Stone Cold Steve Austin caused waves aplenty with things he didn’t do as much as the things he did.
The Texas Rattlesnake is, and likely always will be, remembered as one of the most iconic performers in WWE history.
As a foul-mouthed, finger-flipping, anti-authority figure, he surged in popularity during the Attitude Era.
If Austin helped lead WWE on the charge through one of its most memorable and profitable periods, it’s fair to say he did so by being a little choosy and about the things he did at work.
One well known story is that of his refusal to work with a fledgling Brock Lesnar during the final months of the Attitude Era.
By then already a multi-time champion and arguably WWE’s biggest name over the prior few years, Austin was critical and vocal of the company’s creative direction and effectively walked out on the company at the suggestion he should lose to then-rookie Brock Lesnar.
Austin has openly admitted he believed the bout should have commanded a bigger platform than a King of the Ring Qualifying match on Raw, and refused to along with it – effectively ending one of the most influential career spells of any wrestler in history.
Years later, he was pitched to wrestle commentator turned villain Johnathan Coachman in a 2005 match, but refused that, too – costing ‘The Coach’ upwards of $20,000 as a result.
One former Intercontinental Champion has now claimed Austin did similar to him, too, by seemingly refusing to wrestle him.
Marc Mero was another key WWE player during the Attitude Era, as a former Golden Gloves boxing star and legitimate fighter.
The Wildman was, at the time, married to Sable, who found fame in WWE first as his valet and then very much in her own right as a Women’s Champion and top singles performer.
She achieved some of that fame at Mero’s expense – powerbombing him in one iconic scene and wrestling him at SummerSlam 1998 at Madison Square Garden.
Austin was WWE Champion at the time and, around then, had been scheduled to tangle with Mero, before apparently opting to pull the plug.
“I was the next feud for Steve at the time,” the former high-flyer told TMPT.
“[We] had a main event match at the Los Angeles Forum, and I remember getting to the arena and I noticed it was changed [and] I wasn’t wrestling Steve.
“I was like: ‘What happened?’ Never thinking it was because Sable powerbombed me.
“And his thought was that: ‘If a girl can beat him up, why would I want to wrestle him?’
“And I get it. So, it changed the whole thing.”
A former WCW star and now motivational speaker, Mero had a significant wrestling career, but it would undoubtedly have been topped by a feud with Austin at his peak.
Alas, it was not to be – not that the now 64-year-old has many regrets.
He reflected: “People said: ‘Well how would you let a girl beat you up? You ruined your career.’ Remember, I’m making guaranteed money, and why not build her up where she’s making huge money with merchandise and opportunities outside of the WWE, and different guest spots on all these different shows that she was doing?
“[That was] an incredible time for us.”
After parting from Mero, Sable ironically went on to marry Lesnar, the man Austin avoided back in 2002.
The Beast and the former Playboy star are still together with the former women’s wresting icon striking a pose in a rare public photo earlier this year.
