
38:17But by taking chances, I mean,
38:20go out on a limb when I started flipping people off and you know,
38:25kind of using some of the language I used, obviously I didn't use, you know,
38:30like George Carlin's, you know,
38:32famous words that you can't say on air.
38:34I was using two, three, four that I knew I could get away with.
38:39So I was pushing the envelope and a way that wasn't going to get me red flagged
38:43was yellow flags. You know, I remember when I started doing the, you know,
38:48the metal fingers at the same time down there and WCW Dallas page was doing the
38:54diamond cutter thing.
38:55And I remember I was fixing to go out and Vince asked me, he goes, Hey Steve,
39:00I see Dallas page down there and he's doing that diamond cutter sign that
39:04everybody does it with him.
39:05And cause he wasn't a fan of the metal fingers. He goes, is there something,
39:09you know,
39:09you could do that everybody could do with you? Cause you know,
39:13the middle fingers is kind of edgy.
39:14I looked at him. I didn't even hesitate. I said, no,
39:18I'm using the middle finger.
39:20So taking a chance and pushing the envelope just to be different,
39:24you know, and you know, you, I think that Kelsey green does that a lot of times.
39:29She's pretty fearless out there on a, on a creative note.
39:32Uh, she, she'll, she'll go for it. And, and, and it,
39:35and it's done well for, you know, sometimes you have to rise above creative,
39:41but do creative and yes.
39:46And you've got to pick your spot too. Right. I mean,
39:48you got to kind of know when to play those cards I'm assuming.
39:52Yeah, man. Cause yeah. Every, every single, uh, time is,
39:57is not because sometimes in a match that match is designed or,
40:00or, you know,
40:02more so for the other talent to end up with more of the shine. Uh, so yeah,
40:07sometimes you have to wait on your time, but even in that match there,
40:11there, there, there is a chance to do something.
40:13I was just never as a person coming up.
40:18Sometimes people will take more of a match than other people.
40:21And I was never a taker. I just wanted us, as if I was working with someone,
40:26I wanted us both to shine as a, you know, as, as the match.
40:31And, and, and that mindset, we would both get over.
40:36So sometimes there's percentages you take.
40:38Sometimes there's calculated, you know,
40:40risk just from an attention standpoint you take, but, you know,
40:44I think it's the, it's survival.
40:46And sometimes it's not survival of the fittest.
40:49Sometimes it's survival of the boldest.
40:52Is, is there, um, how do I say, is there,
40:56is there value in a talent that can be somebody that creative counts on to make
41:03sure that you, you know, get over what they want to get over?
41:06Like, how do you walk the line of like,
41:08not being a guy that they just tell, okay,
41:11go do this and we're going to make that person,
41:13but also looking out for yourself too.
41:15Cause I'm, there's a, I'm assuming there's a balance there, right?
41:18Well, I mean, if they're out there looking at,
41:20if they're looking out for you and they've got all the bases covered,
41:23I mean, if you just follow their path, you know,
41:26you can probably get over.
41:28But then again, if their path is, you know,
41:30if their intent is to get you over,
41:32but you have a, an idea that you, that really, you know,
41:37is you believe in, and then you can make a, make a swerve,
41:41but they have to be able to trust you.
41:44Yeah.
41:44You know, cause if you just go out there and lose candidate all the time,
41:48you'll get yanked off pretty quick.
41:50And so that, that, that's,
41:52I kind of navigated that as well as I could.
41:55And once I got a little momentum, you know,
41:58with after coming up with the stone cold Steve Austin thing,
42:00after paying my dues for seven years and those other organizations,
42:04there wasn't, I wasn't going to shoot myself in the foot.
42:07And I was very protective of myself, but also, you know,
42:11I knew I had to ride the rules a little bit,
42:15but go off on my own a little bit as well.
42:19And that's just the nature of the business.
42:22Well, and when you're really successful,
42:23I'm sure it's a lot easier to do that, to do that.
42:27You know, you got to get there.
42:28Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
42:30Okay. Another kind of, it's kind of, I don't know,
42:33maybe a random question, but I,
42:34I do you remember the pop that you got on the night that you're walking
42:40out and you're helping Mick Foley mankind win the world title for the first
42:44time. Goodness gracious. Like loudest pop.
42:49I talked about it in the book.
42:50I've watched it a million times over and it even seems like when you're
42:55walking out that even you were a little surprised at just how loud that
42:59damn pop was.
43:02I wasn't surprised.
43:06But I was very happy. Cause you know,
43:08every time you go out and anybody tells you different,
43:12I think you're full of shit, but anytime you go out, man,
43:16you're that, that crowd response is everything.
43:20So, you know,
43:21it was just a really hot time and you got to understand that moment that,
43:25that, you know,
43:25all of that stuff that was going on in the ring was the,
43:29the setup to me, you know, the glass breaking to me coming down.
43:33So, you know, those guys were out there working first of all,
43:36for that mash and to, to have the greatest match that they could.
43:40And of course the rock and Mick Foley were amazing and everybody else out
43:44there, but that,
43:45that whole thing was built for the championship,
43:48but also from a storyline standpoint for me to come down.
43:52So it was set up for that and it ended up happening because,
43:56you know,
43:56sometimes you can have the setup and then when the trigger happens and the
44:01reaction is,
44:02boy, that's, that's a, that's a, that's a shit feeling.
44:06That'll, that's not, and that'll grant that management will go, Oh,
44:09this guy's not as over as we thought he was.
44:12When you get that kind of reaction, man,
44:14it's just rocket fuel for everybody involved.
44:16And that pop wasn't just good for me.
44:19It was great for everybody.
44:21Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it really is.
44:22It's I, I don't know. I don't, you know,
44:24obviously I don't want to like over dramatize anything, but like, man,
44:28it's such a,
44:29it's such an artful moment. Cause it like,
44:32it captures exactly what you're looking for, right?
44:35You're just looking for that, that story, that reaction.
44:38And bam, man, it all comes together right then.
44:41Man, the commentary was great too. You know,
44:44you know, the commentary means everything and just when,
44:48when things go according to plan, it really is fun.
44:52And those are the moments that everybody always talks about.
44:56Sometimes it turns into cliche moments, not knock it off.
45:00That was a fricking moment.
45:02Yeah. Well, and it also, I mean, it was a moment, but I mean,
45:06good business too. I mean, the, the,
45:09the rock mankind matches that came out of that.
45:11And then of course, obviously the Vince Austin stuff and the Austin rock
45:14stuff. I mean, like it set the table for so much.
45:18It wasn't just a good moment.
45:20Oh yeah, absolutely. Yeah. We're talking about me, but yeah, I mean, those,
45:24and those guys had incredible chemistry and of course, you know,
45:27Mick Foley and I used to travel together and we paid a lot of dues together.
45:31He got in the best before I did, but man,
45:34I loved working with Mick Foley because you know,
45:36you knew every time you went to the ring with Mick, whether he was mankind,
45:40Mick Foley, or what was the other one?
45:43Dude love.
45:43Dude love.
45:44Yeah.
45:45We were tag team champions.
45:47I think you,
45:48you knew that anytime you stepped with any of the three characters that Mick Foley
45:52was,
45:53he was going to give you everything he got.
45:55And he wasn't the most athletic person either,
45:59but he knew how to work.
46:01He knew how to listen to the people.
46:05He was maybe one of the smartest guys in the business.
46:08And of course the rock was a rock.
46:10He had that pizzazz and,
46:12and that,
46:12that X factor tenfold,
46:15but yeah,
46:17everybody gained something out of that.
46:19But yeah,
46:20with due respect to what was going on in the ring,
46:22everybody benefited from it.
46:24Everybody on the sides,
46:25fighting DX.
46:27It was a great moment.
46:29Wow.
46:30Totally wild.
46:31You got it.
46:32You got time for a couple more.
46:33Yeah.
46:34Okay.
46:35You mentioned Chelsea green and it kind of made me make a note of just how,
46:41how are you following the product these days?
46:43Are you able to watch it much?
46:45No,
46:45I don't really follow too much anymore.
46:48I've got a lot going on.
46:49I really don't watch any television at all.
46:52Okay.
46:53When,
46:54when my wife and I are eating dinner,
46:55we'll,
46:55we'll stream something for an hour,
46:58but that's about it.
46:59So I follow WWE.
47:01I follow some of the,
47:02some of the talent on IG and I'll pick up clips and stuff like that.
47:07And I started watching,
47:09uh,
47:10I watched the first season of unreal and I think I'm almost,
47:13uh,
47:14maybe I'm midway through the second season of,
47:16of unreal,
47:17but that's about as close as I am to the business.
47:19What do you think about unreal?
47:22You know,
47:22I thought I was going to hate it because you know,
47:25when you,
47:26when you come from the era that I came from,
47:29especially even previous,
47:31like if you were in a bill Watts territory,
47:32I mean,
47:33it was kayfabe,
47:34man.
47:34I mean,
47:34you didn't smarten up anybody.
47:36You smarten up anybody.
47:37Uh,
47:38you're going to get fired.
47:39If you get in a fight with some guy at a bar and he kicks your ass,
47:42you're going to get fired because you've got to protect the business.
47:45So I thought I was going to hate it from that standpoint,
47:49but I think they give away a lot of information,
47:54but that's what it's for.
47:55Right.
47:55Yeah.
47:57But the talent is so likable.
48:00I mean,
48:01whether they're heels or baby faces,
48:03the talent shines so much.
48:05It's kind of like,
48:05God dang,
48:06man,
48:06he's some good kids.
48:07And so you end up liking it just because the talent is so likable.
48:11But I think the old school of me says,
48:15Hey man,
48:15you can't give away too much because you know,
48:18Houdini or Copperfield or whatever,
48:20I ain't going to show you how he does all his tricks.
48:22So maybe some of that should be kept on the DL,
48:24but that's what it's for.
48:25And I mean,
48:26God dang,
48:26sometimes just,
48:27you know,
48:27that's pretty good show.
48:29Yeah.
48:30I think it's a good show because of the freaking talent on there.
48:34It.
48:35Okay.
48:36Is it,
48:36it's a,
48:37it is a good show.
48:38It's a,
48:38it's a very good show,
48:39entertaining show.
48:40And that's,
48:40you know,
48:40obviously like you said,
48:41that's part of the point.
48:44Is it long-term?
48:46Do you think something like that will,
48:47you know,
48:48hinder talents like heels from being good heels?
48:52If people see them as such nice people on a show like that.
48:56I don't know.
48:57It's funny.
48:58Some,
48:58sometimes you see some of them actors and they have these incredible roles,
49:02but as a human being,
49:03I don't know shit about them.
49:04Right.
49:05Yeah.
49:05And so I just know them from there for the roles.
49:07You know,
49:08I don't know.
49:09The more I kind of know about somebody,
49:12I don't know.
49:12Maybe it takes a little bit of that,
49:14uh,
49:15X factor away or like,
49:17Hey man,
49:17I like that guy so much.
49:18I ain't gonna hit him on TV.
49:20Yeah.
49:20So I,
49:21yeah,
49:21that's a,
49:22that's a tough question.
49:23And I think maybe everybody would have a different answer,
49:27but yeah,
49:28if you like somebody like them,
49:30you know,
49:32but you said then because they're telling you,
49:34Hey,
49:35here's what's up.
49:36You know,
49:36it's kind of like,
49:36you're just,
49:37I think it changes the ride for the audience,
49:40you know,
49:41because when,
49:42when I was doing my thing,
49:44so I can speak to that.
49:45It's like,
49:46Hey man,
49:47you really thought I was that guy.
49:50I wasn't back there just doing interviews and a laughing and joking.
49:54Cause I got a sense of humor,
49:56but back then,
49:58you know,
49:58the,
49:58you didn't think I had a sense of humor.
50:00You believe that I was an ass whipping machine and,
50:03you know,
50:03I like to drink beer and flip people off.
50:06And,
50:06you know,
50:06I cussed a lot.
50:07And,
50:08you know,
50:08if I walked to the ring,
50:09you knew that I was sending out a signal to that guy in a message.
50:13He's about to get his ass whipped.
50:15Now,
50:15if you see me back there,
50:16just laughing and joking with everybody,
50:18you might've give you a different perspective of stone cold,
50:21the character.
50:22So I'm glad I came around when I did.
50:25And I wish him,
50:27you know,
50:27obviously I'm still part of the company.
50:29So I wish nothing but success for,
50:31you know,
50:32everybody,
50:32whether it's the unreal show or I think,
50:35uh,
50:36I hate to see that,
50:37you know,
50:38now it's just almost a television product and they're not so much on the
50:41road anymore.
50:42Make it a living.
50:43Cause man,
50:44that pounding road and town to town was a hell of a life.
50:48Do you,
50:49uh,
50:51do you think that,
50:52you know,
50:53if you were,
50:54I don't know,
50:55it's a,
50:55it's always hard to ask questions.
50:57Like if you were this and if this was that,
50:59but like,
51:01if you're a talent right now in WWE and you're,
51:04you've got a chance to be on unreal,
51:06even though you are a heel,
51:07I mean,
51:07you're not saying no to that.
51:09Right.
51:09Cause that's Netflix and that's a good opportunity for you.
51:12Right.
51:13I mean,
51:13I mean,
51:14I don't know.
51:14It'd be a double-edged sword kind of,
51:17Well,
51:18I mean,
51:18you know,
51:18everybody's cooperated and,
51:20you know,
51:20it's a big picture,
51:21you know,
51:22that's what they want to do.
51:23And,
51:23and that's what,
51:24you know,
51:24you're there as an employee,
51:27you know,
51:27kayfabe is broken.
51:28So,
51:29you know,
51:29it is what it is.
51:30And I think you can try to be,
51:32uh,
51:32protective of yourself,
51:33but you know,
51:35if everybody else is shining and you're holding back,
51:37then you come,
51:38come across,
51:39you come across as dim or not as bright as everybody else.
51:44So you,
51:44you want to be as engaging,
51:46uh,
51:46and it's not a,
51:47it's not a shield.
51:48It's,
51:48it's a,
51:49you got,
51:50you got to be who you are.
51:51Yeah.
51:52Yeah.
51:52And so,
51:53but I always,
51:54I always thought that even though people knew it was a work when I was in the
51:59ring,
51:59a lot of people did business still kind of protected,
52:02but you know,
52:03sometimes you would be out there and,
52:05you know,
52:05they,
52:06they'd be watching the matches,
52:07but,
52:08or they might go home with this or like maybe,
52:11uh,
52:11me watching the match.
52:12I'll say,
52:12man,
52:13you love that show was average,
52:14but when so-and-so and so-and-so was out there,
52:17man,
52:17that shit was real.
52:19So that type of thing,
52:20like real as in,
52:22Hey man,
52:22shit was on,
52:23but not in the fact of shoot real.
52:25You know what I mean?
52:26Yeah.
52:27Yeah.
52:27No,
52:27for sure.
52:27For sure.
52:29Um,
52:30all right.
52:30WrestleMania 38,
52:31you worked with Kevin Owens.
52:32Uh,
52:32you had a big,
52:33you know,
52:34kind of return match main events,
52:36Kevin Owens show.
52:38Um,
52:39and now,
52:39you know,
52:39Kevin Owens sideline with,
52:41with some neck,
52:42some neck injuries.
52:42Have you been able to keep in touch with him at all?
52:45I mean,
52:45you're no,
52:45you're not a stranger to neck injury.
52:47No,
52:48not a stranger.
52:49And,
52:49uh,
52:49man,
52:49I'm doing good.
52:51But,
52:51yeah,
52:52I called,
52:52uh,
52:53Kevin a couple of months ago and,
52:56you know,
52:56I think he's got a great doctor,
52:58uh,
52:58according to him.
52:59And I threw out a name that I'd heard good things about.
53:02Uh,
53:03but I,
53:03yeah,
53:03I care about the guy,
53:05love the guy.
53:06He's a hall of fame talent.
53:08Uh,
53:09don't know how he banged his neck up,
53:10but I mean,
53:11you know,
53:11he took a lot of bumps.
53:12He did a lot of stuff.
53:13I remember meeting,
53:14meeting him in the airport 20,
53:1725 years ago.
53:19And,
53:19you know,
53:19I'd seen him work and that's when I told him and he'll tell you the same story.
53:24I said,
53:24Hey kid,
53:25you don't need to worry about all those fancy moves,
53:27man.
53:27You need to learn how to talk.
53:28And of course he did.
53:30And he's great,
53:31but you know,
53:31it's just,
53:33and so I'm not saying his style hurt his neck.
53:36It's a rough business.
53:38Right.
53:38No matter what style you work,
53:40you're going to take a bump.
53:42And even the most simple bump can be the devastating bump.
53:46Although it looks normal.
53:48That sets off some chain reaction or,
53:51you know,
53:53or,
53:54or is the,
53:55the straw that broke the camel's back,
53:57so to speak.
53:57And there's that injury.
53:59So,
53:59Hey,
53:59injuries happen.
54:00I,
54:01I stay in touch with him a little bit and I wish him nothing but the best.
54:06How hard is it mentally to like be on the sidelines when you're.
54:10Yeah.
54:12Yeah,
54:12man.
54:12Are you watching your buddies go out there?
54:14I,
54:14you know,
54:14I remember when I got my neck fused up,
54:16hell I had to stop watching for a while because I was like,
54:19man,
54:20you know,
54:20and you know,
54:20I wrote,
54:22you know,
54:22there's nothing you can do.
54:23And you're frustrated.
54:24You want to get back out there.
54:26Everybody else is thriving.
54:27Of course you want the business to be great,
54:29but you know,
54:30there,
54:30there is that selfish part of you or that competitive part of you.
54:33It's like,
54:34eh,
54:34you know,
54:35I should be out there and I ain't.
54:37Yeah.
54:37Crazy.
54:38Well,
54:39Steve,
54:39thanks so much for your time.
54:41It is,
54:41it's three 16 day.
54:42You know,
54:43I got to ask Ross in San Antonio,
54:45Texas is any chance that,
54:48you know,
54:48people need to tune in for a special reason,
54:51man.
54:52They should tune in because they,
54:54they love WWE.
54:57I'm out.
54:59I'll be a few days out from that race and the race that I'm talking about
55:03with my racing career.
55:05And we're trying to get that car ready and we're working our asses off.
55:09So yeah,
55:09I'll,
55:10I'll be hunkered down in a garage out here in BFE,
55:13Nevada,
55:14BFE,
55:15Nevada,
55:15trying to get this buggy ready.
55:17Side-by-side utility vehicle to race this grueling 250 mile race with
55:23everybody else that I race with.
55:24So I want to get out there and put a,
55:27put my own show on out there in the desert.
55:30Very good.
55:30Well,
55:30you've got some other appearances coming up WrestleMania weekend.
55:32You'll be at WWE world.
55:35Obviously,
55:36you know,
55:36everybody can get the beer.
55:37I'll put the links to that in a,
55:39in the show notes here,
55:40but Steve,
55:41anything else that,
55:42that you want to plug in terms of the WrestleMania weekend appearances or
55:45anything else you've got going on right now,
55:47aside from the race?
55:48No,
55:48no,
55:48just,
55:49you know,
55:49I appreciate everybody that supported,
55:51you know,
55:52myself and us going to run company on the beer end.
55:55We,
55:55we,
55:56we make great beer and I can say that because I believe it and it's true.
56:00And,
56:00and that's subjective and an objective opinion.
56:03So I appreciate all the support there.
56:05I appreciate everybody that supported me in my whole career,
56:07man.
56:07It's been a hell of a ride and I will be at WrestleMania.
56:11I'll be signing autographs for two days straight and four hours,
56:15you know,
56:15each day.
56:16And man,
56:17there's people from all over the world that came out there and some of them
56:21didn't even go to the show.
56:22They came out there to,
56:23to,
56:23to see me and they're going to the show for by and large for the most part,
56:27but there are some people that really traveled far and wide to come over and
56:30see me.
56:31And I appreciate it very much.
56:32And I'm glad that I could have entertained you.
56:35And hopefully we've got a few more tricks up our sleeves for down the road,
56:39but it's been,
56:40it's been a good run and I'm looking forward to the desert racing and talk to
56:45those people going to WrestleMania safe travels.
56:48I hope they put on a hell of a show.
56:50Well,
56:51very good,
56:51Steve.
56:52Thanks so much for your time.
56:53Appreciate it.
56:53It's always so fun to sit back and talk wrestling with you.
56:58I love watching your career and writing about it.
57:01And thank you so much for your time.
57:03Yeah.
57:04Thank you.
57:04And for mixing it up a little bit and covering a little bit of race and,
57:08and,
57:08you know,
57:08talking about Dustin Rhodes and some things that,
57:11you know,
57:12I I'm just not always sometimes when you do,
57:14when you do these interviews you know,
57:17it's the same old questions over and over.
57:19And I thought we kind of hit some things from different angles.
57:23And I appreciate that because it's hard to be on a loop because if someone
57:27asks the same question,
57:28you know,
57:28the answer is the same.
57:29And those,
57:29some of those answers have been out there for 30 minutes.
57:31So I appreciate you.
57:33Let me talk about wrestling and mixing up some of the questions as you did,
57:37because I hate to blow my own horn all the time,
57:40but I appreciate the fact that you changed up some questions and came at me
57:45with some different angles.
57:46So thanks to you.
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