“Stone Cold” Steve Austin is without a doubt one of the biggest superstars in the entire history of professional wrestling and sports entertainment. However, if you ask the “Texas Rattlesnake,” he believes that it was 16-time world champion John Cena who is responsible for a “cultural shift” in the industry.
During the Attitude Era, Steve Austin was one of the posterchildren for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and the entire sport of professional wrestling at that. During his time as a wrestler, “Stone Cold” had multiple notable feuds, including with WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon and mega superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Steve Austin Is Raining Down Praise On John Cena
John Cena returned to World Wrestling Entertainment earlier this year, making an appearance at WrestleMania 38. Being interviewed by Complex, Steve Austin spoke about Cena, and said that him wearing sneakers and embracing sneaker culture brought a change within professional wrestling and sports entertainment, applauding Cena for bringing the culture into theirs.
“I think the sneaker culture is cool in wrestling, but for me, a traditional guy who started off as a technical wrestler turned into a brawler, it wouldn’t have fit my style… Of course, [John] Cena comes first in my mind when I’m thinking about sneakers in the wrestling game, and he really went over the top with it… And going into the John Cena thing when he started pumping the things up.
I was like, Cena’s really working for a sneaker deal here because it turned into a thing, and the crowd got behind it, and he’s one of those guys; what a tremendous career he had, and it affected so many people.”
John Cena has been credited by a lot of fans and wrestling journalists for having a heavy impact on the youth, in particular when it comes to his wardrobe, and especially with his footwear. Austin said that Cena changed the culture, saying that after his effect, a lot of wrestlers went from traditional boots to sneakers.