JIM ROSS: VINCE MCMAHON *FORCED* STEVE AUSTIN OUT!

[@copewithit3916]

Jim Ross felt more like a hero to me than the industry’s top baby faces over the years. What a great man.

[@RG-lr4pk]

Your hero goes mouth to mouth with other men's anuses?

[@LanceHumphries]

His voice on commentary along with the king is part of what made the attitude era so great.

[@budgibson185]

I love JR but he’s being followed by a cemetery of men he helped bury in an early grave

[@46st]

Me Too God Bless Everyone Take Care Kliq

[@briancollins1389]

⁠@@LanceHumphries it wouldn’t have been what it was if it wasn’t for there commentary classic you can’t mimic it or repeat it no one or anything will come close to that the way the fed off each other the voices one hell of an era

[@gsesquire3441]

Just the sheer amount of money that Austin drew for Vince and the company, he should have been gifted his trademarks gladly. Austin is a major part of the reason WWE was able to make enough capital to go public and make even more money. Austins incredible drawing power and merch sales in the 90s totally allowed WWE to go public in the 2000s and make legit billions.

[@emilyanderson9559]

that's why Pro wrestling has always been seen as exploitative, and the performers are essentially Circus bears.

[@geneanthony3421]

At the very least he should have let him use it for non-wrestling related stuff at least. I can understand not wanting him to use it in TNA or something.

[@DominicBenoit]

true but vince don't give a shit. he always looking ahead for the next guy. i believe cena drew more than steve austin. WWE Pay-Per-View Buys (1993-2015) - Wrestlenomics Austin RR 351k, No way out 188k, WM 14 836k, Unforgiven 309k, Over the Edge 211k, King of the Ring 310k, Fully Loaded 329k, Summmerslam 596k, Breakdown 315k, Judgement Day 326k, Survivor Series 477k, Rock Bottom 287k Average 377k Cena New Year's Revolution 2006 345k, RR 585k, WM 22 975k, Backlash 230k, One Night Stand 304k, Summerslam 541k, Unforgiven 307k, Cyber Sunday 228k, Survivor Series 383k, Armageddon 239k New Year's Revolution 2007 225k, RR 525k, No way Out 205k, WM 23 1250k, Backlash 210k, Judgement Day 240k, One Night Stand 188k, Vengeance 255k, Great American Bash 250k, Summerslam 545k Average 401k Ratings: John Cena's 2006 run drew a 3.9 household rating. But the number of TV households that year was 111.4 million which totally changes things. For reference, 1 household rating point represents 1% out of the total TV households which were tuned in for the show . Hence if we calculate how many households were in for raw in 2006, we get (3.90/100)x111,400,000 which is 4,344,600 million households. That is the number for that year.

[@HepCatJack]

@@DominicBenoit 188K in 1998 is worth 230K in 2006. You should adjust for inflation. The WWE that Cena had to work with was built by Austin. Ordinary people started using the Internet in the mid-1990's. There wasn't much in terms of an online presence for the WWF in Austin's days so they could reach fewer people.

[@DominicBenoit]

@@HepCatJack true that. austin built it. john cena def was on top longer. have to give both a salute for there hard work

[@carlday3538]

Austin did deserve to take ownership of his name ... If not for him they wouldn't have got over so much during the early attitude era days.. he is the most popular wrestler of that generation..

[@giles852002]

Yet Stone Cold’s name wasn’t a WWE creation, it was his ex-wife who came up with the name.

[@IblewuponyourfaceIII]

@@giles852002The fact The Rock gets ownership of the name that was given to him by WWE & many catchphrases he didn’t come up with but stole & Steve Austin doesn’t, shows you Steve wasn’t kissing enough ass.

[@thepoeticbutcher3370]

@@IblewuponyourfaceIII….Steve Austin name came from The 6 Million Dollar Man TV show..

[@IblewuponyourfaceIII]

@@thepoeticbutcher3370 “Austin” but his first name is Steve. Stone Cold came from his wife but inspired by him from a cold character he wanted to play.

[@thepoeticbutcher3370]

@@IblewuponyourfaceIII ….whatever🫤

[@MP-in4or]

In the end, none of these corporations care about anyone. They are ALL about the profit margin. Truly pathetic.

[@sowingandreaping7871]

Agreed 100%

[@gorillawhale1046]

Wow a company who's main goal is profit wants too make money😮 shocker🙄 Welcome too the real world where the idea of any business is profit.

[@loserguy1022]

Yeah and bc of ppl who think like you, it will never change. How dare anyone ever expect anything other than corporate greed. People, morals, and what's right be damned. All that ever matters is money, right? Not you, not me or humanity, just money. That's actually the problem with the world now.

[@MP-in4or]

@@loserguy1022 You nailed it. And the bigger and bigger our population gets the less value people have. I cannot stand when I hear people say we should keep making babies. They don't think twice about the consequences. Then you have that idiot liberal Chuck Schumer who says we need to important immigrants and illegal aliens because Americans are just not making enough babies. these people act like we have unlimited resources, food, water, and infrastructure that can handle all this. The pollution, waste, trash, and not to mention how many worthless people there are that live off the tax payers and do nothing all day. These corporations want more people because that means more money for them. Bigger profits. They don't care what the world will look like in 100 years. They will be long dead. So, if they have to destroy the world to make profit, they will do it.

[@gw593]

You don’t become a billionaire by being generous or fair. In your country, America, they praise this type of sociopathic behaviour. You call it, “good business” it’s pathetic. Change your culture and what you care about and you’ll see change above you.

[@SpaceGamblerJR]

The most F-ed up part is Steve Austin came up with the name. As the Story goes Steve Austin was trying to come up with a gimk and his Ex-wife said drink your tea before it gets Stone Cold.

[@jonharrison9222]

Thanks England.

[@jmmypaddy]

Lets be clear, the Steve Austin name was not founded by him, it was a name outside of wrestling first. When who we know in wrestling as Steve Austin got the name, it was when he was wrestling Dallas. He was also against, as it was the name used elsehwere in the mainstream. The Stone Cold name was indeed invented by him, but it's such a commonly told tale that you've really not added anything.

[@SpaceGamblerJR]

@@jmmypaddy ok ill add this. his real name is Steve Williams but because there was already doctor death Steve Williams he could not use it and wasn't trying to inform anyone just reminding. Not everyone is a smart Wrestling mark like yourself.

[@xlixity]

The thing is, he knew when he came up with the "Stone Cold" name that the name would be WWF property. No one knew his run would end up like it did.

[@budgibson185]

There were like 2 Stone Cold’s in the territory days lol

[@Samwelitozoolander]

The fact that they were able to negotiate and keep The Undertaker and The Rock but couldn’t keep Stone Cold is beyond stupidity. Steve is too big for AEW etc and comic book conventions. Sad that they can’t come to some agreement. Anyways Austin is already etched in the Wrestling Mount Rushmore

[@zeromagnum2811]

That was about 2004 when Austin left WWE. Not current. lol

[@jmmypaddy]

@@zeromagnum2811Not much different between TNA of 2004 and AEW really, both hired WWE rejects and Sting, as well as people who don't draw. WWE is a global name, even if most find it rubbish TV, while AEW and TNA at either's peak are known only to wrestling fans. While this original probably got confused of it being these days, the point still stands if you remove AEW from the post and put in TNA.

[@justinS8522]

The man's worth an estimated 30 million, I think he is a bit beyond needing conventions.

[@Prof_Tickles92]

Steve might do AEW if given creative control

[@piccolo5346]

This is why you don't take the jab

[@Whysobluntpal]

Vince, bully? Impossible.

[@OceanbornAngel]

Who would have thought!?

[@antivenom56]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@blaketindle4703]

He just shits on everyone.

[@moaziz23]

@@blaketindle4703Literally.

[@xlixity]

Acting like Austin wasn't a bully in his own right either, lol.

[@MrAdal206]

Austin should have the rights to his name the way the Rock did when he first left for Hollywood.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

The rock didn’t have rights. Early on he was marketed with “the rock” but in doing so WWE got a cut. It was why he eventually stopped using it. Dwayne finally got full rights to the name when he bought into TKO

[@kdizzle901]

@@JohnWilliams-wl9pxhe’s on Howard stern by 2004 promoting Walking Tall that he owned the rights to his name and catch phrases I guess he kissed enough Vince McMahon ass

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

@@kdizzle901 he was still on friendly terms with WWE at the time. Notice how only a few years later he stopped using “the rock” name

[@MrAdal206]

@@JohnWilliams-wl9px The way the rock tells it, he asked Vince to own his name “ROCK” and Vince said yes.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

@@MrAdal206 was that the Joe Rogan podcast, well that’s another of the lies that people caught.

[@texasdarkhorse6227]

This man got his neck broken, both his knees blown out, undercut on a Wrestle-mania match, and he can’t even have the name he made relevant?

[@jamesmiller5331]

Undercut on a Mania match?

[@texasdarkhorse6227]

@@jamesmiller5331 he wanted Hogan but ended up with hall

[@TheLunnyBear]

@@texasdarkhorse6227 I thought he never wanted Hogan?

[@texasdarkhorse6227]

@@TheLunnyBear he said when he (Hogan) came back that thats who he needed to work with at mania. It was no disrespect to hall just for the match he was wanting to have should have been Hogan

[@patrickhamilton6677]

He didn't want hogan. He thought they wouldn't work well together. Him wanting it is a myth

[@AMWHits]

Aah, this all makes sense now lmao. Austin didnt show up because the asking price to be at Wrestlemania wasn't adequate, Stone Cold didn't show up because not only he didnt get the amount of money he wanted to show up for but the fact that he couldn't get the rights to the Stone Cold name and The Rock did as he now owns everything that is The Rock. This had got to piss Stone Cold off alot LOL.

[@macdaddymario]

Rock didn't have his name given to him 20 years ago. Scorpion King was a WWF vehicle. Thus "The Rock" being in the credits. Other films where he was credited as The Rock, WWF/E got a cut of the profits, thus why he dropped the name back in like, 2008 or whatever it was. Rock didn't get his name back until what, 3 months ago? When he bought into the TKO board.

[@kdizzle901]

He’s on the board of TKO! Why do u think he’s the only one who can curse while cutting a promo in Smackdown

[@kdizzle901]

@@macdaddymariothere’s footage of the rock saying he owns his name on Ho2ard Stern in 04

[@rolliemosley]

Vince knew with no WCW he could get away with it. And that's the buttom line. Stuff like that is why I support AEW today.

[@timothythrash1201]

Exactly without a doubt

[@jonathangoldsmith7832]

JR is a national treasure.

[@alwilson3204]

The it's a shame they dug him up.

[@MrJonnyl123]

Vince also just let rocks contract run out in 2005 without even contacting him

[@CraigSmithII]

Well there was a rumor that Triple H didn't want Rock back in 2005 & he also wanted Edge fired because his affair with Lita went public

[@MrJonnyl123]

@@CraigSmithII wouldn’t be suprised. Big nose was always jealous of rock

[@alexsabre1323]

They wanted to ignore the fact that his contract expired, so they don’t resign him straight away, in hopes that rock would fail in Hollywood and come back for a lesser deal.. and how’d that work out for them? Rock indeed succeeded and their plans went out the window lol rock won.

[@MrJonnyl123]

@@alexsabre1323 he could’ve at least contacted rock to say thank you for all he did but just letting it go like that without saying anything is classless. Not suprised rock didn’t come back for 6 years after that

[@catchwreck928]

@@CraigSmithII can u tell me why fans suddenly love triple h and shawn michaels when they literally were the devils of the backstage politicks.

[@ZOMBIE_STOMP]

Stone Cold is the GOAT of pro wrestling

[@WaldoBagelTopper]

When I hear things like this, I always think back to that CM "pipe bomb" promo he did when he said in regard to Vince McMahon "He's a millionaire who SHOULD be a billionaire". (I think this is before Vince passed that Billionaire line) For as much history as Vince McMahon has made, he has equally robbed the world of wrestling history that never came to be. The matches that never happened... and often for stupid petty and almost OCD-like reasons. Vince didn't like it that a guy sneezed or one guy had one bad day. That guy was biting his fingernails and exhibited a sign of weakness, so he's off TV. Just weird child-like shit that doesn't matter whatsoever has kept Vince from making sound business decisions throughout his whole career.

[@revelation20232]

Double-edged sword and you could say the same about anyone. You could say Da Vinci robbed the world of paintings he decided not to do or the ones that went into the trash can. Whatever tendencies and quirks Vince has made him who he is. Change that dynamic and WWE may have never been at all 🤷‍♂️

[@timothythrash1201]

Vince is truly an ego maniac

[@justinp5661]

Austin is still today the most popular guy in WWE.

[@Figfinder]

Wow,I love listening to Jim'. 🙏💯

[@themondoshow]

I bet

[@Figfinder]

@@themondoshow 👑👍💯

[@anthonytippett5997]

I didn’t mind the raw sheriff, but they make a great point. So Vince basically held him back and prevented him from being even bigger than he was.

[@RichWards-Wins]

Stone Cold is the Michael jordan of pro-wrestling.

[@newjerseyballer]

stop it

[@wm6065]

U realize he was only on top for about 4 years. I get injury derailed him but that’s part of it.

[@RichWards-Wins]

@@wm6065 he did more in 4 years than most wrestlers do in 20 years.

[@pandavelli8176]

Hulk Hogan

[@RichWards-Wins]

@@pandavelli8176 hogan is the wilt Chamberlain of pro wrestling.

[@robbiepalmer556]

How they treated Austin when NWO arrived and slowly pushed him out reminded me of their treatment of Bret Hart.

[@newjerseyballer]

@dwaynejones7266also he refused to work with Brock Lesnar.

[@petersonofleo11]

​@dwaynejones7266yep and now The Rock is literally the only guy that has defeated Austin, Hogan and John Cena at Wrestlemania. Hell he is going to have a premier match against Roman Reigns in the future at Wrestlemania. The Rock is also going to be remembered for being a huge part of Wrestlemania 40. Austin could have been too but he refused because they couldn't reach an agreement even when he was the first option over Undertaker.

[@RagingUtai]

​@@newjerseyballer doesn't matter. By the time lesnar arrived, austins best days were behind him. He probably had the best run in the business

[@kp-ig9ex]

@@newjerseyballerhe refused to lose on a raw match, he wanted to at least make it a ppv having austin lose in a pointless match does nothing him and brock agreed

[@VoiceOfTruth8617]

Austin could have easily put over younger talent and it wouldn't have put blemish on his legacy...The rock proved u can put young talent over and still be a huge draw

[@mattb6369]

The "Raw Sheriff" angle may have been meh for Austin, but as soon as he and Lesnar started getting physical leading up to Wrestlemania 20 he kicked ass.

[@michaelcartman1129]

Austin was injured due to his neck when he got dropped on his head in Aug 97. This was before wwf had officially started to even match the nitro ratings and before Austin was officially the champ. 98-99 you could see he was performing injured and in pain. Like most characters without development the characters gets boring but to be injured too was not too good plus to mention that Austin was in a unique spot as he had the responsibility in taking pretty much all the credit in saving the wwf and keeping them in business from 96 onwards. By 99 Austin had taken his hiatus from wwf and got sugery while the rock and triple h took the main spots which they took it to another level in 99 and 2000. The plan was for Austin to return and at mania 2001 turn Austin heel. Everyone involved new there would not be any way back for the chatacter once they did this but they still did it. It did not work, no wonder why we we never got to see a heel cena? By 2002 wwe was really taking the p out of Austin and had him in silly matches etc. In reality the wwe did put the spark out on Austin's fire.

[@BkZ1AnD0nLy]

Just look at the look in his eyes at the end of Vengeance 2001. It was real. He knew Vince was trying to replace him by feeding Jericho to HHH. He should of been the 1st Undisputed Champion. Noone sacrificed more than he did. Family, Friends, Health amongst everything else he gave up. He's the Man and he gave up everything to fo so for The Pro Wrestling Bussiness

[@bassclay100]

vince had a falling out with hogan/bret/hbk/austin/ not bringing the rock back it seems eventually vince is like hey i dont need u anymore!!!! except for cena he turns on all his top guys at some point

[@louio]

John Cena never says no. That's why Mcmahon loves him.

[@knightshousegames]

Don't forget CM Punk and Bray Wyatt It seems like over the decades, all these guys ended up getting a reputation for being "hard to work with" when the only person all of them had in common who was hard to work with was Vince. Cena was just so durable and dependable that he never stopped being useful for Vince until Vince finally got kicked to the curb.

[@piccolo5346]

​@@louioCena has no integrity. He's literally a robot that will sell out and do whatever they ask of him. No wonder he's doing well in Hollywood.

[@shooter86-uw8ce]

Cena was also Vince's wet dream of a WWE Superstar Body Builder Decent Athlete Great Talker Hard Worker Company Man

[@bassclay100]

@@shooter86-uw8ce all true BUT no didnt come out of cenas mouth!!!!!

[@bossbod3163]

It’s crazy he made his own character and his own name ! And they wouldn’t give him the stone cold name

[@NERD-FROM-THE-SOUTH]

My God! Stone cold! Stone cold! The Texas rattlesnake is here!!!

[@sublime90]

stone cold at backlash!!! stone cold at backlash!!!! stone cold at backlash!!!!!

[@RyanRumbles434]

I think Gerald Brisco definitely could give many talent great knowledge and useful tools that he's learned and witnessed over so many years.

[@pulsarstargrave256]

WWE didn't come up with the "Stone Cold" name, Austin's Ex wife, Jeannie did!

[@anthonybeyond]

Correct!

[@louio]

HHH didn't want him around, plus Stone Cold knew things have changed he didn't have much power when he was on top.

[@tg3899]

Maybe he can get ownership of "Fang McFrost".

[@Wolversquall]

What I remember well in clear is when Austin left . The rock prob told by Vince and others trashed him

[@robak2250]

So they give the fucking Rock his name and IP but not Stone Cold who was a bigger draw? Fuck them.

[@yugiblox3274]

Ig that was the point. The stone cold moniker was too big a name to let go sadly

[@VoiceOfTruth8617]

The rock is smarter business wise

[@Sssummerfalll]

The rock wore a dress and is about the most corporate of them all even Cena 😂​@VoiceOfTruth8617

[@robak2250]

@@yugiblox3274 that makes no sense at all.

[@Newtoo10]

It’s simple, it not about what’s right, it’s about leverage. Plus it was TKO who gave Rock his name not Vince.

[@jamiepreston1490]

I thought Austin and his wife came up with Stone Cold. She was talking about his drink at the time. How did Vince take ownership of that?

[@iprodigy6723]

Probably had to sign it away in a contract to use it. Business politic bs because wrestlers are technically independent contractors under a contract. They should have more say with certain things.

[@iyziejane]

Steve should become a spokesman for Coldstone Creamery, just to mess with them. "Coldstone Steve Austin here"

[@toxicscarecrow982]

I never knew that role in universal soldier was supposed to go to austin instead of Goldberg

[@rogerginn2480]

Austin created the “Stone Cold” name, not Vince. Vince just being a greedy asshole who wanted money off the Stone Cold name.

[@Jhoncena22]

Super convenient this Jr opinion has literally never been voiced in the last 20 some years until Vince is gone.

[@chrisf2471]

Where was JR gonna go if he truly spoke him mind in 2002? That’s the negative of a last man standing when all the companies died in 2001

[@tomlebomb]

100% to this, he's kissed his ass for years including at his time at AEW, I raise a Rocks eyebrow when I now see a new vid of JR criticizing Vince every week now hes stood down.

[@Steaksauce1985]

Stfu, your boy cena is still kissing vinces ass 😂

[@apocolypse11]

Snake gonna snake

[@jcrowellz2000]

The rights to the Stone Cold name and character. Doesn't Vince pull that with every wrestler that leaves. The talent has to prove in court that they created it and not Vince, and then it's still a difficult battle.

[@idgaffritp]

Damn...so, Stone Cold was supposed to be in "Universal Soldier" and WWE turned it down? WTF?!

[@jwtlucky]

The wcw would have won if it weren’t for stone cold

[@mikebryant614]

Facts!

[@briancollins1389]

Yup

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

wwf prob still wins, that finger poke of doom, put a lot of people away from the product

[@IblewuponyourfaceIII]

Once WCW was over & under Vince’s hands, Vince didn’t need Steve Austin. Vince is a power hungry, egotistical, petty man, he wanted to break Steve Austin & make him afraid of him. Steve used the leverage when there was a great competitor, now that it was over he not any wrestler had any leverage to negotiate with Vince. It’s Power dynamics.

[@gorillawhale1046]

I like how you pulled that out of your ass it's all you marks ever do, it's not like Steve's injuries didn't catch up to him and force him too retire early.

[@MistaMagic52]

Vince took Austin for granted.

[@dariusd3184]

Big thank you Kevin for speaking up on this! As a black man, I love the business and wrestling industry but glad someone is speaking on this.

[@blankblank1921]

John Cena once said that vince owns his name and he allowed it because Vince gave him an opportunity no one else would. Underaker wasn't even allowed to do anything outside the WWe even after retirement at first. I understand Jr can speak on it now that he doesn't work for Vince but remember all he said about Steve during the Austin took his ball and went home ordeal.

[@jmmypaddy]

load of rubbish, the worker produces the revenue, the structure enables the talent. Lets not get indoctrinated by evil business sentiments.

[@Sweeptheleg83]

​​​@@jmmypaddyyeah, i really hate when ppl defend businesses or corporations like they can do no wrong. They can do plenty wrong.

[@iprodigy6723]

​@jbellflower83 you're right they can do plenty wrong. I don't think people are defending business and corporations like that, I think it's more vocalizing the truth of the reality as a fact, even if it means cutting corners and losing moral here and there. Lots of businesses everywhere and corporations have done and do shady dealings to generate money, doesn't make it right but it's reality.

[@eddrupz1805]

Conrad looks like he's about to get a haircut with that barber cape of a shirt.

[@baderx29]

They sound so similar, Conrad is like JR’s lite version 😂

[@nsanelycrazy]

Conrad is like JR without the fat trimmed.

[@kellyfox4368]

Jr you are the greatest of all time and can say the same thing about Austin he changed the wrestling world for the best he made the attitude era great

[@NeCoruption]

Vince would have a fit over sneezing because he couldn't control it.

[@luna-rt4vx]

Easy to say now but when JR was working for the company he went on how Austin was wrong lol. Guess it’s easy to say now when everybody hates vince. im sure if vince was in the company jr wouldnt say this

[@RepGame88]

Well duh he signed JR’s checks .. use your brain

[@hectic105]

You generally don’t sh**talk your employer and do what’s asked of you while you’re working for them. I don’t know why you think that’s a “gotcha!” moment. I also don’t think JR would care even if Vince was still in charge because I don’t think he’s going back to WWE at this point anyways. I mean, MAYBE now that Vince is out. But I still doubt it.

[@RG-lr4pk]

@@RepGame88 True, JR is a prostitute.

[@piccolo5346]

​@@RepGame88then he's a sell out. Call it what it is.

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

@@piccolo5346 so is stone cold then, he has defended vince a bunch

[@user-ol1zk3kv1d]

The name Stone Cold belongs to Steve Austin and thats the bottom line. I don't care what WWE says I don't care what any other human being says I don't care what a piece of paper says Steve Austin is Stone Cold Steve Austin and that is HIS name it belongs to HIM. No matter what anybody says.

[@dave1283]

Jim Ross and Bruce Pritchard both knew what Vince was doing behind the scenes.

[@thedonofthsht76-58]

Vince has no friends

[@andrewrogers5303]

Conrad sucks Ross needs Brian last

[@jmmypaddy]

Conrad creates engagement podcast, with a high level of detail, but constantly pedals lies of wrestling to keep access. The amount of times they claim they didn't know about concusions is astounding. This is where Conrad lets me down constantly and is what harms the wrestling business.

[@wxbake004]

Conrad is in this video? I thought that was Jabba the Hutt?

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

lol Brian Last?

[@jason78981]

rock got his tradrmarks, jesse ventura got his and im sure theres.more so what did they do to get them?

[@knowledgeuntamed9177]

He was hurt!!!! He said 😅😅😅

[@The280TimesTriviaChannel]

Kurt Angle screams to me, to have the potential to be the next great amateur to pro recruiter.. he's literally done it. Pay & Send Kurt Angle out there to find the next generation of stars in his vein.

[@ZakynthosDiamandis]

Does anyone else think it's possible Vince purposely pushed Austin to leave in 2002? Like there's a theory he pushed out Hogan and Savage because he didn’t want to pay the New Gen top stars big money. Could it be the same kinda deal?

[@coleycole5344]

Stopped watching WWF after that WCW Invasion crap. Definitely will NEVER support again. Disrespect your greatest star in Austin, then don't expect to attract any more hardworking talent.

[@hoskins666]

jr still coming up with angles to this day

[@KinnereyB]

Stone Cold is the GOAT by any business metric, he had the name Stone Cold Steve Austin long before “WWE” did, blew out both knees and broke his neck to push his badass persona further by trying to turn a negative to a positive…and he can’t have his name? Without Stone Cold there wouldn’t be an Attitude Era. Conclusion conclusion I’ll quote Khabib - “This is numba one bullshit”

[@TRivera13]

The "Stone Cold" name was created while he worked for WWE. He was "Stunning" Steve Austin in WCW & "Superstar" Steve Austin in ECW.

[@vk99x]

Any idea how much Austin was making every year during this peak years?

[@TRivera13]

Just based on merch sales. A shitload.

[@AzAkh60]

He broke majority of Hogan's records, so must be several millions.

[@notlilsancho]

BAGS my guy 😂

[@Litldman99]

I get both sides but it’s short sided because there was more money to make.

[@RayK236]

He said NO to vince where MANY said Yes BOSS......🧐

[@lintonhardy9035]

Would of loved to see sheriff Austin with Eugene 😂

[@tobyspearen3396]

Pure and simple whether you liked him or not steve saved the WWF i dare anybody to say differently cuz you be lieing if you did

[@luctodd4357]

I thought Steve got his name from his wife, talking about his coffee?

[@TRivera13]

That's true, but Vince trademarked it. So he owned it.

[@mrcold8966]

I personally would put Austin above Hogan.. WWE was in great shape in 83 where as WWE was about as popular as croch rot when Austin came in and he basically picked up the bloated and dying 200 pound St Bernard that was mid 90s WWE, put it on his shoulders turned WWE into what it is today. Hogan was good sure but had WWE been in as bad a shape as it was in 96 could Hogan have saved it, I don't think so personally. Hell, As good as the rock was I don't even think him in his prime could have been as over as as Austin and save the company. the way he did. Austin should have been able to do whatever he wants

[@jonharrison9222]

How many more mixed metaphors can you cram into one post?

[@frankcb11]

@@jonharrison9222lol

[@Bill-tz3wg]

I knew it wouldn't be long before people who never spoke badly of Vince started coming out with the truth. Flair, you're up next bud...

[@thoughtzbytreee]

Didn't he legally change his name because of it

[@CraigSmithII]

Flair ain't gonna speak bad about him because Vince let him borrow some money back in 1991

[@c.s3369]

​@CraigSmithII and also the allegations. Rics probably gonna keep his mouth shut

[@Bill-tz3wg]

@@thoughtzbytreee - No. Flair wanted to be "Ramblin Ricky Rhodes" in his early'70s AWA days but Desty nixxed that idea.

[@Bill-tz3wg]

@@CraigSmithII - True, but that's not gonna stop Ric from talking smack now. To think otherwise would be an indicator that you believe there's honor in professional wrestling. Wait 6 months. If Flair has spoken no trash on Vince come back here and say I was wrong...assuming Flair lives 6 months.

[@Manchild14128]

😮😮😮😮😮 I have to hear this

[@stevesherm260]

Injuries forced Austin out period

[@andrewferrauiolo4618]

Its amazing how wrestlers are independent contractors, have their own llc, but they don't own their wrestling names. Terrible!

[@TRivera13]

Depends. Wrestlers like CM Punk, Christian Cage & Rey Mysterio own their trademarks and license them to whatever company they work for. That's why for so long Vince had to put his "stamp" on things. So that in the case the talent got big it would be profitable in his company.

[@mlc4050]

Leave it to Vince to shit on the proverbial head of Steve's career

[@notlilsancho]

ITS ME AUSTIN

[@gcgc6381]

JR's best years were behind a WWF commentary table.

[@matthewgabbard6415]

That was messed up the way they took Jim’s voice off like that.

[@marcellove2339]

Bottom line is a cooperation doesn’t care about the people that actually make the company move

[@chip.chippa6416]

Austin should of smelt a coup when they made him heel that run was rough. But it was a different time then too. Public trading afforded Vince the ability to not be directly involved with Talent. And I think Vince would of cut his own nuts off if somwone advised him they were detrimental to his companies success.

[@Brndn350Z]

Steve left for the same reason naomi and sasha did years later... but nobody likes to acknowledge this

[@AngryDad.]

No

[@gsesquire3441]

Not the same. Austin legit could draw WWF/WWE a billion dollars over time. In tickets and merch. That makes him the most important talent in wrestling at that time. Sasha and Naomi were not and never will be that level of star. So they do not have the clout and cannot demand the same treatment. This is ridiculous thinking.

[@AngryDad.]

@@gsesquire3441 exactly. Look at Sasha now? Zero drawing power. Austin wasn't a mark for himself, he was correct in his value.

[@TheOuttaPocketVarietyShow]

I love Sasha and Naomi but this is a horrible comparison. Sasha at her hottest wasn't half as important to the wrestling business than Austin was.

[@RicketyKrickett]

Literally no one is gong to a live Wwe event to pay their hard earned money to see Sasha and Naomi. I was 13 in 1999 and sold my bike to get tickets to go see Austin live at Raw. And it was worth every penny

[@ДаниелКаменаров-т4ю]

Stone cold deserves his rights AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE

[@bobbyjohnson9409]

Stone cold died at the end of Wrestlemania 17. Would love to know how it would have been if he didn’t go heel at the end of that Mania

[@joshuacampbell289]

Now we can just blame everything on Vince McMahon.

[@davidtrainor822]

Look I might be wrong maybe no one seen, but in my experience Vince, anyone bad is bad, u just don’t wake up bad, for them all they were making the money, so y speak up, but and think ohh il do this, I’m not a rich man never will be, but if I see bad wrong unfair or unacceptable, il say and have on my job, people seem to say wat they want and u look back at these guys to suit the narrative, no one new so ride the gravy train, the job I’ve done it’s called courage, respect for others, integrity, I guess when u don’t have it (money or fame) u aren’t scared to lose it, u just say it as it is, RMP Provost! And military makes u stand up and be counted even if I’d have found my friend then in the same job or boss do wrong I’d I’ve arrested his ass! When u ain’t got money all u have is ur values!

[@saviorself1164]

Here we go, Tony Khan is gonna throw a bunch of money at him and do nothing with him

[@markussheppard9564]

Stone cold Steve Austin is the goat of pro wrestling

[@notlilsancho]

Without a doubt

[@darylmixan8170]

Stone Cold should have negotiated the rights to his name when he had leverage.

[@BossFinale]

Steve Austin is 59??? Holy crap

[@djack2058]

I never understood why

[@Whoo711]

Oh mah GAWD

[@leonleon2276]

Regardless,austin was pretty much done at that time anyway. Austin’s body wasn’t going to take anymore. And Austin had vince on his podcast and they seem like they was on very good terms. Business is business

[@milessmith2171]

No made Vince Money like Austin and The Rock

[@RAWIsYours]

The Rock is the Tiger Woods of Pro Wrestling #therock #stonecold #wwe #jimross #jimcornette

[@mikryan6567]

That's rich people shite, Steve stone cold Austin

[@arthurmorgan7086]

Let me tell you all somethin. Austin was handed a contract, looked for the little bit in the corner that showed how much money he was gonna be paid and said hell yeah and signed. Not checking small print

[@Jay.Lombardii]

He had to make room for his Son-In-Law’s Reign 🙄

[@djangofett4879]

Van Damme movie with Goldberg... Universal Soldier: The Return? Steve Austin dodged a bullet on that one. That movie was a real stinker. even if you like corny van Damme movies, that one is still pretty much unwatchable. but then again i havent seen any of steve Austin's movies so i dont know... maybe they're just as bad.

[@brianhooks1574]

Damage is a good one

[@didimean]

I only saw The Condemned but remember actually enjoying it. Mindless action flick, but not at all bad.

[@mr.lamont1420]

Contracts.

[@codyatkins4294]

Anyone ever here the conspiracy theory that Vince killed Owen (manipulated the quick release on the harness) because of the botched pile driver on Austin. the next big star, the hole beef with Bret, all the pranks Owen pulled on Vince I mean what if?? :0

[@AmericanGypsy206]

After the Monday night war was over Steve Austin was pretty much done with wrestling at that point. He did not do anything major in the 2000s he was only good during the Monday night war/attitude era of the mid through late 90s

[@georgepapoulias3562]

I enjoy listening to JR and Schiavone's podcast. I used to enjoy listening to Bischoff's podcast when he talked WCW, but now all he does is trash Tony Khan and AEW and I stopped listening to his garbage podcast. Not that I'm a die-hard AEW fan but I just don't like hearing negative babble.

[@ptpptp1]

😅 Stone Cold problem The Rock only OOP that i liked. But he's no Rock. Does anyone else have that deal?

[@astrozoo]

Why doesn't Austin sue for the name? Perhaps he doesn't have a case?

[@TRivera13]

He doesn't have a case. Vince trademarked the name. It doesn't matter who came up with it. That's part of the contract they sign.

[@astrozoo]

@@TRivera13 Exactly. It's a legal contract. Austin was paid well for him time in WWE. Nothing to complain about.

[@TRivera13]

@@astrozoo I think I heard somewhere that when this went down Austin even offered to buy the trademark from Vince. Vince still refused.

[@dancellana6002]

The new horses of today suck