The Steve Austin Show – Hanging Out In The Valley with X-Pac (Sean Waltman) PART 2 – SAS Classic

Released: November 6, 2025 | Host: Steve Austin | Guest: Sean “X-Pac” Waltman

Episode Overview

In this classic episode, Steve Austin sits down with fellow wrestling legend Sean “X-Pac” Waltman for a lively, candid discussion about the evolution of professional wrestling, stories from their time in the business, the changing landscape for athletes, tough road tales (including wild hotel wrestling bouts), and the enduring camaraderie among wrestlers. The conversation is peppered with humor, nostalgia, and real insight into the wrestling world—both past and present.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The State of Pro Wrestling Today & The Indies

• Wrestling Boom & Indie Resurgence
  Waltman describes the current era as the “beginning of a wrestling boom” (00:36), though not identical to the one from their heyday. He believes the excitement is fueled by fans wanting something different from mainstream WWE, likening it to a “punk rock mentality.” (00:36)

  "I think it's at the beginning of a wrestling boom...It's almost like the punk rock mentality. And I think that's kind of fueling that whole indie, you know, pro wrestling like resurgent renaissance." – Sean Waltman (00:36)

• NXT as Refreshing & The Evolving Main Roster
  Austin says NXT is “very refreshing,” and comments on the “hungry cats” coming up through the ranks—the women included. He sees more talent “over now within that system than there was before.” (01:33)

  "...man, that tag match, knock it out of the park. The two women, knock out of the park, Ricochet. That roster, man, that's a bunch of hungry cats really coming up." – Steve Austin (01:33)

• Faster Pace, Shorter Attention Spans
  The hosts agree wrestling has gotten much faster, mirroring other sports. Austin jokes, “Everybody's trying to put ten pounds of shit in a five pound bag.” (02:32)

2. How the Business Has Changed: Then and Now

• Old School Simplicity vs. Modern Athleticism Austin reminisces about the “old days” with slow, story-driven matches and minimal false finishes, contrasting it with today’s athletic displays (03:19–05:44).

  “…Back in the old days you could lay in a headlock or rear chin lock damn near all day…” – Steve Austin (03:19)

• Evolution of the Athlete Both agree today’s wrestlers (especially women) are “way better athletes” than their era. Austin says, “The guys are so much more athletic than I was or Triple H was.” (04:49)

• Source of Talent Waltman asks if the improvement is due to wrestling drawing from other sports. Austin attributes it to “evolution of human beings and the evolution of the business.” (05:37)

3. Rewatching and Learning from Old School Wrestling

• Appreciation for Simpler Storytelling Waltman shares his love for early ‘80s Georgia wrestling for its “real simple” but gripping style. He singles out Buzz Sawyer’s intensity as something that made wrestling look “real.” (06:25–07:53)

• Buzz Sawyer Anecdotes The two reflect on why Sawyer wasn’t a bigger star: “that’s the reliability or personal issues. Well, dude was a little bit out there.” (07:53)

• Commentary on Online Criticism Austin dismisses critics who predict wrestling’s demise because of today’s high-risk style, stating definitively:

  “Business ain’t going nowhere. It's just gonna be whatever it is.” – Steve Austin (08:59)

4. Mentors & Evolving Attitudes: Terry Funk’s Legacy

• Terry Funk as a Role Model, Not a ‘Bitter Old-Timer’
  Waltman strives to emulate Funk’s supportive attitude toward younger wrestlers:

  "I'd like to be more like Terry Funk than the old bitter sour grapes, this shit nowadays guy." – Sean Waltman (09:51)

• Moonsault Stories & Wrestling Innovation They discuss the shift Funk made into “death matches” in his 50s and the innovation of moves like the moonsault. Waltman credits The Great Muta as the first he saw do it in the U.S. (11:16).

• Austin’s Fake Moonsault Tale Austin jokes about doing a moonsault from the top of a cage in MSG, only to admit: “No, I’m lying.” (11:43)

  "You did?" – Waltman
  “No, I'm lying.” – Austin (11:41–11:45)

• Color Commentary Moments Austin describes how awe-inspiring it was watching Benoit and Kurt Angle work up close while on commentary. (12:19)

5. Giving Respect Where It’s Due

• Realizing a Peer’s Greatness Austin and Waltman talk about how competitive top wrestlers can be and the moment you truly appreciate someone’s skill after facing them yourself. Austin’s example: Shawn Michaels, who was far more than “just a spot guy.” (13:54–15:12)

  “This ain't just a high spot guy. This guy is awesome in every single facet. Of the game. From timing to lock up to psychology, execution, selling fire, whatever it needed to be, the dude had that plus 100% more.” – Steve Austin (14:38)

• Ric Flair's Greatness Waltman and Austin both recall working with Ric Flair and realizing why he’s considered the greatest. (15:18–16:38)

  "Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, he's the greatest. And then you go, okay, now I know why he's the greatest." – Sean Waltman (15:18)

6. Tales from Japan – Wrestling Abroad

• First Tours and Culture Shock
  Waltman recalls his early-’90s Japan tours: “I thought I was way better than I was.” His spectacular style caught attention, but he lacked ring psychology and match structure. (19:25–20:40)

• Austin’s Japan Tour, Working While Injured
  Austin recounts tearing his tricep early in a tour, but still wrestling nightly—a sign of the era’s toughness. (21:18–24:53)

  “Dude, back in the day, when you tore your tricep off your arm, you didn't go home. You wrestled every single night.” – Steve Austin (24:53)

• Never Working ‘Strong Style’
  Both clarify that the idea all Japanese matches are stiff is a misnomer—top guys worked hard, but the real issue was always about fan engagement. (25:19–26:14)

7. International Styles & Mentality

• Comparing Mexico, Japan, and U.S. Mindsets Waltman shares that, in Mexico, it’s “me, me, me” versus the U.S. where they try to make the match and their opponent look good. (27:16–28:08)

• Bruiser Brody Anecdote Austin thanks Blue Meanie (Brian Heffern) for sending him a Brody documentary and recaps infamous stories about Brody’s death, referencing Tony Atlas and Dutch Mantell. (28:08)

8. Getting Paid (or Not) on the Road

• Challenging Payment Scenarios Waltman recalls pro wrestling’s sometimes sketchy, dangerous payment culture, especially in Puerto Rico—insisting on payment before performing and finding stacks of small bills as his pay. (29:17–30:49)

  "I’m not putting my gear on until I get my money." – Sean Waltman (30:27)
  “Billy was there with me. Let's just put it that way.” (30:49)

• Comedic Story: Billy Gunn’s Strength Austin recounts wrestling Billy Gunn, ending up in a crushing side headlock, and using creative wordplay to wriggle out of a promise. (31:29–33:35)

  “Billy can hurt you just by shaking your hand.” – Steve Austin (31:05)

9. Drunken Wrestler Brawls & Road Life

• Drunk Takedown Tournaments Waltman and Austin reminisce about late-night hotel “takedown tournaments” with guys like Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Lex Luger, highlighting the brotherhood and wildness of the road. (34:29–35:21)

  "It was just all just a big drunken mess. And it happened all the time. It was like a bunch of big kids." – Sean Waltman (34:34)

10. Podcasting, YouTube & Favorite Wrestling Video Wormholes

• Waltman’s Podcast & YouTube Channel Waltman plugs his podcasts and new YouTube ventures, aiming to preserve and share old interviews and add new content. (37:09–37:43)

  “All the shows are going to live on there from now on...And there's going to be some other stuff I'm going to be putting on there, too.” (37:43)

• Austin’s YouTube Habits Austin confesses he watches the same wrestling and music videos almost every night, defending his routines to his wife. Favorites include “The Silvers” and old NWA matches. (38:01–39:31)

• 'Wrestling Rabbit Hole' Mystery Science Theater-style Show Waltman mentions a new project where he and Kevin Undergaro commentate on classic, often obscure wrestling clips. (39:29–39:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Wrestling’s Future:

  "Business ain't going nowhere. It's just gonna be whatever it is." – Steve Austin (08:59)

• On Working with Shawn Michaels:

  “This ain't just a high spot guy. This guy is awesome in every single facet. Of the game.” – Steve Austin (14:38)

• On Evolution of Athletes:

  “I think it's the evolution of human beings and the evolution of the business just getting a little bit more, I don't want to say acrobatic, but athletic is probably the best way I could say.” – Steve Austin (05:51)

• On Getting Paid in Puerto Rico:

  "I'm not putting my gear on until I get my money." – Sean Waltman (30:27)

• On Drunken Hotel Wrestling:

  "It was just all just a big drunken mess. And it happened all the time. It was like a bunch of big kids." – Sean Waltman (34:34)

Recommended Timestamps

• State of Wrestling/Indie Boom: 00:36 – 01:33
• Old School Match Format vs. Today: 03:17 – 05:44
• Buzz Sawyer, Old School Realism: 06:25 – 07:53
• On Critics & Evolution: 08:14 – 08:59
• Terry Funk & Death Matches: 09:51 – 11:36
• Shawn Michaels/Wrestling with Greats: 13:31 – 16:38
• Japan Tales & Learning Curve: 19:18 – 24:53
• Getting Paid in Puerto Rico: 29:17 – 30:49
• Billy Gunn Headlock & Drunk Brawls: 31:29 – 35:21
• X-Pac’s YouTube/Podcast Info: 37:09 – 37:43
• Favorite YouTube Viewing: 38:01 – 39:31
• Wrestling Rabbit Hole Project: 39:29 – 39:54

Conclusion

This episode is packed with wrestling wisdom, humor, and the hard-earned perspective that only decades in the ring can provide. From deep dives into wrestling psychology, athlete evolution, international ring differences, and legendary road stories, it’s a must-listen (or must-read summary!) for fans of classic and modern wrestling alike.

Find Sean “X-Pac” Waltman at:

• Podcast: “X-Pac 12360” (Westwood One, AfterBuzz TV, YouTube.com/xpoc)
• YouTube channel for full interviews and new content

Find Steve Austin:

• The Steve Austin Show, Tuesdays @ PodcastOne
• Social: @steveaustinBSR

End of summary. This covers the important segments, personalities, quotes, and timestamps, in the hosts’ voices and with a clear structure for both wrestling aficionados and newcomers to the show.