Here is how this iconic Stone Cold Steve Austin WWE moment was created.
Over two decades ago, during the Attitude Era, Stone Cold Steve Austin was arguably the biggest name in the pro wrestling industry. An integral part in WWE’s win over WCW in the WCW Monday-Night Wars, The Texas Rattlesnake was once scheduled to face The Rock and Triple H for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series 1999.
An injury sidelined Austin from the match, necessitating his replacement by Big Show, who secured his maiden world title at the event. Recently, during an episode of Chris Jericho’s Talk is Jericho podcast, former WWE writer Tommy Blacha reflected on the angle and revealed what went down.
Austin’s neck injuries necessitated surgery, resulting in alterations to the creative plan. As fans vividly remember, Steve Austin’s car park hit-and-run case, and how Rikishi revealed himself to be the attacker, and how he did it for The Rock.
Recalling the incident, Blacha said,
“We got a call Saturday. ‘Austin hurt his neck.’ It could have been me, it could have been Gewirtz, someone says, ‘How about Austin gets hit by a car.’ Great. Austin gets hit by a car, and we’ll do the show,” he said. “Some stunt man is coming in. I used to work at Joe Louis Arena as a kid, running hot dogs. ‘We should do it down here.’ ‘They’re doing construction. There is a chainlink fence.’ This is what’s great about wrestling.
‘Have them tear all that down.’ There is so much money and relationships with the arenas that you can do anything. The manager of the arena is there, ‘Do whatever the fuck he wants and they’ll pay for it.’ There is a stuntman, and they’re shaving his head. He came from California.
We gotta get this early and then run the tape to the truck to play it like it’s real. ‘We need this long shot.’ This guy is like, ‘I need pads. I can’t do this like this.’ Vince was there, and I said, ‘If you don’t do it, I’m going to get a flannel shirt on and put padding on. I’ll do it.’ Vince goes, ‘It’s settled. He’ll do it!’ ‘Did I just talk myself into getting hit by a car?’ I guess I would do it, I don’t know. The guy did it, and it worked out great.”
H/t Fightful
Recovering from his neck injury, the Hall of Famer returned at Backlash 2000.
Steve Austin Reacts To His 2025 WWE Hall Of Fame Match Induction
Later this month, Steve Austin and Bret Hart will become the first wrestlers to have their match inducted into the 2025 Hall of Fame class. Their WrestleMania 13 bout has been selected as an immortal moment.
During a recent signing with American Icon Autographs, Steve Austin reacted to his 2025 induction.
“Yes and no. I men’s, it was a hell of a match and we knew it at the time, I think it was good that it was in Chicago because Chicago is kind of a stronghold for me but it would’ve worked anywhere with the fact that it happened with Bret The Hitman Hart. There’s a couple behind-the-scenes stories that I don’t want to talk about but it was a hell of a match and it’s cool for people to still remember it damn near 30 years later.
Yeah, it means something to me because if it wasn’t for the fans, I wouldn’t be sitting here. So, the fact that match is relevant and it’s going into 2025 Hall Of Fame for matches and it’s the first match to be inducted, cool.”
In other news: CM Punk has finally revealed his favor.