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Vince McMahon’s push for Stone Cold Steve Austin during the mid-’90s was one of the greatest decisions he ever made. However, WWE Hall of Famer Jake “The Snake” Roberts revealed that McMahon initially thought Austin was a mean player at best, and that pissed him off.
Austin’s popularity soared in 1996 when he won the King of the Ring tournament and delivered his famous “Austin 3:16” promotion that changed the landscape of professional wrestling forever. But before all that, Vince had never seen The Texas Rattlesnake as a major star.
In the last episode of Snake pitJake Roberts explained how he told a baffled Vince McMahon to push Austin. McMahon was not a fan of Austin, who was a mid card wrestler at the time.
“After I watched it for a while, I went to Vince and said, ‘Here’s your next star,'” Roberts said. And he said, “Are you kidding?” I don’t see anything else for him but the middle of the card. That’s exactly what he said, mid-card at best. He was ready, equipped, ready, and settled. I’d pay anything to get Steve to do it.” (free Wrestling Inc.)
Jake Roberts added that Steve Austin asked his advice at the time and wanted to learn more about the business from him. Roberts also put Austin in the finals of the 1996 King of the Ring tournament.
“Steve would call me, if not at night, every couple of nights and ask me about this and what about that, what should I have done, what could I have done, different things,” said Roberts. “He wanted to learn, he wanted to know what could get him over the hump and I gave him everything I could.”
Vince McMahon made magic with Stone Cold Steve Austin during the Attitude Era
Vince McMahon’s decision to push Steve Austin helped shape WWE into the world power it is today. Vince’s transformation into the villainous Mr. McMahon as a foil to Stone Cold created one of the greatest extended feuds in wrestling history.
Austin ended up winning the WWE Championship six times and becoming one of the most popular WWE Superstars of all time. He is part of pop culture history and has deserved his place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Stone Cold returned to the ring last year and wrestled for the first time since 2003. He defeated Kevin Owens in the main event on the first night at WrestleMania 38. He even returned on the second night to give Vince McMahon the worst Stone Cold stun ever.
Is Stone Cold Steve Austin the greatest WWE Superstar of all time? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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