“Stone Cold” Steve Austin has been in the professional wrestling business for a long time, and he’s seen the industry go through a lot of changes.
During a recent appearance on ESPN’s first take Austin talked about the current state of WWE and he praised the talents on the roster for their athleticism.
“You’re spot on. Today is a different era. It’s a more athletic product. The guys and girls are better athletes than we were. But going back to the names you mentioned were the exact same names that I grew up on, big NWA fan, Mid-South, Power Pro from Bill Watts, from where I broke in, World Class Championship Wrestling, and into the Attitude Era, my peak, I just think the business was a lot more protected back then. And you didn’t have to be — we really pushed the envelope creatively as far as the Attitude Era goes. It was just a grittier product, which is kind of what I thrive on.”
The Hall of Famer then went on to show respect for the current crop of WWE stars who are performing with no crowds.
“But all respect to all the men and women of WWE for working through this pandemic and working without crowds because when you watch the football games being played with no crowd or at 25 percent capacity of crowds, those crowds affect your performance, and especially in the ring, in professional wrestling because that’s how you get your feedback, as far as your decision-making process. So, I miss the crowds, and it is a different product today, Stephen [A. Smith]. You’re spot on, and all the guys you mentioned were my heroes.”
H/T 411Mania.com
