Stone Cold Steve Austin recently cut a podcast recapping his visit to WWE RAW in Los Angeles. Austin tells some great stories about his visit, yet it is his conversation with Rey Mysterio and Vince McMahon regarding the Royal Rumble that was the highlight of the broadcast.
[adinserter block=”1″]Steve Austin was backstage at WWE RAW in Los Angeles to visit old friends and recapped his entire visit on a recent podcast. Austin talks about seeing his old friends and making some new ones. The high spot of the podcast comes when he recall running into Rey Mysterio. Austin tells a hilarious story (it’s better to listen and hear him tell it) about ribbing Rey and Vince McMahon about the Royal Rumble. Listen to what Steve told his old buddy and the offer he made to Vince when he saw him in Los Angeles.
“Here comes Rey Rey, Rey Mysterio (laughs), Rey had a big a$$ smile on his face, he’s a future Hall of Famer, that guy’s had an incredible career, and I laughed at old Rey, “God dammit Rey Rey, number 30 in the Royal Rumble! Who in the f*ck you got heat with?” I told Vince, “Vince I wasn’t doing nothing, if you need a god damned 30 spot in the Royal Rumble throw down a phone call. I’ll put my knee braces in the bag and fly down to be your thirty-spot in the Royal Rumble.” I said,” Don’t f*ck Rey over like that. Sh*t, Rey’s a god damned babyface!” He should have stuck a heel in that spot. So Rey Rey was laughing and he rode off into the sunset.”
I am sure he wasn’t completely serious but if all it takes is a phone call to get Stone Cold Steve Austin in the Royal Rumble, well then shame on the WWE for not even trying. How huge would that pop have been if Austin came out as a mystery entrant? It probably isn’t the way Austin wants his last match to go down but if he is looking for a little fun and an easy night, why not? It would certainly be a great way to test the knee before he signed on for a singles match.
Austin also goes on to talk about the booking of the match. Austin reveals what he would have done and as great as it is, it really is common sense booking as he calls it. In hindsight it really is amazing that nobody at the top thought to call an audible here and swap Rey with a heel. Austin’s choice would have been perfect.
“That just goes back to booking man. You can’t have a cat like Rey Mysterio in the number 30 spot when the whole crowd at the arena is wanting and cheering for Daniel Bryan to come join the Royal Rumble and throw a bunch of trash over the top ropes and go to the main-event in WrestleMania. I still don’t understand that booking decision. That would have been a very opportune spot for a real hot heel. That would have been a very good spot for one Wade Barrett. Make him the number 30 spot, let the people boo him. That’s what they are trying to do anyway. Common sense booking there, sh*t!”
[adinserter block=”2″]I have to admit I never thought of Wade Barrett but he is right. How hot would it have been to play Bryan’s music and send out Barrett with a microphone telling the fans he has some bad news? I don’t know that it would have propelled Barrett to a better spot but it certainly would have been a better way to get something out of that spot. Hey if Austin isn’t wrestling maybe he can at least show up and book next year’s Rumble?
[amazon_link id=”B00HRYH7G2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ] Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection DVD[/amazon_link]
[amazon_link id=”B00HRUQA8C” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Wrestlemania 30 DVD[/amazon_link]
Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com
I will contend that booking Bryan to be beaten by Bray Wyatt soundly in the match before the Rumble was senseless if you wanted to see him in the actual match.
In the short term you need nobody to replace Punk he is not a part of the booking for WM 30. Financially the WWE is taking a major hit as no merch for Punk can be sold or marketed. In the mainstream, the WWE is taking a major beating as I feel that Punk is the most mainstream performer even more than Cena.
I wouldn't categorize it as taking a major beating. He was a big merch mover but they can still it with or without him and they don't have to pay him royalties. He didn't move attendance, buyrates, or ratings so like Cena or even Batista so to say he is a bigger mainstream performer is just off base.