Steve Takes Your Calls - SAS CLASSIC

Summary

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The Steve Austin Show (SAS CLASSIC): Steve Takes Your Calls

Release Date: May 5, 2026
Location: Broken Skull Challenge Compound, Agua Dulce, CA

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Episode Overview

On this classic call-in episode of The Steve Austin Show, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin welcomes listeners from around the world to share stories, ask questions, and talk wrestling, fitness, and life. Broadcasting from his camper in the sweltering California desert, Steve mixes classic Texas storytelling, shoot wrestling wisdom, and candid life reflections. Fan phone calls trigger memorable anecdotes, wrestling history deep-dives, and honest opinions ranging from diet tips to territory days, legendary ribs, and the lasting impact of icons like Terry Funk. Expect plenty of laughs, tangents, and colorful “Stone Cold” commentary.

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Key Segments and Insights

1. Desert Life & Ant Attack Story

[01:41–15:35]

• Setting the Scene: Steve broadcasts from his camper at the Broken Skull Challenge filming site, dealing with intense heat (even turning off the A/C for audio quality).

  • "I'm sitting in my camper and I am sweating bullets because it's hotter than here. I tell you what, it's summertime." (01:41)

• Cooking Rituals:

  • Describes grilling chicken and salmon each night, using the same rub, and enjoying the peace of sunset: “Just me and my grill.”
  • Remembers Hershey (dog), and gives a heartfelt thank you for a portrait by fan Johnny Seven.

• Fire Ant Attack – Wrestling Spin:

  • While grilling, Steve stands in a fire ant pile and is “whooped” by hundreds of ants; describes the encounter in wrestling terms, as if the ants “played the heel.”
  • Memorable Quote:

    “I'm fighting with a bunch of fire ants. So basically we're in a match. So they're playing the heel, I'm playing the part of the white meat Babyface. And them some bitches... decided to open up a set of heat on Steve Austin.” (04:36)

  • Ingenious “comeback”: uses a piece of chicken as bait, traps ants in a Ziploc, and “thumps” each ant out of his camper:

    “I thumped every one of those cocksuckers in the skull. I don't know if I killed them... but I got my comeback in.” (07:38)

• Three-Second Rule Chicken Dilemma:

  • Drops a chicken breast in the dirt, tries to clean it with questionable camper water, ultimately tosses it to avoid illness while filming:

    “I would rather be safe than sorry... I can't have my reputation tarnished by that kind of story.” (12:11)

  • Delivers a mock “warning” to the ants—insisting any future matches be more respectful.

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2. Listener Calls: Q&A with Steve

a. Dream Opponents & Wrestling Icons

[17:42–21:18]

• Caller: Brennan (Winnipeg) –
  • Asks which wrestler Steve wishes he’d faced.
  • Steve’s Picks:
    • Hulk Hogan: “Everybody thought that match... should have happened.”
    • Bruno Sammartino: “So highly respected.”
    • Ric Flair: Best world champion ever; grateful he did wrestle him.
    • Superstar Billy Graham: “The first Stone Cold Steve Austin."
  • Quotes classic wrestling observations and reflects on missed program potential.

b. The Keto Diet & Training

[21:26–27:55]

• Caller: John (Fresno) –
  • Curious about Steve’s keto experience and training regimen.
  • Steve shares:
    • Keto approach (standard, 3,000–3,500 calories/d, 200–260g protein, fat focus, minimal carbs).
    • Early “keto flu,” transition plan, and the importance of caloric deficit.
    • “No magic bullet—you just got to do the work and watch your numbers.” (26:17)
  • Notes beer abstinence (“Broken Skull IPA”) and amplified alcohol effect on keto.

c. Favorite Match with The Undertaker

[27:58–29:57]

• Caller: Michael (Liverpool, UK) –
  • Most famous is Hell in a Cell (Steve got knocked out, doesn't remember half), but his real favorite? A six-man tag in small town Pennsylvania post-neck injury comeback, moved by Undertaker's concern:

    “The legendary dead man actually cared that I went in there and I could have potentially been hurt.” (28:40)

  • Reinforces strong mutual respect.

d. Stone Cold Podcast, Territory Days & Wrestling’s “True” Era

[29:57–34:33]

• Callers ask:
  • Will Stone Cold Podcast return to WWE Network? “I don’t know... We did 12 and then we stopped.” (30:06)
  • Dream territory: Both Mid South and NWA in the mid-80s:

    "Wrestling was really perceived as being real to myself. I bought in hook, line and sinker because of the believability factor." (31:34)

  • Bill Watts’ rules: Steve relishes tough environments and credits “competitive instinct.”

e. WCW Days, Florida Bar Stories & Brian Pillman

[35:10–40:20]

• Caller: Rick (LA) –
  • Asks about Central Florida WCW tapings, who Steve traveled with, and classic photos.
  • Steve:
    • Hangs with William Regal—“We bonded from that day forward, and we became... best of friends and travel partners.” (35:54)
    • Drinks Guinness at Rover’s Return in Kissimmee, throws darts nightly.
    • Tells a classic Brian Pillman/Van Hammer story—Pillman’s legendary chops and playful backstage spirit.
  • Never considered moving to Florida (“too far south”), preferred LA/Atlanta.

f. Getting Starstruck

[40:20–42:51]

• Caller: Garrett (Minnesota) –
  • Has Steve ever been starstruck?
  • Steve’s answer: Not by celebrities—but by Bunny Martin, world yo-yo champion, in 6th grade:

    “Believe it or not, I still have that damned autograph 45 years later.” (42:32)

g. Ribs (Pranks) in Wrestling

[42:54–46:55]

• Caller: Eric (San Antonio) –
  • Ever been “ribbed” by Vince McMahon?
  • Steve recounts singing the National Anthem with Lillian Garcia on RAW, thrown off by technical issues—a classic live-TV “rib.”
    • “I just been had.” (44:51)
  • Steve’s own ribbing: Never into extremes, preferred “fun stuff” like locking belt loops with padlocks.

h. Writing Another Book

[47:09–49:56]

• Caller: Jonathan (Fresno, CA) –
  • Will Steve write another autobiography?
  • Steve: Doubtful—found the first (with Dennis Brent & Jim Ross) painstaking; did write the forward for Jim Ross’s book.

i. Memories in North Carolina & The Importance of Cardio

[50:00–55:39]

• Caller: Kevin (Greensboro) –
  • Steve reminisces about Greensboro Coliseum/NWA history:

    “One of the all time favorite arenas... Flair kind of put that place on the map.” (50:41)

  • Fitness question—cardio’s importance?
  • Steve: Essential for fat loss and mental well-being.

    “Consistency is the key.” (54:53)

j. On Terry Funk’s Career & Legacy

[55:44–61:51]

• Caller: Eric (Minnesota) –
  • How does Steve view Terry Funk’s legacy?
  • Steve:
    • “One of my favorites... a mean streak in him as a heel and he could talk so much trash... he could wrestle or he could brawl.” (56:28)
    • Praises Terry’s “wildfire” spontaneity, crowd connection, and psychology—a chameleon who thrived with all generations.
    • Shares brief memories of working Terry, and mutual respect as a legend.
    • On Funk’s psychology and hardcore transition:

      “With all the psychology that he brought to the business, it really baffled me when he started doing those matches with Mick [Foley].” (60:42)

    • Credits Terry as “godfather of the extreme style.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On respecting the business:

  “Wrestling was really perceived as being real. I bought in hook, line and sinker because of the believability factor.” (31:34)

• On ribs and wrestling camaraderie:

  “The fun stuff kept everybody honest. You’re out there strung out on the road, beat up, broke down. Who knows if you’re making any money... But life on the road—sometimes when you see it on TV, it looks all glitzy and glamorous, but it can be a real grind.” (46:09)

• On staying humble and putting in the work:

  “No magic bullet. You just got to do the work and watch your numbers.” (26:17)

• On cardio and health:

  "I don't know why I stopped doing cardio, because... it just makes you feel good." (53:53)

• On being starstruck by a yo-yo champion:

  “Bunny Martin is my first autograph that I ever asked for. And I was nervous asking for his damn autograph.” (42:32)

• On Terry Funk:

  “When Terry Funk wrestled, it looked like a shoot... you believed him. He had the believability you can't teach.” (58:17)

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Memorable Listener Interactions

• First-time and long-time callers from Winnipeg, Liverpool, Fresno, LA, Minnesota, San Antonio, Greensboro, and more.
• Range of topics: Dream matches, territory eras, wrestling legends, fitness and nutrition, road stories, pranks, star moments, career advice, favorite arenas, and the evolution of deeply admired icons like Terry Funk.

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Final Thoughts & Recommendations

• Steve encourages listeners to check out Terry Funk/Eddie Gilbert promo (YouTube, May 4, 1993)
• Promotes Broken Skull IPA, new t-shirt designs, and his Amazon store.
• Thanks fans for calling and promises more call-in shows with specific topics soon:

  “I will catch your ass down the road. Thanks for listening to Steve Austin Unleashed.” (64:40)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------|-----------| | Steve’s Camper/Ant Story | 01:41–15:35 | | Brennan (Guitar/Dream Opponent) | 17:42–21:18 | | Keto Diet & Training (John) | 21:26–27:55 | | Undertaker Favorite Match (Michael) | 27:58–29:57 | | Stone Cold Podcast/Old Territories | 29:57–34:33 | | WCW Florida Days/Rick | 35:10–40:20 | | Starstruck Story/Garrett | 40:20–42:51 | | Vince Ribs/Locker Room Pranks (Eric) | 42:54–46:55 | | Writing Another Book (Jonathan) | 47:09–49:56 | | Greensboro Memories/Cardio (Kevin) | 50:00–55:39 | | Terry Funk’s Legacy (Eric) | 55:44–61:51 | | Outro/Video Recommendation | 61:51–End |

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Stone Cold in classic form: honest, unfiltered, and always entertaining—offering listeners both wrestling wisdom and regular-guy relatability, all in his unmistakably direct, Texas-tough style.

Transcript

[Steve Austin]

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[Caller/Guest]

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[Steve Austin]

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[Caller/Guest]

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[Steve Austin]

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[Caller/Guest]

one of the most famous wrestlers of all time.

[Steve Austin]

We're gonna take care of business tonight. And that's the bottom line.

[Caller/Guest]

And now he's dominating the world of on demand audio.

[Steve Austin]

And he's doing it for the working man. This is a damn good outlet for me to spe off my brain. This is the Steve Austin Show.

[Caller/Guest]

Unleash.

[Steve Austin]

All right, everybody. Welcome to Steve Austin show. I am coming to you from the broken skull challenge compound out here in Agua Dulce, California. I am sitting in my camper and I am sweating bullets because it's hotter than here. I tell you what, it's summertime. We're in the desert on a mountain, and a heat wave just blew in. So it's not just hot, it's extra hot. And the reason I'm sitting here sweating bullets is because I got my air conditioner turned down so you don't hear a bunch of blowing and discombobulation in the background. And you can hear my voice. Son of a bitch. Hey, let me tell you about this camper real quick. I sent a picture out on my Instagram account the other day. Steve Austin, bsr. And everybody said, hey, goddamn, that's a nice camper. Badass, Badass. Hey, man. Well, it is a nice camper, but here's the thing. I don't own this thing. The production company is leasing it for me while I'm out here filming. I'm just staying in the motherfucker. It ain't my camper now. No doubt. It is a nice, high quality camper and I am enjoying my stay. I'm cooking all my meals on a grill. I got my Kawasaki mules. It's beautiful outside, nice people, great athletes, filming the toughest show on television, Broken Skull Challenge. It's gonna start airing in September. So, man, I'm in a real good place. But I wasn't in a good place a few goddamn hours ago. I decided just while ago I was gonna take a ride on my Kawasaki mule. I normally do that every single night. I'll take a ride on my mule just to go chill out, relax, and get my head together. When you're out here in the desert yelling at a bunch of people all the time and, you know, instructions and orders and how the challenges go and all that shit, just kind of want to decompress a little bit. Many of you people know I love people, but also I like to be alone. So that's kind of my time to unwind when I ride that mule. Well, I figured, hey, man, this is a good chance to do your open and close of your podcast. Why don't you just stay here at the camper, cook your chicken and your salmon. That's what I eat every single night, every single day. So I said, that's the plan, dude. We'll stay here, we'll get it done. I was wondering what the fuck I was going to talk about on my open. Because all I do out here is work right now and motivate people and yell at them in a good way. So I was like, okay, what to talk about on my podcast came in the kitchen, I got out my chicken breast, four of them, put some chicken rub on them, busted out a piece of salmon from the refrigerator, put some chicken rub on that. Yes. I use the same rub on both foods. And I said, man, I'm gonna take me a 1.5 liter bottle of Trader Joe's water out there and just stand by my grill and watch the sun go down. There's something about the sun going down out here. It's just magical. It's hotter than fuck during the day, but when that sun goes down, it's really magical. It is peaceful. There's no sirens, ain't no helicopters, there's no bullshit. Just me and my grill. It kind of makes me miss Hershey a little bit, because Hershey used to come out here with me when I first started filming us first two seasons. But I got a picture of Hershey right over here to the left side of me. I want to thank old Johnny seven over there in the uk. He drew a picture of Hershey for me and he captured her just perfectly. Her eyes, her nose, her ears and her mouth. The way she held it, I tell you, it's just I can feel her presence in that picture. It's such an accurate drawing. Thank you, Johnny. That's a badass drawing. But anyway, back to the story. So I got Hershey out here in spirit, and I'm putting all the shit on my chicken and my salmon and take my Trader Joe's water. And I'm out there. I got my Traeger grill growing at 350 degrees. I preheated it. I put all the chicken breast and the salmon on there and I'm good to go. I'm sitting there relaxing, taking a swig of my water. You got to drink a lot of water out here when you're in the desert, folks, because it's hotter than blazes. You're very active. If you don't drink a shit pile of water, you'll get dehydrated. So at nighttime I drank a shitload of water. And there I was cooking chicken, salmon, enjoying myself out there in the almost in the woods. We're on a big movie lot. It's a couple hundred acres, big, backed up to the mountains. I'm just minding my own business, ain't bothering nobody. Everything is good in my world. All of a sudden I'm standing there smelling my chicken and my salmon cook, looking at my timer. Okay, it's got more cooking to do. And I got my tennis shoes and my socks on. I just got off work not too far before that. And I think, man, my feet are kind of itching. I said, man, that ain't really like an itch. They kind of really starting to hurt. And I kind of rubbed one ankle against my foot and I did the other one. Should I look down? I'm standing right in the middle of a big ass pile of fire ants and they are fucking whooping my ass. I mean, these some bitches. Okay, here we are. I'm fighting with a bunch of fire ants. So basically we're in a match. So they're playing the heel, I'm playing the part of the white meat. Babyface. And them some bitches. If we're going to have a match, how about shine me up a little bit, maybe we do a little bit of Shane wrestling, maybe a couple of high spots, make me look good. No, these motherfuckers bypassed the shine spot and decided to go ahead and open up a set of heat on Steve Austin. Shit, them things was kicking my ass, stinging the shit out of me. I was selling like Ricky Morton in a sold out house, white meat baby face. And I'm thinking to myself now, you know I'm dumb for standing these damn ants, but I ain't stupid. Stupid would be standing there longer so they can continue to kick my ass. And you know it's one thing if I'm going to bother the ants, if I had intended to bother them that they would sting me. But I'm just standing out there trying to grill my salmon and my chicken ain't trying to bother nobody. I'm sorry ants, if I have invaded your territory, I'm just passing through about a 30 day stay and I will be off and out of your way. But no, these ungrateful sorry motherfuckers don't want to shine me up. They go to work on my feet, my toes, my ankles, they're beating the fuck out of me. I didn't even get a shine spot. So I figured, okay, I yanked off my socks, I yanked off my shoes, I beat my shoes together to get all the damn ants off of them. And I said, well shit, I ain't got no gasoline to put on them. I ain't got no ant spray to put on them. I ain't even got a fly swatter. If I wanted to hit them on the ground, I'm not gonna sit there and beat them with my damn shoes that I just took off. So I'm thinking, what can I do to extract some revenge? What can I do to make some type of comeback? Because they drew first blood. That's what Rambo said. That's what John J. Rambo said. They drew first blood, not me. Well motherfuckers, you drew first blood on Steve Austin and I don't take that too lightly. Motherfuckers go to stinging my feet when I'm just trying to grill some salmon and some chicken. You ain't gonna get away with it. So I said, well shit, I ain't a rocket scientist. How do you whip up a comeback on about 400 ants? I said, I got it, I got it. I'll work up a number six on them. A number six, you ask? What's that? Here's what a number six is. It's a Blazing Saddles reference. If you missed it, I Took a small piece of chicken, I laid it on the ground. Yep, them motherfuckers came swarming as soon as a bunch of them got on it. I put that damn piece of chicken in a Ziploc bag. I came into my camper, I opened the door and I laid on the floor. And those ants were crawling around inside that Ziploc bag. They thought they made out like a bandit with a big ass piece of chicken. Not so fast, motherfucker. I would reach into the Ziploc bag with my thumb and my pointing finger and pull out and one ant at a time, I would sit there, little sorry ass on the camper floor and thump their ass right out of the fucking trailer. Here's the thing, there was probably three or four hundred ants outside on my little chicken bait that I fixed. I probably got about 40, 45 of them. I thumped every one of those cocksuckers in the skull. I don't know if I killed them, if I gave him a concussion or if it just knocked the wind out of them. But I got my comeback in and then I hit the floor and I said, goddammit, motherfuckers, bring it on. Not another single ant stepped up to take my challenge anyway. It's a bullshit story, but it's a true story. They was kicking my ass there for a second. And here's God damn. And the whole coup on this thing is my chicken got ready, my salmon was ready. I got this little thermometer that you stick in the meat. I've never had one in my life. I've seen them, I've seen people that have them. I've seen them on tv. I've always cooked things by eye. So I took my little gauge out there and I stuck that thing in the chicken and the salmon, hell, it was ready. So I started pulling my chicken and my salmon off. And I'll be God damned these tongs. I'm not used to using these tongs yet. And I'll be God damned if I didn't drop a big ass juicy piece of chicken right on dirt right on the ground. I said, motherfucker. I picked it up with the tongs, I put it back on my plate. As soon as I put it on my plate, the some bits fell back off. Two times I dropped that chicken breast. Y' all know the three second rule, four second rule? What's it called when you drop something on your kitchen floor? Do you eat it or do you throw it away? Fuck. I'd already lost a chicken breast previously in the back of the grill. That's what was baiting the ants in that char grill piece of chicken that I dropped about days ago. So I said to myself, as cheap as I am, if you know this podcast, you know I'm a cheap motherfucker. I don't waste no money. So I said, no, you ain't gonna waste another chicken breast. You drop that one in the back of the grill, you lost that. You're not gonna lose one by dropping it on the dirt. You can eat some dirt, you fucking pussy. Just take it in there, clean it off, and you'll be good to go tomorrow. So I gathered up my chicken, I got my salmon, put a bag of spinach in the microwave, and I said, okay, well, how am I going to go about washing this piece of chicken down so it doesn't have any germs, any dirt, any bullshit from all the people that have been out here before me? I'm thinking, well, shit, you know, you could dust it off with a napkin or a paper towel. And I said, that dirt's kind of in there real good. And I figured, well, if you just hold it under the water, just wash it off like a dish. So I turn the water on in the sink and I start washing the chicken breast off of it. Now I'm washing off all my damn chicken rub and all seasons, everything. But I don't want to waste or lose that piece of chicken, so I'm washing that bitch off. Then I start thinking about it. After I got it all cleaned up. I'm thinking I did pretty good. But then I'm thinking, hey, dude, this ain't your trailer. You lease this trailer or the movie company. The production company is leasing his trailer from someone who provides it. You don't know who usually fills this trailer up with the water. Is it potable? I drink drinking water out here. When I'm brushing my teeth, I rinse my mouth out with the water from the trailer, but I don't drink it. Now you're taking something that you was going to eat, washing it, bathing it with your hands, seemingly taking all the dirt from outside off of it when you don't know where the water has been that you're washing it with. So I want you to know that it chipped my ass to have to throw away a damn good chicken breast because I didn't know where the water supply came from. Now I would rather be safe than sorry. I don't know what has come out. Here in the desert of Agua Dulce, on this mountain top where we filmed Broken Skull challenge and shit. Shit or pissed all over the place where I got my camper parked. But I wasn't going to take no chances. And I don't know what the soil is out here. And goddammit, I sound like a damn pussy, not eating a dirty chicken breast, then washing it in my sink. And not wash it, because I washed it in the sink and I don't know where the water came from. Hell, you got to figure, had I ate that piece of chicken tomorrow with that dirt on it, with the water on it, what if I got some kind of crazy stomach cramps or virus and I wouldn't have been able to continue shooting because I've been here shitting like a crippled goose because I ate all that bullshit. I couldn't take that chance, folks. I got to keep filming the toughest show on television out here for cmt. All of a sudden all the damn contestants gonna say, well, where? Where we at? Where's Steve at? I thought we was gonna do some challenges. No, Steve can't work today. He's shitting like a crippled goose because he ate some dirty chicken that he washed in his sink. I can't have my reputation tarnished by that kind of story. It happened to me. I lost a chicken breast, but I ain't gonna get no goddamn stomach cramps from it. And now here's a word. Just here's a quick word to those ants out there. Don't ever fuck with me again. If you want to fuck with me, let's do some chain wrestling. Let's do some shit. Let's entertain the people. Ain't really nobody out here, but let's entertain each other. Let's have a proper match. You don't just jump me from behind and start stinging the shit out of me and working up a set of heat on me. You shine me up, give me a couple of high spots, make me look good, get my shit in, then you get some heat. I'll sell like Ricky Martin in a sold out house. And then I make my comeback. Because when you piss me off, you pissed off the man that used to be the toughest motherfucker in the history of the wwf. And that's something you just don't do. So that is a word of warning to the ants that just whoop my ass. This is Adam Carolla from the Adam Carolla Show.

[Caller/Guest]

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[Steve Austin]

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[Steve Austin]

Unleashed. Unleashed. All right, here we go. Taking your phone calls and starting with. Brennan, mate. Brennan, how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

Good, how are you?

[Steve Austin]

Brennan, what the hell you doing tonight?

[Caller/Guest]

Nothing, Just playing some guitar.

[Steve Austin]

What kind of guitar are you playing over there?

[Caller/Guest]

2012 Gibson SG Standard.

[Steve Austin]

How long you been playing?

[Caller/Guest]

About five, six years.

[Steve Austin]

Who you look up to on the guitar?

[Caller/Guest]

Who's your influence from AC dc?

[Steve Austin]

Oh, man, I said some heavy duty basic stuff. I dig it.

[Caller/Guest]

My absolute favorite guitarist of all time.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, how long you been listening to the show?

[Caller/Guest]

Oh, actually, this is my first time actually officially listening because I could never ever get through.

[Steve Austin]

Well, I'll give you an oh, hell yeah. Hey, what'd you want to talk about tonight?

[Caller/Guest]

I just wanted to know, if you could go back in time and fight someone you've never fought before, who would that be and why?

[Steve Austin]

God dang, man, that's a good question. But right off jump street, if I went back to recent history, I Got to say Hulk Hogan, because one of the biggest draws in the history of the business. Everybody thought that match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan should have happened a couple years back and never did, just for whatever reason. And I didn't feel like stepping back in the ring. And I think Hogan was ready to go, but I wasn't. And so I never got a chance to wrestle that guy. And it would have been fun to be in the ring with him, because I was watching an old match on YouTube between Paul Orndorff and Hulk Hogan, and I watched how Hulk Hogan was down there on that mat and he was just selling his ass off, and Paul Orndorff was just kicking the snot out of him. And then finally, finally, finally, after all this heat, started making that trademark comeback. And this was actually a town in Canada, Brennan. It was in Toronto at a big outdoor arena, I believe, and there was a lot of people there. He started firing up that comeback. The people were going crazy. And, you know, I realized, I said, you know, that guy wasn't born on top. He worked his tail off to get to the top. And so I'd say Hulk Hogan right off Jump Street. And then, man, just because Bruno Sammartino was so highly respected way back in the day, if I could go back in time to throw another guy on the list, it would be a guy like Bruno Sammartino. And I would say, you know, Ric Flair. Ric Flair is my favorite pro wrestler in the history of the business. I think he's the greatest world champion of all time. But I actually wrestled Flair. Now, he wasn't at his prime. I wasn't at my best. So the program could have been outstanding had we been focused on each other and running in a long storyline. But I got a chance to wrestle Ric Flair, so I can't put him on the list, but he's probably the best that ever has done it. And then a guy that I think was about 20 years before his time, Superstar Billy Graham. Now, there was a guy that was kind of. He was really the first Stone Cold Steve Austin, but they didn't see that in him back in the day. And so, you know, Bob Backlin became the champion and, you know, Superstar went on his way. But God dang, there would have been a guy. And probably because of the way things are going, it would have been interesting to see who would have been the heel and who would have been the baby in that match. But those are a couple of guys right off Jump street that I can think of. And when I Say, you know those names. I got to throw Steamboat in there because I had so many great matches with Steamboat, but just to get in there with Steamboat or the likes of like a breath, they hit Manheart one more time, you know, that would be good, but obviously that will never happen. Those guys have, you know, went down their way and I've gone down my road.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, good luck to you and with that guitar playing and stick with it.

[Caller/Guest]

One more thing, Steve.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

Please get. Hell yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, Brennan over at Winnipeg Can. I appreciate you calling the show. His first call I've taken in two years. Oh, hell yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

Thank you, Steve. Thanks so much.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah. Take care, Brennan. I catch you down the road. Oh, yeah. Let's go. Jonathan. Fresno. Hey, John, how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

I'm good, how are you, sir?

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, you want to talk about the keto diet, I hear.

[Caller/Guest]

I do, I do. First of all, it's a, it's a pleasure to speak with you and thank you for the years of entertainment and work you provided wrestling. I met you years ago, like 98 at a local show here. It was a pretty cool thing. Got a picture taken with you. And also thanks to your, your wife, you had mentioned she was a special ed teacher. I have a special needs child. So very cool that she did that. So thank you.

[Steve Austin]

Amen. My wife is a special person and I think her background in training probably one of the biggest reasons we're still married today. So I appreciate you following me all these years. I appreciate you calling in today. What you want to talk about as far as the keto diet.

[Caller/Guest]

So I'm wondering how it's going. Are you doing straight up keto? Are you doing a carb load? You know, where do you stand with that, man?

[Steve Austin]

I'm doing standard keto diet skd. It's not the CKD or the other one. Man, I'm becoming pretty well versed in this stuff. I'm counting macros. I'm probably between 3,000, 3,500 calories a day. I'm usually between 200 and 230 grams of protein a day and usually around 230 to 260 grams of fat per day. My net carbs are always very low. I'll eat a couple servings of spinach or some asparagus or have a small salad at dinner. So, man, I'm heaping in the fats there. The biggest thing about the keto diet for me is such a. It'll mess with your mind because always being an athlete and being used to bodybuilding type Diets. Although I've never been a bodybuilder, I'm used to counting macros as far as proteins and carbohydrates. So this is the first time I'm still looking at the proteins, but they're kind of an after fact. And now as I'm focusing on the fats and, you know, it's a whole different style of eating. I had the crash when I first started the thing, and I kind of got the brain fog, or the keto flu, whatever you want to call it. Then I actually caught the real flu on top of that. But so far it's been pretty effective. I've been doing it for. When I sold my ranch, I was driving back from Texas and I was stopping at a burger joint, Sonic's and stuff like that, and just getting the hamburger patties and throwing the rest of it away so I could. I kind of started flirting with it then and then really have been almost scientific on it for the last month and a half. I started, John, at about 267 or 268. Right now, as I talk to you, I clocked in this morning at 255. It's been very interesting. Once I reach my goal weight, I'll transition back into kind of like, you know, a 33. 33, 33 type diet. This has been real effective, but I don't think I'll stay on it for the rest of my life. But once I get to my desired weight, which I think is going to be 245 to 250, I think 245. And then we'll go from there. I might even go down to 240, but once I hit that, then I'll make a slow adjustment and start bringing carbs back in and doing just kind of a traditional diet at that point. And one of the things, John, that I got away from, and I don't know where you're at with this, but one of the things that I got away from was all my cardio. And when I stopped doing that cardio, along with the hunting season at the Broken Skull ranch, man, everything just kind of started creeping up the scale. And start with the employment of the cardio with the keto and the strategy and lost the water weight, it's been very effective for me. Are you using this type of diet?

[Caller/Guest]

Well, you know, I'm gonna. I'm looking at starting it this week. I had done years ago the old anabolic diet with Mario Di Pasquale, where you, you know, you do the keto during the week and you carb load like Saturday or Sunday. Like you, I mean, you have a, you have a program you're training for. I'm training for a vacation. You know, we're going to the beach in the summer. So that, that's my, that's my project. And so I was going to start the keto tomorrow and start going hardcore for the next six weeks. And my cardio has been good. I've been keeping up with that. But like I was. What are you doing for training now? I mean, are you, are you doing like, you know, as far as your, your workouts, are you incorporating like a fat burning thing in your weight training?

[Steve Austin]

No, man, I'm still trying to build mass on my workouts. Now. I'm probably not going to build mass because I'm at a caloric deficit, but I'm not going super heavy because I had both shoulders rebuilt. So I'm trying, I'm training for a pump. I'm trying to get, you know, eight to 10 reps out of a set. If I get higher than that, you know, I need to add more weight. If I get lower than that, then I need to lighten the bar. So my training is just for a pump. I'm not going to be Mr. Olympia. I've recognized that a long time ago. So I'm just training to stay healthy, keep some blood moving and keep the joints good. Hey, let me say this to you, John, before you jump into the keto diet, here's the thing that I realized when I got into the middle of this and started reading, and I should have known it a long time ago, whether you stick with what you're doing now or you go to the keto, there's no magic bullet. Like, you know, you're either at a caloric deficit or you are not. You're either working out enough or you're not, or your caloric intake is too high or it could in fact be too low, because I think I've been there where my body weight just kind of stalled and I needed to add calories. So the thing about this is if you're traveling, if you're a guy, if you're single, you hate to cook. This thing is easy as hell to follow. Now, on the other hand, you know, I miss my oatmeal a little bit. I don't have sugar cravings, I don't have carb cravings, I don't. Nothing like that. But to me, it's a little bit easier to be able to eat anything you wanted. With respect to Having the carbs as well, but employing that cardio. But there's not a magic bullet. There's a trade off. Whether you go keto or you stay on a regular carb protein diet, you just got to do the work and watch your numbers. Do you follow me?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, I do, absolutely. You gotta miss the Broken Skull IPA though.

[Steve Austin]

I do, I do. I just brought myi just brought my producer Stacy, a six pack of them and the big Bomber bottle. So she's got a bunch of beer that she's gonna be drinking. That's been one of the hard things that I've gotten away from is not being able to drink any beer. So I'll drink a shot or two of whiskey here or there. But if you, if you do keto, you will notice that the effects of alcohol are greatly amplified by. Because you will catch a buzz really, really quick. But hey, man, I appreciate you calling into the show.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, sir, thank you for everything. Appreciate everything you've done. Love the show. Been listening to it from the start, fan for years, you know, Keep it up, man. Good luck.

[Steve Austin]

Take care, John. Good luck. Let's go to Michael in England.

[Caller/Guest]

Hello, Stevie. Okay.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, Michael. What's up, mate?

[Caller/Guest]

I just want to ask you about from Liverpool uk. Just want to see your favorite match with the Undertaker.

[Steve Austin]

My favorite match with the Undertaker. God dang. You know, I had so many with that guy on the road. I had several high profile pay per view matches with him. Probably Hell in the Cell would be one that most people would remember. I got knocked out in that match. I don't remember the second half of that match. It wasn't my best performance because I got flashed. I would say my favorite match with the Undertaker was actually in a small town in Pennsylvania. I had just come back from getting dropped on my head, almost got paralyzed and they started putting me in some matches. After several months of being off, I was in a six man tag match, Undertaker, myself and someone else against three other guys. I can't remember who the other guys were and I wasn't really supposed to go out there and take very many bumps. But due to the excitement of the crowd, all of the Austin316 shirts, I said, man, I got to go out there and take a bump. So I tagged in, ran a high spot, took a couple of bumps and tagged out as the other guy went in the ring. I stepped onto the apron and Undertaker looked at me with that look that only he can give and said beneath his breath, what in the hell do you think you're doing? And it was the fact that the legendary dead man actually cared that I went in there and I could have potentially been hurt. And he showed some compassion for his fellow teammate in the middle of a six man match in a small town is probably Hershey, Pennsylvania. I thought it was awesome and that's one of the reasons I got so much respect for the guy. So I didn't give you the answer you were looking for, but that is my favorite match with the Undertaker, believe it or not. Hey, man, thanks for calling in. I'll catch you down the road. Let's go to Philly. Hey, Steve, what's happening?

[Caller/Guest]

And not much.

[Steve Austin]

What brings you to the telephone line today?

[Caller/Guest]

I wanted to ask you if you know if the Stone Cold podcast will be coming back to WB Network anytime soon.

[Steve Austin]

Man, I don't know. I don't know. That's a good question. We signed up for 12 of those. We did 12 and then we stopped. So, you know, we'll see if talks continue and sign that thing back up or do not. But we fulfilled them and then we stopped.

[Caller/Guest]

Okay.

[Steve Austin]

Did you enjoy the Stone Cold podcast?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, so the main reason I signed up for the network.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, man. Well, do you listen to the regular podcast?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, I listen to those every week.

[Steve Austin]

Well, hey, man, I appreciate you calling in the show.

[Caller/Guest]

Okay, Take it easy.

[Steve Austin]

Take care, man. Well, let's go to Pennsylvania. Nathan.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Steve, how you doing?

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I appreciate you being so patient hanging on over in Pennsylvania.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, not a problem. First of all, I just want to say it's an honor being on the line with the global icon and national presence such as yourself.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, what's on your mind? What do you want to talk about, Nathan?

[Caller/Guest]

Well, my question for you is, I know you talk a lot about growing up and watching World Class and how you love to go back and watch Mid south power pro and whatnot. So my question would be, if you can go back in time and work in any territory at its absolute height, which one would it be? Would it be World Class with, you know, the Von Erichs down there and the Free Birds? Or, you know, would it be Mid South? You got JYD Free Birds there as well? Or maybe NWA with the Horseman and Dusty Nikita. Rock and Roll Midnight. Got a couple good options there, I guess. So if you could go back in time, which one would it be?

[Steve Austin]

Man, I'm gonna have to go the best of both worlds. I'm gonna give you two answers because I can't just pick one. And all the stuff that just came out of your Mouth, you've obviously listened to the show for a long time or you've heard me talk about these territories. All of them were a. But if I had to pick, I'd go Mid south because I wanted to work for Bill Watts when he was a creative force that he was. And that whole territory was just running white hot and they had some of the best damn workers there and it was just a kick ass style. And Jim Ross was cutting his teeth on learning the broadcast business. Everybody there was just on fire. But then, man, when you talk about the nwa, they had that mystique just kind of like nobody else did in both territories back in the day. This was when wrestling was really perceived as being real to myself. So I bought in hook, line and sinker because of the believability factor, because of the way they're presented. It was presented like a shoot, like it was a damn sport and wins and losses mattered and good guys and bad guys, you know, the good guys were selling, the bad guys were getting heat. He'd existed, kayfabe existed. And so I would pick those two territories in the mid-80s.

[Caller/Guest]

I had a feeling you were gonna say Mid South. I guess my follow up question would be given, you know, the Watts rules and whatnot. You know, you got your baby face hotel, you got your heel hotels, you better not get your ass whooped in a bar somewhere. You know, you might be looking for a new job. You think you would have thrived under those conditions or you think that would have been something you dug?

[Steve Austin]

No, I would have definitely thrived under those conditions. It was, it was, I wouldn't say it was as similar in uswa. None of the guys are really, some of the guys getting into the fights. I think USWA was never the territory. Well, I got to say that with all due respect because of Lawler and Dundee and all the greats over there, but yeah, I would have thrived in that territory. It would have been great being, you know, listening to the wisdom and tutelage of Bill Watts, being able to talk with Jim Ross, you know, back in the day. But Stone Cold Steve Austin, as hungry as I was back in the day. Well, you know, coming up, Steve Williams, Steve Austin, Stunning Steve. Who knows what I would have become under Bill Watts or, you know, what I would have transformed myself into back in the day. The reason I became Stone Cold Steve Austin was unique to my situation when I joined the then wwf. Going back to those days, yes, I would have thrived. Who knows if I would have been as big as I ended up being in WWF slash E. But I would have damn sure been, you know, a hungry guy in that card trying to fight my way to the top of the card just like everybody else. Yes, I would have thrived because that is my competitive instinct in anything that I do.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, I don't doubt that for a second. Well, I'm going to let you. I'm going to get off the line here. I know you got other callers, but gotta say, man, I love getting two cans of audio whoop ass every week from you. So keep up the great work and I'll be listening every week.

[Steve Austin]

Nathan, take care of yourself. I appreciate you calling in. A vacation rental should come with support, not surprises. That's why VRBO comes with a VRBoCare guarantee and 24.

[Caller/Guest]

7 life support from Real people. So if something goes sideways, Verbocare can help.

[Steve Austin]

If the host cancels Verbo care. If the listing says heated pool, but there's actually no pool to heat. Definitely a verbo care thing. If my teenager starts calling me Leslie instead of mom, that's a family thing, Leslie. That makes sense.

[Caller/Guest]

Sorry. Book with support, not surprises.

[Steve Austin]

Verbo Care and 24.

[Caller/Guest]

7 Life Support.

[Steve Austin]

If you know you've ERBO terms, apply seeverbo.comtrust for details.

[Caller/Guest]

Steve Austin. Steve Austin unleashed. Unleashed.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, let's get back to the phones and talk to Rick in Los Angeles. Hey, Rick, how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

Steve? What's up, man?

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, what brings you to the show today? What do you want to talk about?

[Caller/Guest]

Well, Steve, you know, I've been listening since 2013. Love the show. And I always like when you talk about the days in Central Florida when you used to tape WCW down there for weeks and months at a time. Who did you hang with back then and how did you pass the time? And how long were those WCW tapings? And also I've heard you tell a story behind the picture on the bus. But there's this other picture that I've seen. It's you and Steamboat Arn Anderson, Regal and Kevin Sullivan on the beach. So I was just wondering if there was any story behind that photo, man,

[Steve Austin]

as far as who I was hanging with at the time. For the most part, it was William Regal. He came down to WCW whenever he came in and I watched that guy work a match and I was like, you know, when I first saw him, I was like, oh man, who's this guy from England? And all of a sudden he goes out there and works. And I believe it was a match in Center Stage in Atlanta. And man, he Just lit it up. All this badass chain wrestling, you know, his work. And he was selling his ass off. And I was like, holy smokes, this guy's good. I went and introduced myself to him. I told him, I said, man, that was an awesome match. And, man, we bonded from that day forward, and we became just the best of friends and travel partners. So that's who I was hanging with, to answer your question, to pass the time, because there was a lot of time to be passed. I wasn't exactly on the hot booking part of the show. Everybody else was getting pushed. I was just kind of there. And so we had a lot of time to kill. And we killed it by. Well, I killed it by drinking a lot of damn whiskey and a lot of beer. And there used to be an English pub called Rover's Return in Kissimmee, Florida, right outside of Orlando. And me and William would stay out that neck of the woods and we would go to Rover's Return, drink Guinness stout and throw darts every single night, all night. Then we'd get up, go to the gym, and then we'd go to the television tapings. That's the answer to that part of the question as far as that picture. And we were all there at the beach that day, and we were just hanging out and someone snapped that picture. And I'm guessing that picture is probably from about, I don't know, 93, 94, about 95. I was starting to get beat up. I was still in pretty good shape, it looked like then. Then I was going to tear that tricep off my arm before I headed to ECW and wwf. So I think that picture was, give or take maybe 93, 94. And we were just hanging out on the beach, passing through, working our ass off, being pro wrestlers.

[Caller/Guest]

So, Steve, I mean, I know that's a popular state to live. Did you. At least for wrestlers, I should say, because of the state income tax. I know you live in Texas throughout your career. Did you ever consider living in Florida back in the day?

[Steve Austin]

You know, a lot of the guys ended up down there in Tampa just because of the territory system back in the day, and a lot of the WWF guys still live down there, and it was kind of a hotbed, but just because it was a territory and because a lot of people like living there because of the weather and the taxes. For me, just a little too far south. But I always loved all those towns, and I particularly love Jacksonville, Florida, for some reason. That coliseum in that damn town was just an awesome building. It was Old school. It's probably still standing for all I know. But it had this great atmosphere in it. I never really thought about living in Florida. I was living in Atlanta at the time. That was a great hub to be based out of. You can make all the shots pretty damn easy with where we were taping at. But I'll never forget one time in Jacksonville, Florida. I'll give you a Brian Pillman story. We were working a six man tag. I can't remember who everybody was, but one of the guys on my team was Brian Pillman. And one of the guys across the ring was Van Hammer. And we were working a match. Working a match. And Brian was notorious for ribbing people. So he says before he tags in, he goes, kid, watch this. And then he tags in, Van Hammer's in. Do you remember Van Hammer?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Okay. I mean, just a big guy, great body, good looking guy. Rock and roll gimmick, man. They lock up Pillman takes him in the corner. He says, no, sell the chops. And Brian starts chopping the shit out of Van Hammer. And hell, about eight chops in, Hammer starts bleeding from his chest. That's how hard those chops were that Brian used to throw. All of a sudden, you know, Brian tells him, okay, hulk up. And Van Hammer hulked up and Brian just flopped down and rolled out of the ring and pounded on him. And I was like, God damn, you sorry son of a bitch. He beat the shit out of Hammer's chest, had him hulk up. And when he hooked up, he took a powder on the kid. So I was like, he. God dang. Only Brian would think of doing something like that. But that's the kind of guy Brian was. Back to your. Back to your question. Nah, I was never going to live in Florida. Great state. Love to go down there. I dig the weather. Miami is a little humid for me. I prefer the Los Angeles kind of climate. And I'll never forget when we used to go down that building down there. It would be hotter than blazes and humid as a son of a bitch. But always a good time down there. Hey, man, I appreciate you calling in the show, Rick.

[Caller/Guest]

Thanks, Steve.

[Steve Austin]

Thank you. Let's go to Garrett in Minnesota. Yo, Garrett, what's happening?

[Caller/Guest]

Hi, Steve, how are you today, man?

[Steve Austin]

I'm doing good. What's happening? Hey, man, how long you been listening to the show? How'd you get the information?

[Caller/Guest]

I've been listening since the first episode.

[Steve Austin]

God dang. It has been a cluster muck from day one. It continues to be four years in what do you want to talk about today, Garrett?

[Caller/Guest]

I was wondering. I do a lot of. I go to a lot of. A lot of conventions, and I get to meet a lot of celebrities and stuff. Like, I've met a lot of wrestlers like Ric Flair, Mick Foley. I got to meet Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson. And I've been kind of. I think Alice Cooper got me the most starstruck. And I was kind of wondering if there's ever been a time in your life where you've met someone that really had you kind of. Kind of starstruck.

[Steve Austin]

Man, that is a good question. And you caught me completely off guard. And right here I. Hell, I've been hit to have so many steel chairs. I'm trying to think. I'm sure I have back in the day. Certainly not for the last 15, 20 years. I just don't. I mean, it's really nice to meet people that have done well, but I kind of take everything in stride. I'll tell you one guy, Garrett, and you're not going to believe this yet, but it's absolute truth. I was thrilled back when I was a kid. I think I was probably in sixth grade. And believe it or not, the world yo yo champion came to Edna, Texas. His name was Bunny Martin. And I remember that's the first time I ever asked anybody for their autographs. And it's a true story. It's a straight up shoot. I went over to Bunny. He finished his show. He done all kinds of badass tricks with the Yo Yo Hell. He was a world champion in Edna, Texas. Look him up. Helly's probably. He got to be 60, 70 years old because he was older than I was. So I stuck his piece of paper in front of him. I said, man, could you sign this? And I didn't say, can I have your autograph? Because at that young age, even then, I didn't want to say, can I have your autograph? I didn't want to say that. So I said, hey, man, could you sign this? And he wrote his name down. And believe it or not, I still have that damned autograph 45 years later. 40, 45 years later.

[Caller/Guest]

Oh, really?

[Steve Austin]

Yep. Damn right. So I can't say I've been starstruck in a long time, but Bunny Martin is my first autograph that I ever asked for. And I was nervous asking for his damn autograph.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, I bet that's really cool.

[Steve Austin]

Well, I don't know it's cool, but that's. That's a damn true story. Hey, man, I appreciate you listening to the show all these years.

[Caller/Guest]

Absolutely. Steve. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, take care of yourself. I'll catch you down the road. Hey, Eric, how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Steve. How you doing, man?

[Steve Austin]

I'm doing good. Hanging out over here in Los Angeles, California. Down there in San Antonio.

[Caller/Guest]

San Antonio, Texas. Keeping it real here.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I heard you guys got some rain down there.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, it's been raining, but right now it's a little cloudy, so I'm ready to hit some barbecue right now.

[Steve Austin]

Where are you going for barbecue?

[Caller/Guest]

There's a place called Dickey's Barbecue Shop up by Alamo Ranch. So I'm trying to go there and see what the brisket's like.

[Steve Austin]

God dang. I tell you what, it's been a long time since I had some good barbecue here on the streets of Los Angeles. That's one thing I miss about Texas and I miss about the Broken Skull Ranch is able to find good barbecue. Hey, man, let's talk about what you want to talk about. What'd you call for?

[Caller/Guest]

So I know you guys talk about ribs all the time, so I wanted to know if Vince McMahon has ever ripped you, man.

[Steve Austin]

I saw that question on the monitor, and I was thinking, man, has Vince McMahon ever ribbed me? I'm sure he has. I'm probably not aware of some of them. Maybe. Maybe some of them were payoffs. I don't know. And I say that that's a rib. I'm kidding. Vince was always very generous to me as far as the payoffs go. One time we went out there, it was Lillian Garcia and myself. And I always like doing stuff with Lillian because she was so game and she was just willing to do anything out there. She's a very giving person out there. So I guess it was going to be the night. When I sang the National Anthem, they could put the words on the teleprompter for me. And I started singing, but Lillian didn't start singing because she heard me. And the way I started off, because I can't sing and I'm basically tone deaf, I was singing so far out of key that she said that she would have had to jump, like, five octaves to catch me. So when I was singing, I looked over at Lillian and she wasn't singing. So I'm thinking, hey, this is a setup. And as I'm thinking that World Live tv, man, this is Monday Night Raw, where you never let them see you sweat. And I'm thinking, all right, I just been had. And then finally she starts kicking in and trying to keep up on the way I started, just kind of screwed her up. But that's, that's a rib that I thought was played on me and live tv and I was like, God dang, if some bitches got me.

[Caller/Guest]

Funny.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, you got anything else?

[Caller/Guest]

Have you ever ribbed somebody or what's the best rib that you ever done to somebody else?

[Steve Austin]

You know, I wasn't a big rib guy. I like to watch ribs unfold. I never was into the malicious stuff. Guys, you know, really, you know, screwing somebody over. The old stuff that happens back in the days like when we used to go to some of the old high schools or some of the National Guards. When you're in the dressing room, a lot of those dressing rooms had padlocks. And you know, if there was any open padlocks, those guys ribbed would get those padlocks, they go find a pair of pants and they'd lace up all the, the belt loops and then put that combination lock on there and snap it shut. And then, you know, someone's either got the pocket knife cutting the belt loops off or doing something because you don't get that lock off and no one's running around with the bolt cutter. So I enjoyed seeing silly ribs like that, but really, honestly, unless somebody could tell me different, I'm sure I pulled a few ribs here and there, but I just wasn't a river man. I didn't like the malicious stuff. I liked the fun stuff because the fun stuff kept everybody honest. You're out there strung out on the road, you beat up, you broke down. Who knows if you're making any money or not, depending on what territory you're in. And we were all having a blast and living a high life and having fun being pro wrestlers, but life on the road. Sometimes when you see it on tv, it looks all glitzy and glamorous, but when you jump off in the middle of it and you got something pulled or something broke or you need a surgery or something, get patched up, it can turn into be a real grind. And I always tell everybody, man, that pro wrestling was the best job I ever had. It was tough as shit, but damn, it was fun doing. But to answer your question and be specific, I really wasn't a ribber. And if Vince ever pulled a rib on me, I thought it was that time when we were singing a national anthem.

[Caller/Guest]

I appreciate your time and thanks for all the memories and thanks for the award winning podcast.

[Steve Austin]

Somebody never want any awards and I don't care if it ever does. Because that way I can keep saying this podcast I never want a damn thing. Appreciate you calling in. Take care down in Texas.

[Caller/Guest]

Take care.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, yeah. Let's go, Jonathan. Fresno. Hey, Jonathan, how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

Good to hear from you, sir. It's the first time I ever speak to you.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I appreciate you calling in from Fresno, California. Appreciate you staying on the hold button.

[Caller/Guest]

No problem.

[Steve Austin]

What you want to talk about?

[Caller/Guest]

Not too long. When I read your book the Stone Cold Truth, with all these autobiography books coming up, especially Jim Ross, do you ever plan on writing up a follow up book?

[Steve Austin]

Man, I tell you what, when WWE wanted me to write that first book, I said, man, I don't want to do it. But then after I left the company for six, eight months, whenever it was, when I walked out, took my ball and went home, you know, got back in with them, we buried the hatchet and I figured, okay, I'll go ahead and write a book. So that's how that book was born. I never did really want to write a book. So when it came to the actual writing process, I sat down with Dennis Brandt, I sat down with Jim Ross, longtime friend. I flew to Oklahoma, stayed at his house. Jim and Dennis did a hell of a job in writing that book, but it was such a painful process. And you brought up Jim Ross. He's about to come out with his book. He asked me to write the foreword for him and so I did. And it took me about four months and Jim was calling me about every week asking if I had done that forward. Writing the forward for my, one of my best friends, Jim Ross was so painful and I'm glad I did it. And I love Jim Ross, but for me to write another book, I quite simply don't have the attention span or desire to write anything else about what I've done.

[Caller/Guest]

Fair enough.

[Steve Austin]

What else you got over in Fresno?

[Caller/Guest]

Not much. I mean WWE comes here like twice a year. I try to get involved as much as I can. I'm just that I was part of WrestleMania when they were in 10, 11, two years ago. So I finally made to WrestleMania after 26 years as a WWE fan.

[Steve Austin]

You been watching more RAW or smackdown or you watch both?

[Caller/Guest]

Both whenever I can. But I would just rather be part of WrestleMania. That's all that matters. Two years ago.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, man. WrestleMania has turned into a huge event. And these days, I remember back in the day, I think my first WrestleMania was actually in Los Angeles, California, and that's about an 18,000 seat arena. And these days, I mean, they're not playing anything that is less than 65 or 70,000. So it has turned into an absolute spectacle and it's just a blast how big this thing has become. And Vince McMahon's vision from back in the day, from WrestleMania 1 to what it's turned into now is just unbelievable. And going to one is a special thing. As a fan and much less being a performer in that ring in front of everybody, as I was, is. Is just an absolute blast and an honor. Hey, man, I appreciate you calling into the show.

[Caller/Guest]

Thank you, sir. It was a pleasure speaking with you. It's the first time ever and I'm glad to talk to you, sir.

[Steve Austin]

Take care, man. I'll catch you down the road. Let's go to Greensboro with Kevin.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, Steve, great to hear you.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, calling from Greensboro, North Carolina. I appreciate you being so patient on the phone.

[Caller/Guest]

No problem. Thank you for having me.

[Steve Austin]

Talk to me a little bit.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, so actually just this past Saturday I went to my first ever WWE Live show and it got me thinking, you know, North Carolina has so much pro wrestling history. So I was just wondering since, you know, I know you've been here quite a few times, if you had any good memories from the state to share.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, man, yeah, a lot of great memories. Are you calling from Greensboro?

[Caller/Guest]

Yes, sir.

[Steve Austin]

Holy smokes, what's that? A Greensboro Coliseum?

[Caller/Guest]

There it is. I'm a walking 5, 10 minute drive down the road from it.

[Steve Austin]

Man, you talk about one of the all time favorite arenas and you know, to me that was NWA territory and for me, Flair kind of put that place on the map because every now and then they do a television tape and coming out of Greensboro and that arena was just badass and Flair was out there lighting it up. And you know, he's from North Carolina. Well, from many, but billed from North Carolina and in Charlotte, where it was based out of, when you rolled into Charlotte, you knew that was Flair country and it was NWA country and then, you know, even into South Carolina. But all those towns, whether it's North Carolina or South Carolina, because of where they were located, because of just the hotbed of wrestling that it was, the territory that it was, it was just a great place to be. And those were some of the best crowds that you can work in front of because, man, they love their wrestling, they believed in it. As long as you're giving them good stuff, they're buying. Just go out there and execute, take them on a ride. And it was just a great time and a great place to be. But that is a Hell of a damn state for pro wrestling.

[Caller/Guest]

Oh yeah, it's good to hear that. You always enjoyed your time here too, man.

[Steve Austin]

I did. Well, you got another question.

[Caller/Guest]

This one's a little bit more fitness related, but off the top of my head, I've been only hitting the gym since this past November. I've been doing a lot of weight training, but I was curious as to how important it is to get that cardio in.

[Steve Austin]

Man, I tell you what, I'm glad you asked me that question because I was talking to someone earlier. I'd switched my nutrition around and started running a keto type diet. But let's not talk about diet because it really doesn't matter. There's no magic bullet for food in my opinion. It's putting the work in. I stopped doing cardio a while back and that's kind of when I started noticing that I was putting the pounds back on and not in the places that I wanted it to be. So I just employed cardio. Shoot, I probably kicked it in about five days ago and I've been consistent. Five days is not very many, but I can already tell a difference just in those five days. So to me, if you're going to try to tone up or change some body composition or drop fat, you need to be at a caloric deficit. You don't need to be one of those people that weighs everything like I am, but that helps me manage everything. But to me, some people say, hey, don't do cardio, just don't put it in. Eat less. And some people say, do cardio and jack up your food more so that you can work the calories out. I would rather feed myself a little bit more and use the calorie to help me go into a caloric deficit rather than starving myself and slowing my metabolism down. So to answer your question, for my body type, it's extremely important. What have you found?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, so I've noticed too, like I said, I'm still fairly early on in the game, especially compared to yourself. You know, I have noticed that it does help me drop those lbs. And then there's also, there's a mental aspect to it as well. I think once you get going and you've been on there for a good 30, 45 minutes and you got the Steve Austin show plan too and just takes you to a better place.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, I told my wife this morning, I walked in, I put in an hour this morning and I walked back into the house. I rode, I've got an air assault bike. It's just Like a stationary bike where the handles go back and forth. The kind you see the NFL football players riding on the sidelines. And I crank that thing up, I got the jams playing, I got the Pandora radio going and I wasn't killing myself, but I just worked up a good sweat and I walked in, I told my wife, I said, God damn. I said, I don't know why I stopped doing cardio, because to your point, it just makes you feel good. I mean, that just sets sweat for me. Get all the toxins, all the bullshit, whatever out of your body and just sweat a little bit. And I miss that. There's been times in my life where I just. I was like a Dracula to a cross. I hated cardio, but I was getting a shit pile of it in the ring once we fired up and started wrestling every night. For me it's kind of essential. So I'm glad I got it back in my life.

[Caller/Guest]

Well, I'm glad to hear that too.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, stick with it. And the biggest thing is in whatever you're doing is consistency. Keep pounding the weights, vary your cardio a little bit. Some long sessions, some short sessions, steady state, a little bit of high intensity type stuff. Just mix it up and if you always stick with it, watch what you're eating, watch, watch the sugar calories on the drinks and the bullshit. And just consistency is the key.

[Caller/Guest]

That sounds good to me, Steve. Hey, I tell you what, you are the greatest to ever open up a can of whoop ass in the ring and the greatest ever open up can of audio whoop ass on the podcast. I've been loving the show for years and I'm hoping there's many more years to come.

[Steve Austin]

I'm gonna keep laying them down if you'll keep downloading them. I appreciate you calling in Kevin twice a week.

[Caller/Guest]

Thank you, Steve.

[Steve Austin]

Take care, man. Let's go to Eric in Minnesota. Hey, Eric, how are you?

[Caller/Guest]

Good, how are you?

[Steve Austin]

Steve, what do you want to talk about tonight?

[Caller/Guest]

I like to talk to talk to you about Terry Funk.

[Steve Austin]

All right, what do you want to talk about?

[Caller/Guest]

I've been watching different matches of his throughout the late 80s into the early 2000s. And it always seems to me that depending on who he's facing and how he throws his advancement in years, it's like whoever he's facing, he can wrestle with the best with Ric Flair and he can brawl with the best with Mick Foley. I just watched a match that he did with Chris Candido in WCW in 2000 and I guess I really enjoyed it. Because it showed me that, you know, like the different layers that Terry Funk can do. And I just want to get your thoughts on Terry Funk's career.

[Steve Austin]

Well, first of all, he had an outstanding run and he's one of my favorites. I mean, that guy had a mean streak in him as a heel and he could talk so much trash. And you really. And any promo he did, I don't think he could cut a bad promo. And some of those promos he cut in ECW were just lights out. I loved his work in Japan, working with his brother Dory as a tag team or in singles sometimes when they'd tag up against Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody. I like this, that style of his in ring stuff. Some classic matches with Ric Flair though. I mean, like you said, he could do it all. He could wrestle or he could brawl. And you know, being what second or third generation guy, Dory was kind of really the technician of the family. And then Terry was like, I don't know what you'd call it, this wildfire, just this spark about him that was just very spontaneous and it could just light up a crowd. And he was just very authentic and very genuine. And when he was kicking somebody's ass, you believed it. When somebody was kicking his ass, you believed it. And so he was just great at making you suspend your disbelief. Because when Terry Funk wrestled, it looked like a shoot. And he would throw in some of those over the top mannerisms that were a little over the top, but they were still acceptable. But I don't know that anybody could have been able to get away with them. But like those random punches when he's in cell mode, whether he's working heel or baby, just stuff like that, I thought it was badass.

[Caller/Guest]

One thing I always, always enjoyed too, that you kind of didn't fully get to is I feel like he had that charisma that can connect with any crowd at any time period, in any territory. Wherever he wrestled at, well, he was

[Steve Austin]

one of those guys when he picked up a horn, you never knew what he was going to say. So like, you always get these people say, oh man, who's your top three or top five promos? There's so many guys that are on the list these days and you know, it's not even. You can't even make a list. Terry Funk is one of the great talkers in the history of the business. But yes, to your point, just totally charismatic as a heel. He had something that just like, hey man, this summits is really crazy. I think, you know, maybe I thought wrestling was fake, but this dude is. He's serious. There's something that's really scary about him then, as a baby, I mean, when he was selling, you believed him, and he just had that. He had the believability. You can't teach. I'm going back to what Enzo Amore would say. You can't teach certain things. You can't teach charisma. Terry Funk had it in spades, and he had the workmanship and the showmanship to go along with it, and that's why he had such a hell of a damn run.

[Caller/Guest]

Do you have any fun road stories that you've had with Terry Funk over the years?

[Steve Austin]

No, man, I remember I wrestled Terry. I think it was San Antonio, on a shotgun Saturday night. I don't even remember the damn match. Hell, I think I was starting to get hot back then. But, you know, you step in the ring with Terry Funk, you're stepping in there with a damn legend, and it was like an honor. And, hell, I just got off the phone and someone asked me if I'd ever been starstruck. And I wasn't starstruck when I met Terry, but I was like, that's Terry F. And Funk right there. And all of a sudden, the bell rings and you're doing business with that guy. It's like, hey, man, this is pretty damn cool. So I just remember bits and pieces of things with him. I've been hitting it with so many steel chairs and a lot of shit I don't remember, but I just remember having fun. And one of the things I remembered about Terry was a few times I got to just sit down with him and drink a couple of cold beers and shoot the shit. And he's just a cool dude. He understands every aspect, every element of the business of professional wrestling, and he's one of the great minds in the history of the business and one of the great performers as well. I got nothing but good things to say about that guy.

[Caller/Guest]

Like you mentioned, I've always appreciated, as a fan, his psychology, depending on who he's facing, from, you know, ECW to Japan, like you mentioned. I guess as a fan, I don't know who. I thought there was very few people who had the psychology part down better than Terry Funk.

[Steve Austin]

Well, that's an interesting thing that you bring that up, because as much psychology as Terry had when he started going to Japan and doing all those hardcore matches with Mick Foley, who's a very good friend of mine and my former travel partner, and they started doing all those crazy Hardcore matches. And hell, he started doing that damn moonsault, and I was like, what in the hell is Terry doing? He's one of the most scientific, best brawlers in the history of the business. Now he's taken on an aerial assault, and he was just tearing his body up. So with all the psychology that he brought to the business, it really baffled me when he started doing those matches with Mick. Now, don't get me wrong, there were some badass matches, and there was psychology in those matches, the way they built them. But watching that guy punish his body and punish Mick the way those two did was just unbelievable. Well, here's how smart he was. And speaking of psychology, taking, you know, all of his tools into ECW and just to go into that barbaric territory that he went in ecw, he's probably the godfather of the. Of the extreme style for sure.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, I guess that's what I have. Steve, thanks for taking my call.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I appreciate you calling into the show. Thanks for listening. All right, everybody, give me the go home cues. Time to wrap up his podcast and ride off. And the sun set. Before I do, I want to say thanks again to everybody who called into the studio a few weeks back. I got a few more phone calls left to air and we'll get to those in a couple of weeks. And like I said, I'm hoping to do more call in shows in the future, but I will come up with a specific topic or subject for us to talk about. So thank you one more time for calling in. And now it is time for a video of the week. And after that last call with Eric in Minnesota talking about Terry Funk, I found a couple of short videos on YouTube of Terry cutting promos. If you just put Terry Funk promos in the search bar, it'll pull up several of them, but the one that I like the most and the payoff is at the end of the promo. Fancy that. But check out the one that says Terry Funk. Eddie Gilbert promo 5, 4, 1993. It's some good shit I popped at the end, so check that out. Terry Funk is an absolute legend. I have nothing but the highest respect for that guy. Tough as nails, great worker, great entertainer, great promo. Fuck, he was a great pro wrestler. End of story. Bottom line, check it out. Hey. ProWrestlingtease.com Stevallson has all the shirts that I wore in previous seasons of Broken Skull Challenge. And now that we're starting season five, we'll have a bunch of new T shirt designs available soon. Show starts airing in September on cmt. Boy, I tell you what, if you're thirsty like I am, the best damn IPA on planet Earth is Broken Skull IPA at El Segundo Brewing Company. And you can get Broken Skull IPA at Whole Foods and Total Wines if you live in California. If you ain't in Cali, check insidethecellar.com and see if they ship to your state. And if you're looking to get either the cold steel Broken Skull knife or the New Working man knife, you can get them at my new Amazon store. Amazon has the best prices on both knives. Just go to Amazon.com shop steveaustin I gotta say one more thank you to all the fine sponsors of the Steve Austin Show. That's how I'm able to do this podcast for you twice a week for free. And you can find all my [e-mail] just click on the Killer Deals button at the top of the page and then click on the Steve Austin show banner. Folks, if you want to follow me on Twitter and Instagram, I am SteveAustin BSR. Until next time folks. My name is Steve Austin and I will catch your ass down the road. Thanks for listening to Steve Austin Unleashed. Catch new episodes every Thursday on the Podcast One app or subscribe at Apple Podcasts or Podcast1.com. Pluto TV has thousands of free movies and TV shows. We're coming at you with everything we got. This is the mindset Free.

[Caller/Guest]

This is the mantra mindset.

[Steve Austin]

With movies like Pineapple Express, the entire Star Trek film franchise and Gladiator, and TV shows like Survivor, SpongeBob SquarePants, the fairly odd Parents and Ghosts, Pluto TV is always free. Pluto TV stream now pay Never.