Damage Poster Revealed

This is the first teaser image from the feature film "Damage" starring WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin, which is currently in distribution negotiations.

Stone Cold Intverview about Career / HOF

RATTLESNAKE SPEAKS OUT

Stone Cold Steve Austin knows that he wasn’t the best technical wrestler in the business. At 6-2 and only 250 pounds, he wasn’t even close to the biggest. He wasn’t the handsomest or most muscular, either.

Most exciting? Now there -- Stone Cold would give any wrestler who ever stepped into the ring a run for his money.

All he did, better than anybody, was put fannies in seats.

“I did sell a ton of tickets to the matches, and I did sell a ton of merchandise. In the wrestling business, it doesn’t really matter how many times you were champion. It’s how many tickets you sold. For whatever reason, I sold more tickets than anybody else. I broke pay-per-view TV records. That’s my legacy. That’s the thing I’ll hang my hat on,” says Austin.

He’s the main reason that 15,000 people will pack Toyota Center for the World Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday. They will watch Austin, maybe for the last time in his role as a wrestler, take his place among the legends of the business he loves.

“I grew up 100 miles south of Houston on down Highway 59. I grew up watching Paul Boesch’s Houston Wrestling. I fell in love with the business when I was 7 or 8 years old. All I ever wanted to be was a professional wrestler. Wrestling was the biggest thing in my life. It made my heart beat and my blood flow,” he says.

He loved wrestling even when things were rough, when he was making no money (paying dues and starving), when he was fired from promotions and his career seemed stalled.

He broke into wrestling in 1989, after seeing an ad for a wrestling school in Dallas. He had long, flowing blond hair and not a clue where wrestling might take him, but a lot of desire and a fierce competitive streak.

“I was by no means an overnight success. What success I eventually did attain was the result of hard work. I always had a competitive nature. I learned the mechanics of wrestling really well and really fast. I learned how to have a good match, but I didn’t have the right gimmick.,” he says.

He foundered in smaller wrestling promotions, calling himself Superstar Steve Austin, Stunning Steve Austin and even one of the Hollywood Blonds and a member of the Stud Stable. Nothing caught the fans’ attention. He was a worker, a jobber, a mechanic — someone that bigger stars beat on their way to championship matches and bigger paychecks. .

In 1995, when Vince McMahon offered him a job with the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment), Austin still didn’t have a clear idea who he was.

“They brought me up there strictly as a mechanic. There were no plans to make me a star,” he says.

A year later, it, the gimmick he was searching for, happened. He shaved his head and became Stone Cold Steve Austin, the ultimate renegade and anti-hero. His character didn’t give a flip for authority in general, and Vince McMahon in particular. Together, they began a run that shattered every box office and TV ratings record in wrestling history. Every night, in the biggest arenas around the world, the show ended with Stone Cold giving the Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment a Stone Cold Stunner, followed by Austin toasting the crowd by slamming two cans of beer together and pouring them over his face.

Although he continued to appear on TV wrestling, injuries caught up with Austin and his last year as a full-time wrestler was 2004.

“I was in the wrestling business for 14, maybe 15 years, I really stopped counting. But the first seven years, as far as paying my dues and learning the game, really don’t count toward the Stone Cold part. I was really hot for only a few years. I draw a comparison with myself and Gale Sayers, the football player. He was a great running back for only a short time. But he was so incredible that he didn’t need a 14-year career. He is remembered for the few spectacular years that he did have.

“What drove me was the emotion. When I was hot, we were sold out seven days a week. I fed off the energy of having those people cheer for me. Vince McMahon loved to be hated, and the people loved me. … I didn’t want to quit wrestling. I didn’t walk away on my own. Injuries ended it for me.”

When his name is announced as the newest member of the WWE Hall of Fame, for the first time as a wrestler, he will step to the microphone — and have no idea what he’ll say.

“I’ve been trying to come up with a speech. I’m so thrilled and excited about this. But going up there and talking about myself the real person, not Stone Cold Steve Austin the wrestler, is a whole different ball game. You wouldn’t think that Stone Cold, the character, would ever get emotional, but I am a pretty emotional person. … Wrestling was a large part of my life, and it’s hard to draw one straight line, or one train of thought, through it. So I’m going to make the best of it and just wing it.”

Video of the Month - March Edition: Stone Cold & The Rock Sing

Introducing a brand new segment here on From The Turnbuckle, called Video of the Month!

Basically, I'll post a favourite wrestling video for each month


Kicking it off, we've got Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock singing on the 12 November, 2001 edition of Monday Night Raw

Enjoy!

Stone Cold Hall of Fame Shirt

WWE Shop has advertised a new Steve Austin shirt for an upcoming release.

The shirt (pictured above) will list Steve Austin's bio and career accomplishments on the back.


FINAL THOUGHT

I wish I could be there to see the man that sparked my life long interest in the Professional Wrestling world, be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

McMahon Rejects Flair

It's official - Vince has said no


BACKGROUND STORY

Steve Austin wanted Ric Flair to induct him into the Hall of Fame. Ric Flair said that he was willing to do it. The fans wanted whatever Steve Austin wanted.

Unfortunately, though, it's not what Vince McMahon wants.

The Chairman of WWE has officially rejected a request from Steve Austin to allow Ric Flair to induct him at Wrestlemania 25.


RATTLESNAKE BITE

When Steve Austin first made the request, management was a bit hesitant to do it. There were some hard feelings towards Ric Flair for leaving the company. Plus, management didn't want to give him free exposure in case he decided to sign with TNA once his 1 year clause expired.

As somewhat of a consolation prize, Vince McMahon has invited Ric Flair to be at Wrestlemania 25 weekend.

Right now, the prime candidate to induct Steve Austin into the Hall of Fame is Vince McMahon himself.


FINAL THOUGHT

Given their history, Vince McMahon makes a better candidate to induct Steve Austin, rather than have Ric Flair, whom retired last year, re-enter the Hall of Fame arena and induct Austin.

Ric Flair Speaks on Stone Cold Induction

Ric Flair has publicly shared his thoughts about inducting Stone Cold Steve Austin


RATTLESNAKE CALLS, FLAIR ANSWERS

In a current issue of the Charleston Post Courier, Ric Flair commented on the idea of inducting Steve Austin into the WWE Hall of Fame.

QUOTE:

“I heard that too, and I didn’t know if it was true or not,” Flair said last week.
“That would be cool as hell. I would love to do it.”

FINAL THOUGHT

WOOO! I hope WWE allows Flair to induct Steve Austin. As I stated before, It would be weird to see Flair back in the Hall of Fame, after being inducted last year.

But hell, those 2 icons together would draw alot of fans -- and cash.

Jim Ross Blog Update

Jim Ross has a new blog up, here are the highlights:



On the release of Sgt. Slaughter

"Sorry to hear of my old friend Sgt. Slaughter being released from the WWE as I did not know it until I arrived in Omaha on Tuesday. Sarge and I both worked for Bill Watts back in the 70's, Sarge under his real name of Bob Remus, and for economic reasons we used to split an $8 room, with two beds for you wise asses out there, at the lovely Belmont Motor Inn on Airline Highway in Baton Rouge, La.

Sarge and I made many visits to the local Chinese Buffet, usually in the late afternoon, for the all one could eat extravaganza or a "pitch 'till you win" meal. Often times was our lunch AND dinner, or supper for my southern brethren. Sarge went on to become a huge star in wrestling and is one of the nicest individuals to ever work in the biz. I have yet to speak with Sarge but I will and I know he will eventually be fine.

Bob has been in tough spots before in this wacky profession and has always persevered. I am not making light of this matter whatsoever as I can relate to Sarge's dilemma."

On the release of Ron Simmons

"Ron Simmons, who became the first black World's Champion of a major wrestling company when he defeated Big Van Vader in August of 1992 in Baltimore, has also been released from the WWE. I did not know this one either until I walked into the Quest Center Tuesday in Omaha.

Ron might want to explore public and motivational speaking as he has a great story to tell and the pipes to tell it. Ironically that night in Baltimore, Ron defeated Leon (Vader) White in a battle of two division one college football stars of significant acclaim and it was a nose guard (Simmons from Florida State) versus a center (White from Colorado) in a match orchestrated by Bill Watts (former lineman at Oklahoma) who was in charge of WCW at that time."

On the new ECW Champion Jack Swagger

"My last talent recommendation to the WWE talent relations department is the new ECW Champion Jack Swagger. Swagger wrestled at Oklahoma, my gosh we can't say THAT on TV, and used to eat the occasional meal at the Ross home while a student at OU. Swagger, then known as Jake Hager, was roommates with current Chicago Bear Dusty Dvorchek and the two of them used to hang out at our home.

There is no reason Swagger shouldn't be a star if he continues to work hard and doesn't make any foolish or irresponsible mistakes. Educated 6'6"-270 pounders with natural balance, agility, a wrestling background and a bona fide mean streak aren't easy to find."

On Stone Cold in the WWE Hall of Fame:

"The announcement of my friend Stone Cold Steve Austin going into the WE Hall of Fame in Houston on Saturday night April 4 was a big hit in my world. Steve is the greatest star of all time in the wrestling biz if one considers revenue into the equation including tickets and pay per views sold along with merchandise sales.

Steve was a fierce competitor who was always his own worst critic and would not allow himself to be any thing but the best in his field. My hiring of Stone Cold certainly made my tenure as the head of talent relations in the WWE look good but, trust me, Steve Austin attained his success through hard work and being an amazing student of the game.

Steve did and still does identify amazingly well with wrestling fans, which helped him craft his Stone Cold persona so well. Ironically, Steve became a wrestling fan while watching wrestling from Houston which will be the same city that Steve will close the wrestling chapter of his life at WM25."

- You can check out the full blog entry here.

Stone Cold in the Hall of Fame Update #3

Word has gotten out that Steve Austin has chosen who he wants to induct him into the Hall of Fame.

Surprisingly, Its not Jim Ross.


THE NATURE BOY AND THE RATTLESNAKE

WWE assumed that Jim Ross would be the perfect person to induct Austin into the Hall of Fame, but Austin had other ideas.

Austin has been pushing heavily for Ric Flair to induct him instead.

Company officials are not pleased with Austin's request because they have a "you're either with us or against us" attitude. They see Flair as a "outsider" and "not on board" with them any more.

HALL OF FRAUD

A similar situation happened two years when Jerry "The King" Lawler wanted legendary Memphis announcer Lance Russell to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame. Officials refused Lawler's request and opted to have William Shatner induct him into the Hall of Fame instead for press purposes.

FINAL THOUGHT

I hope they do decide to bring back Ric Flair. Then again, It would be strange to see him in the Hall of Fame arena, after only a year of he himself being inducted.