Wade Keller Weekly Wrestling Review + Listener Calls - SAS CLASSIC

Summary

The Steve Austin Show – SAS CLASSIC

Episode: Wade Keller Weekly Wrestling Review + Listener Calls
Date: March 12, 2026
Host: Steve Austin
Special Guest: Wade Keller
Theme: Live listener Q&A, classic wrestling stories, candid opinions, and a rapid-fire breakdown of current WWE shows

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Episode Overview

In this vibrant episode, Steve Austin reconnects with his fans through a throwback call-in show, answering wrestling and life questions straight from the audience. The episode also features a spotlight segment with Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch, as the duo offers hard-hitting analysis on recent WWE events, key character developments, and industry trends. With no major WWE event immediately preceding the session, topics jump across eras, promotions, and personal stories, keeping the pace brisk and varied.

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1. Opening Remarks & Setting the Stage – [01:40–05:56]

• Steve reveals the call-in format was a spontaneous, fan-driven decision, emphasizing gratitude for the strong response despite minimal promotion.
• Preview: Listener calls are unscripted, spanning everything from classic wrestling tales to personal advice.
• Steve discusses building out his studio on “317 Gimmick Street” for easier, future fan interaction.
• Teases a wrap-up segment with Wade Keller on current Raw and Smackdown happenings—underscored by Austin’s DirecTV issues preventing him from watching the full shows.

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2. Listener Call Highlights & Austin’s Unfiltered Wisdom

Roman Reigns and Fan Reactions – [06:21–10:27]

• Caller (Justin, Huntington, WV): Seeks Steve’s take on Roman Reigns' career trajectory and crowd heat.
• Steve: “I think he's got a great physique, good looking guy, pretty damn good worker... If they get his storyline straightened out, I think the kid's going to be fine... I loved his matches with AJ.” [06:44]
• Discussion of crowd polarization—comparison to John Cena.
• Notable Quote: “He just needs good stories and he needs great opponents ... Roman doesn’t need a belt. He just needs good stories and he needs great opponents and he needs to kick ass and show fire.” [09:48]

Keys to Star Power in Wrestling – [10:35–15:34]

• Caller (Sean, Tulsa): Asks what Steve would value most when hiring a wrestler.
• Steve: “Do they really grab your attention? Is there any charisma to this person? And they don’t necessarily have to be a good looking person, just some type of pop factor or wow factor.” [11:10]
• Lauds Jerry “The King” Lawler as an example of charisma and promo skill, noting it’s not always about appearance.
• Conversation on authenticity: “You want to believe in the product, you want to believe in the storylines, right? ... When I said something as Stone Cold Steve Austin, I believed it 120%.” [14:39]

If Not for Wrestling... – [17:25–20:15]

• Caller (Elliot, Buffalo): Wonders what Steve’s life would be if wrestling hadn’t worked out.
• Steve: “I did not have a plan B. I did not have an option to fail...” [17:40]
• Shares real stories about working a freight dock, love for ranching, and daily routines: shooting range, dog walks, sushi.

Dream General Manager—Paul Heyman Memories – [20:34–21:57]

• Caller (Brandon): Asks which famous GM Steve would want to work for.
• Steve: “If you know anything about me, you know that I'm a Paul Heyman guy. … I really enjoyed working with Paul so much... he helped me focus and helped me kind of define who and what I was.” [20:52]

Boxing, the McGregor/Mayweather Spectacle – [22:02–25:07]

• Banter about old boxing versus MMA, with Steve reminiscing about the greats.
• On McGregor vs. Mayweather: “I just know that McGregor is so dynamic and he's heavy handed. I don't know if he can hit Floyd, but if he does, I think bad things will happen.” [22:40]
• Notable Quote: “Anytime someone's in a fight, anybody has a chance because it's a fighter's chance.” [23:45]

Legion of Doom Stories & Tag Team Wrestling – [27:37–32:27]

• Caller (Derek, Twin Lakes): Requests stories about the Legion of Doom.
• Steve credits LOD for the idea behind his iconic Smoking Skull Belt: “It was Mike, Hawk and Animal... they said, 'Hey man, you got this WWF Championship belt, but you're Stone Cold Steve Austin, you ought to have your own belt.'” [29:20]
• Reflections on the evolution of tag team wrestling and NXT’s Dash & Dawson.

Beer With Anyone, Alive or Dead – [32:36–33:31]

• Caller (Ryan): Who would Steve share a beer with?
• Steve: “John Wayne, Evel Knievel, Elvis Presley... I’d have to open the bar up and have about 10 or 15 in there.” [32:48]
• Shoutout to Houston memories and Raising Cane restaurant in Denton, TX.

On Summer Vacations & The Fate of Broken Skull Ranch – [34:44–35:31]

• Caller (Brian): Dream summer spot and status of the ranch.
• Steve: “Sparks, Nevada... go on the mountain range riding my utility vehicle with my brother in law.” [34:53]
• Confirms “Broken Skull Challenge” TV show continues filming in L.A.

State of the Wrestling Business & Performance Center Mentoring – [35:52–38:46]

• Caller (Adila, Toronto): Asks about the lack of competition in wrestling and Steve’s involvement with up-and-coming talent.
• Steve: “Competition is paramount. I wish there was another WCW around. ... Competition is king.” [36:35]
• On Performance Center: “I wouldn’t say I’m mentoring anyone ... I’d love to if I can ever get time. ... I know they have a world-class training facility down there.” [37:55]

Most Memorable “Stunner” Ever – [38:57–40:09]

• Caller (Nicholas): Favorite Stone Cold Stunner delivery.
• Steve: “My favorite stunner had to be the first one on Vince McMahon. … That caught the attention of the world.” [39:12]

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3. Weekly Wrestling Review with Wade Keller – [40:51–72:58]

Podcast Updates & Cody Rhodes’ Success – [41:51–45:25]

• Wade Keller announces his podcast moving to Podcast One “the week of July 10th or the 17th.” [42:00]
• Detailed praise for Cody Rhodes’ rise post-WWE, winning the ROH World Title, and impending New Japan Pro Wrestling main event with Okada.
  • Steve: “Once you jump off the machine … and you’re able to have the kind of success that he’s had, man, that speaks volumes.” [45:25]

Highlight Segment: Enzo & Big Cass Breakup – [46:44–50:44]

• Steve: Recaps the Raw segment, lauds the acting, especially from Enzo: “Boy, I tell you what, they pulled it off … all is well in Shangri La, and BAM! It’s the big clothesline by Cass. Double cross.” [46:51]
• Wade: “I don't want anyone to tell me Kayfabe is dead … People liked Enzo. They disliked Cass. The acting was great.” [47:12]
• Detailed discussion of each man’s upside as a single and as characters—predictions for both.

Who Should Big Cass Study? – [50:44–52:12]

• Steve: “If you say baby face, I say Barry Windham. ... Just off the cuff, it’s hard for me to pinpoint someone.” [50:52]
• Wade: Suggests Kevin Nash and Rick Rude for Cass to study “for deliberate movement and credibility.” [51:24]
• Steve: “The next guy to really step up and show an intensity and a little bit more mean streak… intensity is what I'd say to Big Cass.” [52:14]

Roman Reigns: Evolution of a Top Guy – [53:06–58:12]

• Steve and Wade give nuanced takes on Roman’s recent promos and character development.
• Steve: “He’s just playing it and he's starting to loosen up and show some personality and I like it.” [53:28]
• Wade: “If he can feel authentic … big money, not just WWE having to talk about a thunderous reaction...” [57:29]
• Mutual agreement: journey is ongoing but trending in the right direction toward authenticity.

Brock Lesnar, Samoa Joe, and Paul Heyman: “Serious Business” – [58:18–64:09]

• Review of the Brock/Samoa Joe confrontation and Heyman’s masterful promo.
• Steve: “Man was just trying like hell to get Joe off his back... babies came out... Brock was in sell mode. Joe looked like a junkyard dog, mad as hell.” [58:23]
• Both agree Heyman and Lesnar are working to elevate Joe as a top-tier main eventer.
• Wade: “Your manhood crawling up inside your stomach and you'll look up at the trainer and say, ‘Oh, dear God.’ ... Just great Paul Heyman.” [63:16]

Smackdown & Raw Women's Division Highlights – [65:00–71:56]

• Praise for Carmella and James Ellsworth’s Money in the Bank segment.
• Steve: “Her character is really starting to come out. She's starting to really just get more confidence and get on a little roll here.” [65:17]
• On Sasha Banks’ gauntlet win: both hosts discuss babyface/heel dynamics, crowd reactions.
• Steve: “She has one of the best gimmicks in pro wrestling, in my opinion... I just love legit boss. I love Sasha Banks, but I like her as a heel better.” [69:24]

Wrap Up – [71:57–72:58]

• Wade emphasizes his new Podcast One schedule and encourages listeners to subscribe.
• Steve closes: “And that's the bottom line because Wade Keller said so.” [72:52]

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4. Notable Quotes & Classic Stone Cold Moments

• “And that’s the bottom line.” – Steve Austin, several points
• “Oh hell yeah!” – Delivered multiple times at fan request
  • e.g., [10:32], [25:33]
• On success: “I did not have a plan B. I did not have an option to fail…” [17:40]
• On the performance ethic: “I believed everything I said and did 120%. It was a shoot for me.” [14:39]
• On the stunner heard around the world: “The first [Stone Cold Stunner] on Vince McMahon ... that stunner right there would probably be the most important stunner of my career.” [39:12]

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5. Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:40 | Steve’s intro—call-in show idea, gratitude, studio talk | | 06:21 | 1st call: Roman Reigns’ position & crowd reactions | | 10:35 | What Steve looks for in a wrestler (hiring question) | | 17:25 | “What if wrestling hadn’t worked out for you?” | | 20:34 | Dream General Manager: Why Steve’s a Paul Heyman guy | | 22:02 | McGregor vs. Mayweather thoughts | | 27:37 | Legion of Doom stories, tag team wrestling commentary | | 32:36 | “Beer with anyone, alive or dead?” | | 34:44 | Summer vacation spots & Broken Skull Ranch update | | 35:52 | Is lack of competition hurting wrestling? | | 38:57 | Favorite Stone Cold Stunner ever | | 40:51 | Transition to Wade Keller’s wrestling review | | 46:44 | Enzo & Big Cass segment breakdown | | 50:44 | Who should Big Cass study? | | 53:06 | Roman Reigns, current main event dynamics | | 58:18 | Brock Lesnar, Samoa Joe, and Paul Heyman promo analysis | | 65:00 | Carmella, MITB, Sasha Banks’ gauntlet win | | 71:57 | Show wrap-up, Wade’s podcast schedule info |

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6. Tone & Language

• Swaggering, warm, unfiltered, peppered with signature “Stone Cold” intensity and humor.
• Strong fan rapport: Steve always refers to listeners as “man,” “brother,” or by name, giving the show a personal, direct feel.
• Candid about his limitations (memory, technology issues), which humanizes but never deflates his authority or passion for the business.
• Analytical yet conversational when breaking down matches with Wade, offering sharp insights with a touch of old-school nostalgia.

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7. For New Listeners

This episode is a classic showcase of everything that makes The Steve Austin Show beloved: honest wrestling takes, hilarious road stories, fan engagement, and a window into Steve’s everyday life. Whether you’re a nostalgia buff, a student of wrestling, or just want to hear two pros dissect WWE’s biggest stars, this installment covers it all—from backstage wisdom to the smallest in-ring detail—delivering that signature “bottom line.”

Transcript

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[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

The following program is a podcast1.com production.

[Wade Keller]

He started in a small town in Texas, worked his ass off to become 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.

[Wade Keller]

And now he's dominating the world of on demand audio and he's doing it for the working man.

[Steve Austin]

This is a damn good outlet for me to spew the off my brain.

[Wade Keller]

This is the Steve Austin Unleash.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

All right everybody, welcome to Steve Austin Show. I am coming to you from the main streets of Los Angeles, California today. Got a hell of a podcast for you. Well, at least I think it's a hell of a podcast. Today I'm finally getting around to playing those phone calls where you guys called the studio a couple of weeks ago one Saturday night. And I tell you what, I appreciate you guys lighting the phones up. I didn't know when we put this out there because I forgot to mention it on my podcast. So I just sent out a couple of tweets that we were going to be opening up the phone lines, kind of like a fan appreciation type thing and talk to you guys. I haven't done a call in segment or call in show in a couple of years and Stacy said, why don't we take some phone calls? And I said, you know what, that's

[Steve Austin]

a really good idea.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

But just the funny thing is we don't really have anything specific to talk about. Because if you remember back on that Saturday, there was a UFC fight on. I was missing that. And so the WWE Pay per View was on Sunday. We couldn't talk about that. Monday Night Raw and Tuesday Smackdown hadn't happened, so we couldn't talk about that. So the questions were all over the place. And I'll tell you what, some of the questions caught me so off guard. I was trying to rack my brain, trying to really remember some things from the past. Hell, I've been hitting the head with so many damn steel chairs if I hadn't thought about it, it's hard for me to dig back and remember everything. So please bear with me on this session of phone calls as we move forward and start taking more phone calls after specific events that we are all on the same page on. And that's the subject matter at hand. I think it's going to be a lot easier for me. I am building out 317 Gimmick street as my podcast studio. The guys are over there doing some renovations right now. They're painting the interior part of it. I'm going to turn it into my man cave. Also going to run a hard line in there so that I don't have to go to Beverly Hills or Culver City to take your phone calls. I can do it right here at my podcast studio. So we will be doing more of this in the future because I enjoy taking your questions and shooting a breeze with you guys. I appreciate everybody that called in. I didn't know just on short notice because I forgot to talk about it on the podcast that we were going to take those phone calls and I was, I was wondering if anybody was even going to call a damn studio. And I was hoping that you would and you did. Hell, we had to shut the phone lines down, they were so jammed up. So I appreciate all the support. We are going to do this more often and next time when we do it, it will be about a specific subject so I don't got to rack my brain and search for information that's hard for me to come up with. I will know the facts and we will talk about a pay per view specifically or whatever the task at hand is. Again, I appreciate you calling in. And if you didn't hear your phone call on today's podcast, there's two more shows that we got out of that session. I'll probably drop those during the filming process of Broken Skull Challenge in July and August. So I have a podcast already in the box. So if we didn't get to your phone call today if you didn't hear it, it will come up on a future show. Thank you very much for your support. To those of you that called in, thank you very much. Also again today I'm talking with Wade Keller from Pro Wrestling Torch. We're going to talk for 15 to 20 minutes at the end of this podcast about Raw and Smackdown. And here's the thing right when I turned on Raw the other night to start watching my DirecTV went out. I will post a picture of my television screen on Twitter Thursday when this show drops. We had just finished watching the the season finale of Better Call Saul. Everything was working fine and dandy on Sunday. We turned the TV on on Monday so I could watch Raw and I was going to watch Smackdown so I'd be able to talk to Wade Keller about all this stuff that we're about to talk about and I didn't have shit. My wife started doing the troubleshooting, hitting the reset button. Then she spent an hour on the phone with the people at DirecTV. Couldn't fix it over the phone. So now some bitch got to come to my house and fix my DirecTV says my satellite wasn't communicating with the box. Anyway, I watched the highlights from Raw and Smackdown that I saw on WWE.com I'll let Wade fill in the gaps. But then with that being said, since I didn't get to watch both shows, we'll be able to keep this about 20 minutes. Wade Keller coming up at the back end of this podcast. Thank you everybody for your calls. Let's get to the phone calls now. We're going to start with Justin in Huntington, West Virginia. Justin, how are you?

[Wade Keller]

I'm good.

[Caller]

How are you, my friend?

[Steve Austin]

Hell, man, I'm sitting here with a pair of headphones on drinking some water. What's up?

[Caller]

You know, just talking to my favorite wrestler.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, I appreciate you calling in the show and I appreciate your patience on the whole button over there. Hey man, what do you want to talk about today?

[Caller]

Only see what your opinion is on Roman Reigns.

[Steve Austin]

Okay. With respect to what as a reservoir

[Caller]

and all the heat he gets from the crowd. What do you think about him?

[Steve Austin]

And I think he's got a great physique, good looking guy, pretty damn good worker. Storylines have been kind of on off hot cold Roman Reigns in and of himself. I think he has Starr written all over him. He's still got to find his way. He's still got to climb his way up the ladder. He's built to take the road he's always in shape. He doesn't get gassed out in his matches. There's a lot to like about the guy. So when they came out as the shield, you know, those three guys, him, Seth and Dean Ambrose first came out as a shield, you know, they were really hot as heels and boy, all of a sudden they split them up and you know, Roman, I don't know, it just kind of came out of that and all those guys kind of had to find their way and, you know, Vince kind of picked him to be the baby face and because of the response he was getting when he hit the ring and he really draws your attention. If they get his storyline straightened out, I think the kid's going to be fine. I think they just need to keep running him like they're running him. He's doing good in the ring. I loved his matches with aj. I think you keep him on the road that he's on and you don't turn him heel just for the sake of turning him heel to make the fans happy, because you're not pushing him anymore. Because if you turn him heel, you're going to push him even harder. So then if you were tired of him to begin with because he was over pushed to begin with, in your opinion, then you're not going to like him as a heel either. So if he keeps going down the road in the fashion that he is, but then turns in an organic fashion heel when the time is right or just stays down the road, kid's going to be just fine. He still has things to learn in the ring. He still has to work on getting to the top, top level, but he's the top guy in my opinion. What do you think about him?

[Caller]

Honestly, I love the guy. Every time he comes out, I'm just happy that he's there. He's a great wrestler. I love watching him wrestle and I just hate that he gets such a bad reaction from the crowd.

[Steve Austin]

Man, you do that sometimes and you know, it's hard when you're out there and they're pushing you to be one of the baby faces of the company or the face of the company. And you get out there and you know, look at John Cena now. He's been on top for over 10 years and has had a career that's been absolutely phenomenal.

[Wade Keller]

But.

[Steve Austin]

But he still has those, sometimes those divided chants, but nonetheless there's electricity in the air and everybody is engaged. And he has been able to have such a strong mindset to not get in his head and mess with Him. That's the confidence of John Cena. I think that Roman Reigns has the same type of confidence and self belief that he's going to weather some of those bad chants and he'll end up getting over for everyone. As we continue to watch what rolls down the road, the kid's going to be fine. I think he's built to be a superstar. Just got to be hungry enough to go out there and get it. I know the company is behind him and I think he'll get to where he wants to go.

[Caller]

Do you see a title shot in his near future?

[Steve Austin]

Here's the thing. The title doesn't mean anything right now. He just needs Justin to focus on the work, get in a good engaging storyline and be Roman Reigns F the title. Don't worry about the title. As Stone Cold Steve Austin. I didn't worry about the title when I wanted. It was cool. But did I live and die by it? Hey man, I got the title. I'm the world champion. No, I didn't. And I didn't really need a belt. If you go back to Jake the Snake Roberts, he was a guy that didn't need a belt. Roman doesn't need a belt. He just needs good stories and he needs great opponents and he needs to kick ass and show fire and and execute.

[Caller]

I hear you.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, I appreciate you calling into the show.

[Caller]

I get a Hell yeah before I go.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, hell yeah.

[Caller]

Thank you, brother.

[Steve Austin]

Take care, man. Let's go to Sean in Tulsa.

[Caller]

Hey, Steve, how are you?

[Steve Austin]

Dang, man, I'm doing good. You calling from Tulsa, Oklahoma?

[Caller]

Yep, yep.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, what do you want to talk about tonight? Let's get it. Let's get into it.

[Caller]

Yeah, I wanted to see. A while ago I sent you a question when you had Jim Ross on the show that was asking, you know, what was the key, most important factor in his decision to hire you. Now I was wondering if you were in a position of hiring, what would be the most important factor you'd be looking for in a wrestler if you were making a decision whether to pull the trigger and hire him or take a pass on them?

[Steve Austin]

Man, I just. When you meet somebody, do they really grab your attention? Is there any charisma to this person? And they don't necessarily have to be a good looking person, just some type of pop factor or wow factor or attention getting factor. As an entertainer you look for those visuals and then you meet someone and see if you feel that electricity when you shake that hand and start engaging that person. And then as you talk to them, see how their gears work, see how they talk. Listen to them talk. Do you feel them? That's what I'm looking for right off the bat.

[Caller]

Right on, right on. It makes sense because people got to engage not just with the crowd, but with the Today Show. I think you guys are talking about that with Brian Kendrick, you know, it's not just, can you do a promo, but can you, can you talk to different people on the field on a mass basis?

[Steve Austin]

Man, I tell you what, when you talk about cutting a promo and just working, you just made me flash back to, you know, you're coming from Tulsa, home of former Mid south wrestling, from Bill Watts, one of my favorite territories. But you look at a guy like Jerry the King Lawler, who came up in the uswa, and, and here's a guy that wasn't the biggest guy in the locker room, wasn't the best looking guy in the locker room, but it was a hell of a worker, hell of a promo, great storyteller. And it's like, okay, if you lined everybody up in the locker room, say, all right, man, pick the superstar. You might not pick Jerry Lawler, but all of a sudden when you watch the guy work, when you hear him talk and you see how dynamic and charismatic he is, just like, holy smoke, here's our guy right here. It just happens many different ways. And Jerry worked long and hard to get to where he was. And it's always amazing when I hear people say, hey, man, give me your five best talkers. And someone just throws out five names. Jerry Lawler is one of the best talkers in the history of the business. Period, End of story. And all the money that he drew down there in Memphis, along with Bill Dundee and that whole crew, it was just amazing. I segued off, but he was the guy. When you start looking around to try to find guys, it's not always going to be the biggest, best looking guy that you find or the biggest, best looking girl that you find. It's a mix of a lot of things. And you as a fan, you know, let me ask you, what are you looking for? And let's call it a WWE Superstar for yourself.

[Caller]

I want them to believe what they're saying, or at least appear to believe what they're saying. I want them to just appear genuine and I want them to be, you know, look real hardworking, like, for example, real quick. I once saw you guys in the Civic center in Tulsa and I was really impressed with the Undertaker because it seemed like he put every bit of effort in a house show that you would expect in a TV show. And then, you know, I waited around and saw when you came out and sure enough, you were the last one out. And you were so engaging with the fans. I mean, you actually got up on top of the car and, you know, gave the one fingered salute. And that sort of interest in connecting with people is it if somebody seems to be too aloof and doesn't seem really to care, then why should I care about them?

[Steve Austin]

You want to believe in the product, you want to believe in the storylines, right?

[Caller]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

So you got to have someone out there, God dang, when they're talking, they can't look like they, you know, you know, they're just reading the script. They got to believe that shit hook, line and sinker. And as Stone Cold Steve Austin, as far as myself goes, man, I believed everything I said and did 120%. It was a shoot for me. Now I was working in the ring, but I mean, I considered that that was my world. I lived and breathed in it every single day. And hell, I damn near hated to go home. So that was a highlight for me to be able to go to those towns and work and do something that I love to do. And then when Monday Night Raw showed up, holy shit, that was like, man, I was a kid in the candy store. So, you know, just as a person on the roster, just that thirst and desire to go out there and resonate and connect with that crowd, that's all about, you know, getting you to believe, getting everybody else to tune in and watch the show. But hella, I digress. I'm rambling. I want to thank you, Sean, for calling in. I appreciate it.

[Caller]

No problem. Have a great day.

[Steve Austin]

Take care, man.

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[Steve Austin]

Did you know?

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[Steve Austin]

Let's go to Elliot. Buffalo.

[Caller]

Hello, Steve.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, how are you?

[Caller]

Hey. My question is, what would you do if you didn't succeed in the wrestling business? Like, what would your job or hobby be?

[Steve Austin]

Elliot, that is an outstanding question. Before I got into the wrestling business, I was driving a forklift. I was loading and unloading freight trucks, 18 wheelers. I was doing heavy manual labor, pushing stuff on a cart. So that's what I was doing in 1989 before I got into the business when I decided that I didn't want to take the management route that they wanted to take me to the trucking company, I decided I wanted to be a professional wrestler, which was my dream from when I was about 7 or 8 years old. So I went to wrestling school and I got into the business and I'll tell you what, I did not have a plan B. I did not have an option to fail whatever it was going to take. I was going to bust my ass, apply myself and try to succeed in saying that I didn't know how I would measure success. For me, success was just being able to pay my bills every week and every month and live and sustain myself like I was after I got finished playing college football and worked on a freight dock. I come from a middle class family. My dad sold insurance, my mother hung wallpaper in people's house. And we were never rich and we were never dirt poor. We were just kind of in the middle. And my parents were extremely thrifty and they saved their money and I adopted those same principles from them. So to answer your question, I don't know what I would have done because I didn't have plan B. I probably would have went up into the management ranks like the freight company wanted me to go, and it all turned out that I did okay. But I starved my ass off for a lot of those damn early years in Tennessee and a little bit in Atlanta, and it was a great ride. That ended a little bit sooner than I would have liked to, but God dang, I had a blast doing it as far as just my hobbies and stuff like that. I used to have a ranch down there in South Texas that I like to go to. I like driving my tractor. I like working outdoors. I like riding my Kawasaki mules and my four wheelers and stuff like that. And I like hanging out with my dogs and my wife. I'm pretty much a hermit in Los Angeles. Got a sushi restaurant that I go to that's right down the road from my house, and I like to go to the shooting range just to shoot steel targets. And that's what I like to do.

[Caller]

Thank you for telling me that.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, Elliot, thanks for calling, man. I'll catch you down the road.

[Caller]

Could you say hello to my parents? Their name are Marie and Russell.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, Marie and Russell. Glad y' all called in and glad I got to talk to Elliot. I appreciate the support. Thank you. Oh, let's go to Brandon. Hey, Brandon, how are you?

[Caller]

I'm pretty good.

[Steve Austin]

What do you want to talk about?

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

Okay, if you could work with any

[Caller]

professional general manager, who would it be?

[Steve Austin]

Man, general manager. What are my options?

[Caller]

Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Eric Bischoff, or Paul Heyman?

[Steve Austin]

Man, I tell you what, that's a heck of a list of names right there. God dang, that's a hard one. But, Brandon, if you know anything about me, you know that I'm a Paul Heyman guy. When you look at that list of names, I have tremendous chemistry with Eric Bischoff, with Stephanie, and with Shane. Shane has probably taken 100 stunners from me. I have outstanding chemistry with all of those people. But with Paul Heyman, going back to my days in ECW when he first helped me out, learning how to cut a promo helped me focus and. And help me kind of define or start to really scratch and wonder who and what I was as an entertainer and not just be a guy named Stunning Steve Austin, I really enjoyed working with Paul so much. To answer your question, as a general manager, I would like to work for Paul Heyman, the advocate for Barack Lesnar.

[Caller]

That was well said. Wow.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, Brandon, thanks for the call. I appreciate it. It's Dr. Eric in Oregon.

[Caller]

Oh, stone cold. What up, dude?

[Steve Austin]

Oh, hell yeah. What's going on?

[Caller]

Oh, I'm sitting here with my roommate, college student, and watching old highlights from back in the day. You kicking the Rock's ass?

[Steve Austin]

You know, anytime I could get in there with the Rock and light it up, it was a day off. It was like a day at the park and then to pop a couple of cold ones afterwards and I. And to top it all off, they was paying me for that sh. To work with the most electrifying guy in sports entertainment and then drink beer. Pretty good job, wouldn't you think?

[Caller]

Oh, hell yeah.

[Steve Austin]

What do you want to talk about tonight?

[Caller]

Who do you got or what do you got on the whole McGregor vs. Mayweather thing?

[Steve Austin]

Man, that's a real interesting question because I know it's so current right now to tell you like it is. I haven't watched a real boxing event from top to bottom in 15 or 20 years. Now, when I was growing up, you know, and Hitman Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, I mean, all those guys, I mean, I was a huge boxing fan, but it just seems like when MMA kind of crept up on it, it was just like boxing wasn't quite as exciting and the guys to me didn't resonate with me like some of the names that I just mentioned. So when I got into MMA a long time ago in the ufc, I started really watching more of that. So I know Mayweather is undefeated. I know he's very good on defense. He's more of a. I think he's more of a counterpuncher, not really so much offensive minded. That being said, he is undefeated, so he wins. But as far as McGregor goes, just from a strict boxing standpoint, I don't know, but I just know that McGregor is so dynamic and he's heavy handed. I don't know if he can hit Floyd, but if he does, I think bad things will happen. I was watching an interview the other day. I think Mike Tyson says, hey man, this guy ain't got a chance to beat Floyd Mayweather, but people will buy the pay per view. I think anytime someone's in a fight, anybody has a chance because it's a fighter's chance. And that's not knocking Conor McGregor, because he's not a true just a boxer. I think a guy's a lights out fighter and his record speaks for itself, his accomplishments speak for itself. So it will be a spectacle. I don't know, I don't know how it will go down. What do you think?

[Caller]

Honestly, I think I'M in the same boat. I think if McGregor hits them, I mean, Mayweather might be in trouble, but Mayweather's just gonna. As much as I'd like to see McGregor, when I think Mayweather is going to beat him, he's going to hit him and run away.

[Steve Austin]

Well, yeah, but that's kind of been his M.O.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

all along.

[Steve Austin]

And he's. Jesus Christ. I mean, you know, he's. He's made a lot of money doing this. He's one of the best of the best. And so I got tons of respect for him. But it'd be nice to see Connor go, go out there and connect with a heavy right hand and knock him out. That would shock the world. That's what it would do. Like Muhammad Ali shook up the world a long time ago. This would be shaking up the world in 2017.

[Caller]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I appreciate you calling, Eric.

[Caller]

Oh, yeah. But can I say one more. Can I say two more things real quick?

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Caller]

All right. How about that stunner on Stacy Keebler, though?

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, that's another day at the office drinking beer with Stone Cold. You gotta pay the price.

[Caller]

Exactly. The center on JBL for not bringing drinking with you either, right?

[Steve Austin]

Gotta pay the price. I'm paying the bartender. You gotta pay the price. Go ahead.

[Caller]

All right. My roommate's got something to say. Hey, can you give me a Hell yeah?

[Steve Austin]

Oh, hell yeah.

[Caller]

Appreciate it.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Okay, I got more of your calls coming up, but first gotta take care of another longtime sponsor of the Steve Austin show, and that's TrueCar. If you're in the market for a car, then you need to check out TrueCar. TrueCar gives you the price and information you need to feel confident about your purchase. When you register with TrueCar, you will see what other people in your local area paid for the car you want. And from there you can connect with a local TrueCar certified dealer and enjoy a more confident car buying experience. TrueCar shows you real pricing on actual inventory, so you see competitive pricing offered you by TrueCar certified dealers for vehicles that are actually on their lots. And you'll also see all the dealer incentives before you get to the lot so you can feel confident about the price when you show up. TrueCar makes car buying easy no matter if you're looking for a brand new or used vehicle. And the stats don't lie. Over 3 million cars have been sold to TrueCar users by the TrueCar Certified Dealer Network. There are over 13,000 dealers in that network with some 700,000 pre owned vehicles. Available. So do yourself a favor and go to TrueCar for your next car buying experience. TrueCar doesn't just make the process easier, it'll also save you some money. TrueCar users save an average of over $3,000 off MSRP. So when you're ready to buy a new or used car, visit TrueCar to enjoy a better car buying experience. Some features not available in all states.

[Wade Keller]

Hey, everybody, this is Spike Ferrissen from Spike's Car Radio. We're out here in the porch at the Malibu Kitchen at the Malibu Country Mart every weekend doing podcast. My first guest is Jerry Seinfeld. He's right here. We're gonna have Jeremy Piven. We're gonna have Chris Hardwick. See you soon on Spike Scar Radio. I think he's over projecting for a podcast and I love to over project for podcasts. Join me every [e-mail] and Apple Podcasts. Steve Austin, unleashed. Unleashed.

[Steve Austin]

All right, back to your phone calls right now. Let's go to Derek and Twin Lakes.

[Caller]

Hey, Steve. Awesome. This is pretty insane talking to stone cold Steve Austin.

[Steve Austin]

It is insane. I'm sitting in a damn broadcast studio in Culver City, California, right inside Los Angeles, and you're in Wisconsin. So you won't talk about beer or wrestling, because I know a lot about both.

[Caller]

Okay. Or cheese. We've also got a lot of cheese.

[Steve Austin]

I tell you what, I can tell you a thing or two about cheese.

[Caller]

Okay, well, yeah, we'll do that sometimes.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, let's talk wrestling. What you got?

[Caller]

Yeah. So growing up, like my favorite wrestlers growing up, you know, I was born in 82, so just love the Legion of Doom. Hawk was probably one of my, you know, my top five of all time. They seemed like legitimate old school tough guys. I was just wondering if you had any personal stories that kind of shed light on what they were, what they were like, or anything like that.

[Steve Austin]

Holy smokes, man. When you talk about the Legion of Doom, you know, I got to go back to when those guys are. At least my first recollection of them, when they were just wreaking havoc in the NWA as the Road Warriors. Holy smokes. Those guys came out there, they had them shoulder pads with the spikes, had those, the long tights. They had the makeup, the haircuts, and they were just like super jacked. And both guys were super impressive. But Hawk had those insane traps. So, dude, when the bell rang, I mean, they were just beating the shit out of damn near anybody they come up with. And so they were flat out awesome. And then they go To WWE and they change them to Legion of Doom. Same thing. And here's the thing about Legion of Doom and I wish Hawk was still with us and Animals is still with us, but those guys are so nice and they were always forward thinking to me and they were one of the best tag teams or biggest draws in the history of the business in the tag teams. But those guys, they came up to me one time and I was a fan of theirs and we got along on a personal level and so they were very cool. And they were the ones the Road Wars. It was Mike, Hawk and Animal were the guys that told me and said, hey man, come here, we got an idea for you. They said, hey man, you got this WWF Championship belt, but you're stone cold Steve Austin, you ought to have your own belt. You know, I pitched that idea to Vince and you know, we came out with these Smoking Skull belt, the famous Smoking Skull. But it was those two guys that gave me the damn idea to come up with that belt. And hey man, in the ring I got a chance to tag team with those guys. I don't remember working opposition of those guys, but they were, they were tremendous. And those guys, as big as they were, if it was time to get the heat on them, they would sell for you. But you had to work for that heat because they were big, badass some bitches and they would bring it. So when you got the Road warriors down, whether it was a Hawk or Animal, you better stay on their ass because they ain't gonna sell for long if you did. They were always very protective of their gimmick and very smart about their gimmick. And I used to always love Paul Ellering down at ringside doing his magic as well. So I think you picked out a great tag team. Those guys were awesome.

[Caller]

Yeah, definitely. Do you think it's sad that like today we don't see a lot of guys being a tag team forever? It's sort of a starting point to a singles career.

[Steve Austin]

Man, I tell you what, you are dead correct on that. For some reason you just don't see those lifelong tag teams. You know, I miss it because I love tag team wrestling. And the thing I love about it is you got four guys in there working with the referees. You got five guys rather than three. All the different combinations of things that could happen, drawing the ref, manipulating the crowd, all that stuff is. There can. There's so many things that can be going on in a tag match, it's mind boggling to jump off Lod for a second and Talk about tag team wrestling. Like Dash and Dawson. Do you watch those guys down at nxt? Yeah, those guys are probably. Shit, that's probably the best tag team I've seen in a long ass time. And those matches that they were having with Champa and Gargano were just off the charts. So I really like those guys. They're a whole different ball game from Lod, but just as far as manipulation of the referee, things going on in the ring, that shit, those, those are two damn good tag teams right there. And I don't know with Dash out with that broken jaw, what the future holds for those guys, but shit, you know, we'll see.

[Caller]

Yeah, definitely.

[Steve Austin]

Amen. I appreciate you calling into the show.

[Caller]

Yeah, thanks, Steve. This was, this was awesome, man. I appreciate you and everything you've done and I love you, brother. All right.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I appreciate it. We had some good times going through all them towns in Wisconsin and it's a beautiful state. Have a cold one for me. I'll catch you down the road.

[Caller]

Will do.

[Steve Austin]

Let's go to Ryan. Hey, Ryan, how are you?

[Caller]

Good, how are you?

[Steve Austin]

Hell, I'm doing excellent.

[Caller]

Good. Well, hey, I just had a. Had a question, man. I wanted to see if you could drink a beer with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be?

[Steve Austin]

Boy, you talk about a hell of a question. Drink a beer with three people. Let's go. John Wayne, Evel Knievel.

[Wade Keller]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Elvis Presley. Could have been Steve Ray Vaughan there. He's from Texas. I know you call him from Houston, but man, I think you talk about a hell of a list. I think I'd have to open the bar up and have about 10 or 15 in there. You've been from Houston and. Home of the Houston Texans. I tell you what, I'd like to have a Cold War with J.J. watt, one of the baddest defensive players in the NFL right now.

[Caller]

Yes, sir.

[Steve Austin]

You a football fan?

[Caller]

Absolutely. 100%.

[Steve Austin]

All right. Any more questions for me?

[Caller]

No, I just want to tell you. Thanks, man. Thanks for taking my call. We're big fans down here in Texas. We appreciate it.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, man, I tell you what, I had a blast wrestling in Houston, Texas at WrestleMania 17 way back in the day. Because I grew up 100 miles south of Houston on 59 in Edna, Texas, and down there in Victoria. So when I got a chance to wrestle in that big ass awesome Astrodome and we sold it out, 67,000 plus, it was like a dream come true. So Houston is kind of like my. The big city that was close to where I lived. So I appreciate all your support.

[Caller]

Well, hey, we just opened a restaurant, my company in Denton where you played college, boss. You can give them an. Oh, hell yeah.

[Steve Austin]

What's the name of the restaurant? Let's give them a plug.

[Caller]

It's actually a big company called Raising Cane.

[Steve Austin]

Raising Cane down there in Denton, Texas, home of University of North Texas Mean Green Eagles. I think they're going to have a hell of a season this year. They're putting their program back together, continue to advance the offense and get better on the field on both sides of the football. So I'm looking for big things from my former team, North Texas State University, now University of North Texas. And that's the bottom line. Thank you, Ryan, for the call and oh, hell yeah to everybody down at that restaurant. Let's go to Brian in Kentucky. Hey, Brian, how are you?

[Caller]

Good. My question is, if you could go anywhere during summer, where would you go?

[Steve Austin]

Man, if I could go anywhere during summer, where would I go? Normally I would say the Broken Skull Ranch, but I sold it. And summer in South Texas is very, very hot. You know what I'm going to say? Sparks, Nevada. I got a brother in law living up there. I'm living right smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles, California. Too much traffic. So I'd like to take my Kawasaki mule, go to Sparks, Nevada and go on the mountain range riding my utility vehicle with my brother in law. That's what I'd like to do in the summer. How's that?

[Caller]

That's a good answer.

[Steve Austin]

You got another question for me?

[Caller]

Well, since you sold your Broken Skull Ranch, are you still doing the show?

[Steve Austin]

Yes, we are still doing the Broken Skull Challenge. We never filmed it in South Texas. We filmed that right outside of LA and we start filming about July 21st. So stay tuned. This is going to be season five and this is going to be the biggest, baddest, most epic season ever. Hey, I appreciate you calling in, man. Let's go to Adila.

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

Oh my God. Hi. I'm doing very well, thank you. How are you, sir?

[Steve Austin]

I'm doing good. Did I pronounce your name correctly?

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

You did.

[Caller]

You did.

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

Thank you so much for taking my call. I know you have a lot of calls on queue, so I'm just going to keep it very quick. My question for you, sir, is just to get an understanding of your take on the business right now. Do you think not having competition right now between federations is hurting the product? Just because you were kind of leading the way really, during the Monday night wars back in 98. So I just wanted to get your viewpoint on that. And the other question I had was do you see yourself getting involved with some of the newer talent at the performance center?

[Steve Austin]

First of all, I think competition is paramount. I wish there was another WCW around. It was so fun back in the Monday night wars to go head to head with those guys. They were pulling out everything but the kitchen sink. We were doing the same and they kicked our ass in the ratings for about two years and then we turned the tables on them. But each product was at its absolute best or was striving to be from a writing and performance standpoint and storyline telling standpoint. So competition is key. WWE is the holy grail. It is the major leagues. It always has been. And WCW has put up a valiant fight back in the day. And back in the day I was in WCW fighting wwf. So competition is king. I wish there was another federation for wwe. And as far as. Am I going to make any more appearances as far as being with a superstar? What was that question?

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

Oh no, I was just curious about your. Just because I've noticed a lot of hall of Famers are getting involved with a lot of the newer talent at the performance center and you were just sort of. I don't think anybody touches you from a promo standpoint and even just your skills as a wrestler. So I just wasn't sure if you're mentoring a lot of the newer superstars that are coming in.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, I appreciate that, but I wouldn't say I'm mentoring anybody right now, but I'd love to if I can ever get time. And people kid me about this all the time because I've been saying I would like to go to the NXT Performance center to talk to those kids, but just the schedule never does open up for me to do so. But I know they have a world class training facility down there, but you have to have different banks of knowledge. Stop through there and keep giving you more knowledge so you hear it from everybody. And they've had some great ones down there. I would like to be on that list of great ones to help them in their endeavors to become the biggest draw in the history of the business. I'd love to do that.

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

That would be so great to see, sir. Thank you so much for making my childhood as great as it was. You're a hero to a lot of us. So thank you so much for everything that you brought to the business.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, I had a great time. I appreciate your support and I appreciate you calling in off all the Way from Toronto, Canada.

[Caller (Female, Toronto)]

No, thank you, sir. I really appreciate it.

[Steve Austin]

Take care. Let's go to Nicholas.

[Caller]

Hey, Steve, how's it going? It's going all right. Mind's getting kind of blown right now. I can't believe I'm talking to you.

[Steve Austin]

What do you want to talk about tonight?

[Caller]

I just want to ask you, what was your favorite Stone Cold stunner and who was it on?

[Steve Austin]

Man, there's been so many. I always love Stunt in the Rock because the way he sold that damn thing, you never knew what he was going to do next. And so he was just, like, amazing. As far as my favorite stunner, had to be the first one on Vince McMahon, and I was on Monday Night Raw. But it was the first time, you know, Vince had ever taken a stunner, first time I'd ever give it to him. And that caught the attention of the world. Really. People talked about that and they got into that feud, and I loved working with that guy. So that that stunner right there would probably be the most important stunner of my career, other than the one I hit Shawn Michaels with for my first championship. But as far as importance to the Stone Cold character and starting a hell of a run, stunning Vince McMahon for

[Caller]

the first time, good deal. That is awesome. Yeah, you're one of my favorite wrestlers, and I grew up watching you.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

All right, gang, thanks again for all the calls. Like I said, we'll be running all the calls on upcoming Unleashed shows, so if you didn't hear your call today, you will in a future show. And I got Wade Keller standing by. We're going to get to him right after this. My name is Raven, professional wrestling superstar, raconteur extraordinaire, and other adjectives. Or is it adverbs? Anyway, join me in a motley assortment of friends, enemies, ne' er do wells

[Caller]

and know nothings as we banter about

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

all kinds of nonsense every Monday here at the Jericho Network on Podcast One.

[Caller]

Download and listen to the show on

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Podcast1.com, the Podcast One app and Apple podcasts.

[Wade Keller]

Quote the Raven Nevermore. Steve Austin. Steve Austin Unleashed. Unleashed.

[Steve Austin]

All right, here we go.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Wade Keller weekly update on Thursday. Steve Austin show Unleashed podcast. Wade, how are you?

[Wade Keller]

I'm doing great. Back home settled in no more mile high elevation, causing me to get winded doing the show. It's all good.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And you got all settled back in in many. And I'm over here in LA and I had technology problems. God dang, we're sitting there trying to do this update every single week and we're going to keep this one short and concise. I turn on Monday Night Raw and the first thing is I got no satellite. My satellite dish will not communicate with my box. My wife starts jumping through the hoops. Call the technicians. About an hour and a half later we, we got squat. To this day as I record this podcast, I don't have anything. So I had to go to the WWE.com website, watch a few highlights. So I have some of my picks. But let's go through this thing in kind of a semi rapid fire fashion. Let's see if we can keep this thing around the 20 minute mark. I know when you and I start talking to business pro wrestling, it's easy to spin on and on and on.

[Steve Austin]

But first off, I know you got

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

some heads ups you want to throw out there, Wade. One, regarding your podcast and two, regarding Cody Rhodes.

[Wade Keller]

Yeah, yeah. Well I'll get just a quick plug out of the way. I announced last week on your show that my show that I currently do four days a week that's available at pwtorchlivecast.com There's a whole bunch of shows on that network that I do or that our team does at the torch. My four shows are going to be moving to podcast one next month. They'll be debuting the week of July 10th or the 17th and so we're going to do four shows a week. One on Monday nights that'll go up early Tuesday covering raw. One that'll be available late Tuesday night or early Wednesday covering Smackdown. And there are going to be very specific topics. We're going to just go in depth on Raw with co hosts and emails and discussions. Then the Thursday show will be kind of a flagship where we talk about a broad array of topics. And then Friday show is going to be an interview, a weekly interview and you can subscribe right now. There's only a 75 second teaser up right now when you subscribe, but you can go to itunes right now and enter Wade Keller and the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling podcast logo and feed will pop up and you can start subscribing now. So go for that. It'll start to propagate through all the podcast manager apps out there. But I'm excited to start with Podcast one and it's a great opportunity and I hope all of your listeners who enjoy the wrestling talk will follow me over there too for even more outstanding.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And let's talk about a little bit of new Japan pro wrestling action coming up in Los Angeles actually in the Long beach area July 1, July 2, New Japan Pro Wrestling coming to town. I know I've got a couple of guys from New Japan coming to my podcast. They won't be on in time to plug that show so I'm giving that date to everybody in the Los Angeles area. I think both shows are indeed sold out, but check Long beach is the venue, check out the building and they are coming to town on July 1st and 2nd as I have some of those cats rolling over here for the podcast. As far as other updates, Wade, what you got?

[Wade Keller]

Well, Cody just Cody Rhodes won the ROH World title Friday on their pay per view, beat Christopher Daniels. Now he's going into the weekend with a match against Okada. And so it's just, it's a big week for Cody Rhodes obviously. I mean a big month for Cody Rhodes to go from, you know, being a post WWE guy getting his footing outside of wwe. And I'm sure, I mean he was confident that what he was doing would that he had the talent to make it work without WWE's machinery behind him. And I know a lot of people in WWE like Cody and we're wishing him luck and it was a good move for him. This is really showing he is earning the respect of everybody out there who's not part of the WWE machine. I mean New Japan has confidence in him to put him in a main event match against their top guy on the LA show. Ring of Honor has confidence to give him the run with the ROH World title. This is a, you know, in terms of a non WWE wrestler, Cody's one of the biggest stories this year and I'm curious how he comes across Saturday. This is a big test for him to show that he can look like he belongs against somebody at Okada's level who's just the best in the business right now. So I'm really looking forward just kind of on a personal level following Cody's career, seeing style wise how that matchup works and you kind of see what his upside is as a worker outside of WWE and good match Friday night and has had a reputation for having good matches but not great matches yet. And Okada is that opportunity. So that's one talking point this week going into the weekend.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And I'll tell you what, you know, shout out and props to Cody Rhodes for having a success he's had because man, once you jump off the machine, you try to test your the waters on your own and you're able to have the kind of success that he's had. Man, that speaks volume so, man, I'm proud of him because that's a big leap and it's a leap of faith and you're banking on yourself and taking a chance on yourself and believing in yourself that you can cash in. And it looks with what's happening that he is. So we'll see how the match goes with Okada. I wish him nothing but the best. That's a big leap when you jump from the biggest employer in the world and go out on your own and find your way. And I know that took a lot of balls to do that. So props to Cody Rhodes for doing that. We'll see how his future goes. But congrats to him so far along the way. Hey, I've got notes all over the place here with respect to Raw and smackdown. Just the way I had to look at the highlights on WWE.com One of the things that jumped off at me was the big Cass Enzo reunion. Fother Hill turn by Cass right here in my notes. I have very nice, really good promo by both guys. Really, really good by cast. Because sometimes you can go out there and get that deer in the headlights look. But it just came. He was very sincere. Enzo, off the charts, good acting with tears in his eyes. And boy, I tell you what, they pulled it off inside the ring. You thought something was going to come

[Steve Austin]

here, but they didn't give it to you.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And right as they're riding off in the sunset, all is well in Shangri La.

[Steve Austin]

And bam.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

It's the big clothesline by Cass. Double cross on the ramp. He furthers the action by throwing Enzo down the ramp like a piece of trash. Really thought it was a nice segment. Showed big cast in a great light. And also Enzo was spectacular as well. But really nice job here. What did you think about the heat going to Big Cass? Because there was legit heat there.

[Wade Keller]

I loved it. I watched that and I thought to myself, I don't want anyone to tell me Kayfabe is dead. Everybody knows it's scripted, so we need to have shades of gray. There's no shades of gray there. People liked Enzo. They disliked Cass. The acting was great. You're right. Enzo, two years ago, go watch some NXT shows from a couple years ago. Enzo had a little deer in a headlights look. He didn't exude that confidence that you need to be a top heel or babyface. He's confident now. I thought there was a lot of good stuff. And you and I agree on the acting and the tears and the emotions. They had me buying it. I'm sitting here processing in my head, okay, who are they going to feud with next? Now that they've decided to put off the breakup till later? It was so convincing. And what jumped out to me is at the very end, Cass looking at the crowd after he turned at Enzo, turned on Enzo, and the way that he looked at the crowd and talked trash to them afterwards, I thought that was a money moment. That convinced me more than anything else that he had done that he's ready. He doesn't have that. Yeah, the deer in the headlights or whatever it was that's stopped him from breaking out. I think he's going to be a money heel. But I also want to give credit to Enzo. I think a lot of people were thinking, oh, you know, Enzo and Cass together, they're greater than the whole, is greater than the sum of the parts. And if you separate them, they're not going to be that. That good. I mean, that might turn out to be the case, but Enzo showed a lot more range here than we've seen, because he's usually a goofball in the funny hat with the funny hair, doing the funny lines, doing the majority of the talking. But it's all kind of, you know, frivolous stuff. He showed some acting range here. I think if they did not have big plans for Enzo after the last two weeks, I think they need to rethink that and figure out how they can make money and put Enzo in a position to contribute.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah. But I'd like to. I would say I wouldn't put him in the goofball category. I would. I would categorize him as that wild

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

card guy with some it factor there,

[Steve Austin]

because, yeah, he can be over the

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

top, but I wouldn't call him a

[Steve Austin]

goofball, because that's almost an insult. He's just that guy.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

He's charismatic. He has a way with words. He has a presence.

[Steve Austin]

Sometimes he gets a little spun up in it. But anyway, nice job. But I don't want to write him

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

off as a J. Brone here. I thought he did a great job here, and he's great on the stick, and he has a great Persona.

[Wade Keller]

Yeah. And I think that was a perception of him. I think that he showed there's more there. Eric Young, for instance, who's in NXT now, Insanity in tna, he did a lot of light, frivolous, goofball comedy, and then he got serious and kind of channeled Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer. And I'm wondering if there isn't something Enzo can do. He's not Gonna be a great flashy cruiserweight worker. But if he can, like, yeah, like you're saying, if he can channel, kind of do what Eric Young did, channel the Mad Dog, unpredictable, crazed. There's a vicious side to him a little bit what flyboy Rock O Rock did in ECW where Sing Song, all smiles and then boom. He could turn in an instant and you'd be like, oh, crap. This guy's got street toughness, too. I hope Enzo and WWE go that direction with him. He showed me a lot in this in the last two weeks, too. But Cass, I'm excited about now. We got to see him hold his own in some singles matches on the main event scene again.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

All he has to do is great, just good, solid work.

[Steve Austin]

Don't work like a cruiserweight. Don't worry about taking the big bumps.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Just work logic, be mean, be vicious, sell when it's your time to sell. Don't turn into super cowardly mode. Don't oversell. Just sell and learn. Sometimes working against guys that are smaller than you, register and then if they get you into sell mode, then sell, but be vicious in your heap. Good luck to Big Cass. Good luck to both of them.

[Wade Keller]

Steve, real quick, before you flip to the next subject on Cass, who should he study tapes of over the decades?

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Man, that's a good question. Just from, you know, if you say baby face, I say Barry Windham. But right now, in the heel vein that he's going, I just maybe even healed Barry Windham, but I like Barry better as a baby. I don't want to say bruiser because anybody can study bruiser just because of just the generality of what he did was awesome. Just off the cuff, it's hard for me to pinpoint someone that I would say, hey, big cast as a pretty good sized heel, here's who you should study. So I'd have to get back to you on that note. Who would you say?

[Wade Keller]

I'd say some Kevin Nash, because Kevin Nash by necessity wrestled a big man style, but he carried himself in the ring deliberately and with confidence and exuded that confidence and used his size. But there's some Barry Windham in him in that there's more natural athleticism, even just Rick Rude. Rick Rude wasn't a big man wrestler, but Rick Rude was never. He didn't do flashy stuff. What he did looked badass, incredible. So, I mean, that's just. I didn't plan my answer either. I'd have to think about it. But just think about not. Yeah, like you said, don't don't be trying to do dives and top rope moves. Focus on being tough, incredible and carrying yourself like, not that you're in no hurry, that it becomes boring, but that you're not trying to impress the crowd, you're trying to win matches.

[Steve Austin]

What I'm waiting for, Wade right now

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

is the next guy to really step up and show in intensity and a little bit more mean streak. I talk about this all the time. No one has really, really done it. Braun Strowman has. There's a couple of guys like a Brock Lesnar or like John Cena is just respect when it comes time to deliver offense. When I don't include certain names because they're already there. I'm talking about this new group of guys. I'm just still waiting for that next guy to just jump out because of intensity. So if there's one thing I would say to Big Cass, intensity. And when I say intensity, I don't mean just fast forward pace of rushing things. It's just with just delivery and execution and just that demeanor with which you carry yourself. So that would be something that I would say for big cast to focus on. But let's move on. Down the road is Roman Reigns on Monday Night Raw.

[Wade Keller]

Yeah. Yes.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Okay, let's stay here then. I got the Roman promo. He accepts the amulets match at Great Balls of Fire. I have in my notes Roman was great. Bron is terrific. I'm looking forward to this match. Roman came out here, he delivered this promo. He goes, hey man, I might have something you guys like. And you know, that is an aside. I mean, he's really starting to loosen up and he's really playing this straight down the middle.

[Steve Austin]

Whether you like him or you hate

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

him, he's just playing it and he's starting to loosen up and show some personality and I like it. So I'm looking forward to seeing Roman keep developing. He's getting to me. Here's another guy who's getting some confidence behind him and whether they're booing him

[Steve Austin]

or cheering him, and they damn near

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

blew the roof off for Braun. But whatever role Roman's in, he's really settling into the groove here. I have Bron is really over as a baby. Roman continues to get over. I'm looking forward to this match. What did you think about the segment performance?

[Wade Keller]

Yeah, I think both came across as stars. I don't think Braun threw his arm. I don't think Braun Strowman threw his arms into the air and yelled multiple times. Steve, did you notice that?

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Yes, I did. And I think that's great.

[Wade Keller]

Yeah. I don't know where we're gonna land with how fans react to Braun Strowman and how they react to Roman Reigns, but I feel like that's okay at this point. It is like I, I, I believe that the fans very, very much liked Enzo and disliked Cas. I think they are that there are times that fans absolutely are cheering for the babyface, booing the heel and everybody's doing their job and everybody's cast well and it just plays out well with this. It's intriguing because the fans kind of like Bron. I think he's destined to be kind of like a Kane, you know, a guy who's who turns baby face and he's the monster who fights for right but is willing to go to certain extremes to do it. And against the right heel, a Baron Corbin type fans will look forward to and pay for it. But I totally agree with you, Roman. Loosening up and being more real, less corporate, less tied to scripted lines, more reacting to the crowd is the right direction for him to go now telling an audience booing him, you're going to like this because I'm going to talk about Samoa Joe, you know, destroying me in the ring. It's interesting. I mean, I don't know where it goes, but I think it's better to follow this natural path of him letting loose a little bit than it is to just white knuckle your way through babyface promos where everybody boos you. So I'm intrigued and I'm intrigued with where they land at SummerSlam too.

[Steve Austin]

But it's almost a slight sarcasm, self deprecating.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And so it's like, hey, you know,

[Steve Austin]

yeah, I'm still okay.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

I used to really not like this

[Steve Austin]

guy, but okay, I get it.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And he's not taking himself so seriously. You know, he's kind of letting you off the hook. You make the decision, but he really doesn't give a damn. And so I just think he's going straight down the road. He continues to get loose and I like it. And just a little bit more personality guy, because he does have personality, but he's. And I don't have zero. I just keep doing what you're doing, Roman. You're getting it.

[Wade Keller]

Now the crowd is booing him louder than ever.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

I mean, that's cool. It's that reaction and that means the kid is getting over.

[Wade Keller]

It's just what I still worry about is if the crowds keep booing him and he keeps facing heels that the Crowds are going to cheer the heels and boo him, and it's just going to mess things up a little bit. I mean, ideally, everybody's cast, everybody's slotted in a way where the heels don't go from being booed against AJ Styles to cheered against Roman to then being booed against the next babyface they wrestle at some. I'm just saying at some point this isn't ideal and I don't think it's long term, but I think it's part of a journey to something. And I think the journey we're on now is better than where Roman was four months ago.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, the journey, it's still a work

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

in progress, so you can still make

[Steve Austin]

those adjustments from week to week, but

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

at least getting through this match, I think is going to be fine. But I agree, long term, I think you kind of need to make a decision as far as, you know, you just can't slide him against a heel and then a baby or he's always going to be the heel just because.

[Steve Austin]

So it does need some distinct direction.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

But I think it's. The last year has been kind of chaotic from when they tried to turn him, baby, it didn't work so much because people thought they were shoving him too hard for all the reasons, the riding reasons, and then the force line. So just it's finally starting to feel natural. So I'm happy for him and he just looks loads more comfortable.

[Wade Keller]

I agree. And I mean, that's what we talked about with Cass. Some of it is just fans pick up on fear and nervousness and discomfort and inauthenticity. And I think there's something about Roman that feels more authentic right now. And I think that's step one to getting him because he's super talented, super charismatic, has a great presence. But there's other things on the other side of the ledger working against him, and one of those was inauthenticity, maybe the biggest one. And so if they can check that box and move it to the other side now, we're talking big money, not just wwe having to talk about a thunderous reaction while trying to figure out, well, it's the wrong reaction. If he can feel authentic, I think fans are going to be more willing to be loyal to him and the WWE brand, however he is presented.

[Steve Austin]

And to wrap it up, he is

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

definitely feeling more like a superstar.

[Wade Keller]

I agree. Yep.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Hey, let's talk about the Paul Heyman promo. I kind of started watching Paul cut this promo and because I was running short on time, just kind of Fast forward it. But because it said on the headline that Brock's going to get choked out by Samoa Joe. And I'm watching the Paul promo and, well, there was the story. Paul's doing the promo, brings down the beast incarnate, Brock Lesnar, Samoa Joe, Shanghai's him from behind. Boom, Goes to choke him out. Brock throws him up against that teleprompter, that gigantic Titantron, whatever you call it. But man was just trying like hell to get Joe off of his back. Almost succeeded. And it was just a great segment, man. By the end of it, Brock was turning purple. Damn near choked him out. Slipped that elbow, that bottom part of Joe's arm underneath that chin because it looked like it was damn near chute. And, boy, I'll tell you what, babies came out there and separated those two. And Brock was in cell mode. And Joe looked like a junkyard dog, mad as hell meme and just was ready to beat the hell out of Brock. I thought it was executed awesomely.

[Wade Keller]

Here's my question for you. You've been on both sides of the ledger as an established top guy with people wanting to come up and test the main event waters. You spent a lot of years as a guy testing the main event waters, and other people had political power or had established themselves as main eventers. Right now, Heyman and Lesnar are at the top, and Joe's the new guy. Veteran, highly respected, main evented a lot of places and had great matches. He's not a rookie by any means, but he's trying to establish I can be a top money draw in WWE in the top, top mix. But to get there, ultimately, you need the backing of the booker and the promoter or the wrestler you're working with. And I'm sensing Heyman and Lesnar, who have some pull. And Heyman's a genius in the wrestling context and probably any context. I'm sensing they are. They look at Joe and go, we want to make this guy. And we're willing to cash in some chips that we don't use on a Dean Ambrose or, you know, pick your guy that they've. They've wrestled. We want to make this guy. I'm sensing no matter what happens between Joe and Lesnar, Joe's going to come out of it stronger, and Heyman and Lesnar are going to be part of making that happen. Are you picking up on that? Because you, you've, I'm sure you've sensed at times over the years when you were working with main event guys, this guy's on my side trying to help me or this guy's trying to get through this feud and isn't buying me as a guy sees me as a threat.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, I think. No, I think Brock is.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Man, he's such a great business guy, and I think there's mutual respect there. And I know Paul, he probably loves Joe, and I just think, yeah, they're trying like hell to help get this guy over to the next level. Joe's done a great job of getting himself over and just going down that. That road of just. That was that intensity level that I

[Steve Austin]

really wanted to see from Joe.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

You know, sometimes, you know, when he would have those great matches with what was his. Who's the Japanese wrestler. They used to always wrestle over there in Ring of Honor because he had some classic was Masawa or it was a Kibashi.

[Steve Austin]

But sometimes in those matches, I can't remember who it was, but that sometimes there's a lack.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

You know, they would be going 30, 35, 40 minutes. So sometimes there's that lack of sense of urgency on some of the false finishes that could have been there. So if you can just employ that look that he gave Brock at the end, just. That's the spark that I needed to see out of Joe. Just a little bit more meanness. I know you're mean to begin with, Joe. Know you're a technician, you're one of the best workers in the world, but just give me a little bit of that. Hey, fuck you got. So I'm sorry to cuss, this is my unleashed show, but we're talking about wrestling.

[Steve Austin]

I. I mean, Joe really made me

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

feel at the end that, God dang, he wants that belt. And that's the only thing, that intensity that I've really been looking to see from Joe. And he delivered. So I thought it was an outstanding job. To answer your question, yes, I think Brock and Paul want to help this guy out as much as possible. Whether who goes over, you probably think just looking on paper, it's going to be Brock because of where we're going in the future. But, yes, Joe will come out of this win winning or losing farther up than he was when he started.

[Wade Keller]

Absolutely. And I also want to compliment Heyman's promo later in the show when he reacted to what happened. The line where he predicted Lesnar will finally take Joe to Suplex City and hit an F5. And after Joe is victimized and emasculated and his manhood has crawled up inside his stomach, he'll look up at his trainer and say, oh, dear God. Is that what it's like to fight the Beast? Goodness gracious, great balls of fire. I popped. Oh, it was, it was. It was Kevin Spacey esque in the way that he delivered that line with a little Southern twang at the end. I just popped. That was one of my favorite Paul Heyman moments of the past couple years. Your manhood crawling up inside your stomach and you'll look up at the trainer and say, oh, dear God. I mean, just great. Paul Heyman.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

That sounds like that's a money promo. I missed it on the highlights that I watched. I won't go back and try to find that, but that is absolute awesome gold. I mean, Paul Heyman's been laying down gold for a long time, but the way you just delivered that coming from you, you said what Paul Heyman said speaks volume. So, yeah, that's awesome. And when you get a chance to go back and recap something like that and further set up this match and. And like we were talking a few weeks ago, what kind of match is this? What's the style? And so now you get in, we'll see how this thing goes. You know, the first five, eight, ten minutes, what is it going to be? Tit for tat or filling each other out? Or finally, he does go into Suplex City and then just starts taking Joe all over town. And then Joe does something to stop him and then sets in the heat or just his offense, you know, so they're really building this thing nicely.

[Steve Austin]

I love it.

[Wade Keller]

Yeah. And I mean, if Joe. And he showed it against Kibashi and Roh, if Joe can channel that kind of. And he can. I mean, he's older now, but he can channel that kind of credible style. And the way that Lesnar sold for him on the stage to build up that this is a killer hold that can even take out the Beast. And then to have Heyman say it's going to be a different story at the pay per view, this is. You know, there are still money players in pro wrestling, people who can sell tickets with a promo or an angle. And Brock and Heyman, and now I'm putting Joe in that mix. I think they're using Joe just pitch perfect how Joe should be used.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And a credit to WWE for presenting us as serious business, because that's when you get into. To me, the serious stuff is the best stuff. And you can have entertainment in there, a dash of. Of humor.

[Steve Austin]

But the bulk of.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

To me, wrestling that draws money or draws viewers is serious business. This is serious business. Well done. Money in the bank. Carmela cashes in. Well, she didn't cash in. She ends up winning again with. What's his name? What's his name? James Ellsworth.

[Wade Keller]

James Ellsworth?

[Steve Austin]

Yeah.

[Wade Keller]

James Ellsworth.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

James Ellsworth. God dang, that guy's entertaining as hell. Thought he was barred from the building. Whatever happened, I just saw the highlights. And so Carmella ends up with the briefcase. I like this because I didn't get a chance to see the match, but I like this because I liked her with the briefcase to begin with. Had she won it on her own again, as I stated a week or two ago, her promos have really been coming out. Her character is really starting to come out. She's starting to really just get more confidence and get on a little roll here. So I was down with it. I didn't get a chance to see all of the matches, just a few of the highlights. Hey, man, those are risky matches. James Ellsworth finally pulled off that bump I was talking about last week. The splitter on the top rope gets him out of the way and Carmela gets a briefcase. Your thoughts?

[Wade Keller]

Yeah. I am happy Carmela won again because I think we talked about it last week. She's so good with a briefcase, gloating about it. It's still kind of iffy from a credibility standpoint for Daniel Bryan to say, James Ellsworth's banned from the building and then James Ellsworth ends up interfering and to frame this as well, Carmella. I mean, Carmella's a heel. She shouldn't win fair and square because there's not a lot of heat there. If she does, other than her gloating over the top in an over the top way. Her character needs to gloat, but her character needs to gloat and take credit for something she didn't accomplish on her own. So she still has that now. And so I like to finish in that respect. But I want Daniel Bryan next week to show some authority that, yeah, we're not going to undo this match because at least you did unclip the briefcase this time. But Ellsworth interfering is not acceptable. He is banned from the building. He needs to do something in response, and I don't know if that's fine, and suspend James Ellsworth for a month, whatever. Do something so it fans don't feel like his words don't mean anything. He can't just shrug his shoulders and go, well, I wish we had better security to keep the guy out. That's not enough. So that's my critique of the story. But that said, I'm happy where they landed. And I think Becky now has another case. She's frustrated. I'm playing it fair and square and she's the one who had to deal with Ellsworth. Ellsworth threw Carmella into the ring. Becky was going to win or look like she might be able to win, and she had to deal with Ellsworth tipping the ladder over, knocking him onto the top rope. She climbs quickly for the briefcase, but Carmella's had all this time to recover because Ellsworth was in the way. So Becky now can continue her journey too, of being frustrated, trying to play it by the rules and having things work against her.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, let's move on.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

One of the things that jumped off to me on Smackdown was Sasha Banks going over in a gauntlet match. And I thought this was a nice setup from the highlights I saw because my directv went out with Nia eliminating everyone and in the ring. And so finally, when it came down to Nia versus Sasha Banks, surely you felt this was going to be the same thing because she was the biggest woman in there. She's really coming around. She's turned into a really good worker. And not so fast, my friend. Sasha Banks over with the bank statement, winning the gauntlet match, thereby setting up a match between herself and Alexa Bliss, who came out drop kicked by Sasha, picks up the belt. There's a tease there to Alexa setting up this match. Is that Great Balls of Fire where this match will happen?

[Wade Keller]

Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, I think it has to.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

Or is it just saying, hey, I'm, you know, looking at taking, I got a shot at your title now because.

[Steve Austin]

What was that?

[Wade Keller]

Oh, no, it was. Well, it was. It was number one contendership. But I think, I think that it'll. It's. I think it's probably a given that it'll end up at Great balls of

[Steve Austin]

Fire, but what did you mean at

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

the booking of the match? I liked it because it made now it looked like a million bucks and it made sense. And then all of a sudden, with the story being what it was, here comes Sasha. And Sasha needed a big win. Now she's still a baby, right?

[Wade Keller]

Yeah. Yep.

[Steve Austin]

But to me, it was funny because

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

at the end I thought she was going to get a bigger pop than that. I've been kind of taking her more in a heel vein from just the way she's being booked. So I guess not straight up heel, but not just full fledged baby, but not a heel.

[Steve Austin]

But she held up that belt and

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

the response that she got through me, because if she's working, baby, I expected a bigger response. She has one of the best gimmicks in pro wrestling, in my opinion. I just love the legit boss. I love Sasha Banks, but I like her as a heel better. So what were your thoughts when she held up that belt and then going between the matchup of her and Alexa Bliss?

[Wade Keller]

Yeah, well, I mean, I like the matchup. I do think a couple things are at play. One, Sasha, it was, came in with big hype and a great background in nxt and things didn't go really well for her. Not as badly as things have gone for, like Charlotte last few weeks, where she's kind of lost in the mix. So. But I think what the crowd reaction in part is, I think people are starting to like Alexa and I also think they gained respect for Nia Jax. So when Sasha won, it wasn't. I love. I really like the booking of the match in this sense that Nia Jax was plows through a bunch of people to set up Sasha as the one who's coming out and she's going to do what all these other women couldn't do, which is take it to a woman who's twice as big as her. And so that's a good underdog babyface storyline. But Sasha's not that big underdog babyface. This might have been a better scenario if Bayley was in this spot than Sasha Banks and her current character. That said, I still like the way it was booked. I like getting Sasha back into the title mix and it makes sense. I thought Nia Jax earned some respect. That was a long time to be out there. 30 minutes being. I mean, she was out there 30 minutes and yes, a little bit of break for all the ring intros, but I think she gained some respect for being able to pull that off the way that she did. But I think ultimately Alexa Bliss might be destined to be a babyface. And I don't know how long it'll take, but she's so witty. I think fans want to see her turn that wit against heels. And so in the long run or the short run, somewhere along the line, I think fans are going to start cheering Alexa and Vince is just going to have to turn her. So that might be at play a little bit too, where fans are thinking, I kind of like Alexa more than Sasha, but let's see how it plays out. I mean, they've got a few weeks to tell their story on tv and

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

I can see what you're saying there. And Alexa, the way she is on the mic, very quick witted and very sharp, might end up turning, just turning herself, baby. But like I said, I, I love Sasha as a heel. I think she's one of the. As a heel, she's one of the best in the organization. So I just take her as a heel. She's very good as a baby. I just love how nasty. I go back to the NXT Takeover match she had in Brooklyn with Bailey when she was working the hand and she's just a natural heel, but she's phenomenal. I love the whole gimmick. But anyway, that's what jumped off to me.

[Steve Austin]

Wade, when I look back at the highlights.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

You got 31 minutes in the can. Anything to wrap this thing up?

[Wade Keller]

No, no. I mean, I think we hit the topics from the two shows.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

All right, you're coming to podcast one. Lay it down for me one more time.

[Wade Keller]

Yes. Subscribe right now on itunes. I know you can find us in Beyond Pod on Android, so just enter in the search Wade Keller. And if it pops up, if it doesn't now, it will within a few days. We're propagating right now. Let's get a big subscriber base going before the debut in a few weeks. And I'll be on podcast one four days a week. An in depth show on Raw, an in depth show on Smackdown, a broader wide array of topics on the third show and then an interview on the fourth show. That's the plan. We're going to have a lot of email interaction, we're going to do some calls, a lot of cool co hosts and guest hosts. I'm really looking forward to it. If you like what I do here on the Steve Austin Show Unleashed, you will like a bigger dose of my analysis throughout the week now at Podcast one. So just search Wade Keller and let's get the subscriptions rolling.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And that's the bottom line because Wade Keller said so.

[Steve Austin]

Wade, good talking to you.

[Wade Keller]

Thanks so much, Steve. Always a pleasure.

[Steve Austin]

All right, everybody, give me the go home Q.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

It's time to wrap up his podcast and ride off into the sunset. Once again, if you didn't hear your phone call, your call to the studio on today's episode, you will. On a future episode, probably when I go start filming Broken Skull Challenge. Thank you for your support. And before I move on and get some plugs in, I got to give you guys something to watch. Get onto WWE Network and watch Sasha Banks the legit boss versus Bayley. Bayley and I are going to continue our conversation on Tuesday. It's part two of that podcast and we're going to get into that match and actually watch the entire match together and talk about it. A lot of fun talking to Bailey. She finishes up her conversation. Class act. It was real fun talking to her and it was real fun watching that match with Bayley as she took on the legit boss Sasha Banks there at Brooklyn at NXT Takeover. So watch that match so you'll be able to keep up with the conversation as we break that match down. Hey. Prowrestlingtease.com SteveAustin has all the shirts that I wore on the last season of Broken Skull Challenge and we're about to go into production right around the corner. Got new T shirts on the way. Best damn IPA on the planet is Broken Skull IPA from El Segundo Brewing Company. You can get Broken Skull IPA at Whole Foods and Total Wines if you live in Cali. If you ain't in Cali, check inside the cellar.com to see if they ship to your state. And if you're looking for anything Steve

[Steve Austin]

Austin related, you can get it straight

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

from the horse's mouth at broken skull ranch.com including the Cold steel Broken Skull

[Steve Austin]

knife and the Working man knife.

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

And you can get them at my new Amazon store. It don't get any easier or cheaper than that. Amazon has the best price 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.

[Steve Austin]

That's how I'm able to do this

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

podcast for you twice a week for free. And you can find all my [e-mail]

[Steve Austin]

just click on the Killer Deals button

[Podcast Host (Steve Austin Show Producer)]

at the top of the page and then click on the Steve Austin show banner. Folks, keep listening. The 62nd AP news headlines are coming up next. Until then, my name is Steve Austin and I will catch your ass down the road.

[Wade Keller]

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.

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