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âVince McMahon called me aside one time because he was worried about the middle fingers,â explained Austin. âVince was totally onboard with the beer idea. He didnât give a sh-- about the beer. Iâm thirty-something years oldâthere ainât no problem with the drinking age, and itâs a guy just clacking a few beers together after doing a job. There were no headaches or hassles with that, but flipping someone off is flipping someone off, no matter what age you are."ÂÂHe continued: âSo Vince goes, âSteve, when youâre flipping everybody off and using that finger, USA is complaining. Is there another sign that you can use that everybody can do?â And I said, âNo, thereâs not.â I told Vince I was not going to change s---,â said Austin. âVince goes, âWell, OK.â And, of course, the cash register was ringing, we kept flying the middle fingers, and it was what it was."
âWhen I got into the beer business, I wasnât thinking, âI want to get into the beer business âcause I want to get rich selling beer,ââ explained the 51-year-old Austin. âThe same reason I got into wrestling is the same reason with my beer. I got into wrestling because I wanted to be a wrestler, and I got into the beer business because I wanted to make my own beer. Iâm not a brewer, but I was in on the formula and I mixed the first batch, and thatâs how the beer was born. I didnât go into this for a love of money, I got into the beer business out of a love for beer.â
"Thatâs the time they wanted me to do something I didnât want to do with Brock, and I said, âHey man, f--- you,ââ said Austin. âThat blew the beer deal up, so I would have been in the beer business over fifteen years ago had I not walked out of the company that one day. I f----- myself. It was bullsh--, but I could be right there with the bigs, but now Iâm solo. I came up with this on my own as Steve Austin, so Iâm probably more proud of it just for the sake of I created this as Steve Austin and not the character that I played in the WWE ring.â
âSavio Vega was instrumental when I first got to WWF,â recollected Austin. âI really hadnât wrestled any because my right triceps was healing. Iâd had my triceps reattached and worked a couple bulls--- matches in ECW, but those were nothing. To really work a badass match that has high spots and gets some heat is a different story. I started working with Savio. He was from Puerto Rico and could work his ass off. When I first started working with him, Iâd blow up sky-high. I shined him up so good that I blew up, so in the heat Iâd lay in a reverse chin lock. Then, of course, when it was time for the comebackâIâd flip, flop, and fly for him, âcause he was going to make his comeback, too, âcause heâs from Puerto Rico and thatâs just how they operate. Thatâs taking care of yourselfâitâs the correct way to operate."ÂHe continued: âSo man, after about two monthsâwe were probably second, third, or fourth match on the cardâafter I got in shape working with him, sh--, you couldnât follow that match. The main event on the card couldnât follow what Savio and I were doing, so I give credit to Savio Vega for getting my chops up and getting my wind back, and being a badass worker.â
âThe reason I wanted to do a podcast was to stay in touch,â said Austin. âWhen you leave the WWE, as I did in 2003, and youâre seen around the world in 140 countries and 50 different languages, and all of a sudden you lose that, then dude, youâve got nothing. Itâs minuscule when compared to the power of the WWE. The podcast gives me a platform and a voice. Itâs an outlet for me to talk to people, be creative, and engage my audience.â
âYou cannot put Paul Heyman with Roman Reigns,â explained Austin. âPeople would know youâre putting Paul Heyman with him because there is a problem. And I love Paul. Nobody loves Paul more than I do or has more of an appreciation for how he helped me and was an instrumental part of my career.ÂâPaul Heyman works with Brock. The magic works between Brock and Paul because of their dynamic and their chemistry. If you put him with Roman Reigns, people will know that Paul E.âs the band-aid.â
âThere is something about Brock that draws your attention and your pocketbook. If you look at the peak of my drawing years, I wasnât the best looking guy there, I wasnât the most technical wrestler there, I wasnât the best built, I wasnât the most skilled, but I drew the most money. Brock just has that mystique and that charisma. Brock can talk, too. Some of his UFC promos were some of my favorite promos in the UFC. And who else has shoulders that are four feet wide and a waist that is thirty inches around? He looks like a walking action figure.â
âThe Flair-Charlotte segment was really bad,â said Austin, who was critical of the segment on his podcast. âFlair spilled the beans right off, and you didnât even need to have him talk. It was more of an indictment on the creative and the writing, not the talent. That being said, Charlotte is going to be incredible. She already is. The crowd stands up during her entrance, she carries herself like a winner, sheâs money.ÂâThe fact that I pointed out it was a bad promo? It was. To try to say that was chicken salad when it was chicken sh-- would be a disservice. The thing is, it is OK that it happened. It was an important moment, but when you get out there and fall on your face and f--- something up, you learn. I can say it was a bad segment because it was. Iâve been a part of my fair share of bad segments from â90 until 2003. I f----- up a lot of promos, but I learned every time I f----- one up. Iâm just pointing it outâit wouldnât be right if I donât critique it and you have the whole locker room saying how great it was. Â It wasnât great, but Charlotte is a real talented womanâprobably the most talented woman on the rosterâso she can use this to make her stronger.â
âJoe should have been on the roster a year ago,â said Austin. âF---, Iâm the biggest Samoa Joe fan in the world. I was bucking for that guy two or three years ago. What the f---, youâve got a 15-plus year veteran hitting the ropes, going through drills, and putting on matches at NXT? Are you f------ ribbing me? The kid only has so many miles and bumps in his tank. Iâm a huge Samoa Joe fan, give him a run.â
âI think theyâve got to give Kevin Owens a run with the belt,â said Austin. âHeâs a veteran and heâs really clicking on the mic, and the kid is super talented. Give him a f------ run. I donât know why you wouldnât give the guy the opportunity, heâs just too good.â
âThe comments I made about Cody Rhodes were taken completely out of context,â said Austin. All I asked [Pro Wrestling Torchâs] Wade Keller was, âWith the brand split, do you think it was a good time for Cody to walk away?â I know Cody didnât know about the brand split, but had he knownâand known that they were going to need a lot of hands on deckâthey probably would have been willing to do anything at that point.âÂâIâve got respect for Cody Rhodes and I consider him a friend,â said Austin. âI wasnât bad-mouthing him or running him down because he quit. Thereâs nothing more frustrating than when you see talent in yourself and you pitch an idea, and they wonât listen to you. Ultimately, you decide, âF--- it, Iâm going to do this someplace else.â Iâve got respect for the guy. My point was only, had he known about a brand split, do you think he would have walked away? They would have been forced to use him, maybe in the capacity he would have wanted. To bring it up now, out of context, makes me look like Iâm trying to disparage Cody Rhodes when Iâve got nothing but respect for him.â
âChristian and I had each otherâs phone numbers, and weâd just call and f--- around with each other,â said Austin. âHeâs real funny, especially when you get to know him. I just called him on the phone, and it organically came â it was the genesis of the âWhat?â promo. After I hung up, I thought that a really good way to f--- with someone would be to say âWhat?âÂâIf someone tried to give you a bottom line and you kept saying, âWhat?â, then you wouldnât be taking that person too seriously. I had no idea it would blow up. Every time thereâs a Monday Night Raw and there is a âWhat?â chant, people say, âSteve, we love you, but we wish you never would have invented the âWhat?â chant. Itâs real simpleâand Vince was on Raw a few weeks ago and just sped up his cadence and doesnât give them an in"
Click Here to read the full SI.com interview with Steve Austin.
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