Stone Cold Steve Austin continues to get praise with each passing year. As more industry veterans and experts weigh in on pro wrestling’s biggest moments and figures, more and more of them gravitate towards Steve Austin as the one that really changed the wrestling business.
To this day, it’s largely seen as a two-horse race between Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan over the most popular/iconic/well-known pro wrestler, at least in the United States.
Austin’s career and biggest moments – both good and bad – have been discussed at length in countless editorials, books, documentaries, network specials, and so on.
That continued once again this week as March 16th marked the unofficial wrestling holiday known as “Austin 3:16 Day”, which commemorates that Steve Austin promo.
To commemorate this momentous wrestling occasion, Mick Foley, another legendary wrestling figure, spoke on Busted Open Radio about Stone Cold and his legacy.
Mick Foley says that there will never be another Stone Cold Steve Austin
At first, Foley zeroed in on the Austin 3:16 promo itself, which is still considered as something special.
“It was one of those things [where] you knew [the promo was a special one] as soon as you heard it. Plus, adding to the legend, not in that it’s not true, but in that it becomes part of the Stone Cold legend, is that he had to get stitched up in between matches.
So you’ve got him hitting this amazing line with the stitches. He just reeked of credibility.”
Then the discussion turned to the wider impact Austin had on the wrestling industry, and Foley had plenty to say on that at as well.
“Steve was one of the last people in my generation to be a territory guy, so he was able to build that up. I don’t know if we’re going to see somebody like Steve again. I really don’t know if you’re going to see someone who changes things that rapidly, that fully.”
h/t Fightful for the transcription