"The real art of professional wrestling is not about making audiences believe - it's about making audiences, by sheer skill of character and performance, forget to not believe" - The Undertaker.
Professional wrestling is a theatrical performance that often requires a great deal of athleticism - hence the term "sports entertainment." Much like film or theatre, people have associated wrestling as another art form that requires making people “believe” through the skill of performance. However, according to the newly inducted Hall of Famer, The Undertaker, the true art of professional wrestling is making people "forget to not believe" that what they're watching is a staged performance. Many great performers accomplished this true art over a week ago at WrestleMania 38, but there was arguably no one greater at it that weekend (or in history) than Stone Cold Steve Austin.
At his peak, Stone Cold Steve Austin was the most popular and successful wrestler of all time. From merchandise to attendance to PPV records, Steve Austin set the standard in every category. During his prime years, he was often vying for the no.1 spot in WWE against The Rock, and while The Rock has gone on to achieve remarkable things in Hollywood - Austin possessed qualities that made him a tad more special. Now, if anybody has followed my work, you know I am a humongous Rock fan, but when it comes to wrestling, this fan has always sided with the Texas Rattlesnake. Although The Rock is one of a kind, there is/was a disconnect as his aura of cool, his dress sense, and his look felt a little farfetched for fans to achieve. Whereas Austin had (and has) a relatability. I can see myself in him. Despite doing extraordinary things while entering arenas with glass-breaking theme music – his attitude, attire, and attributes felt more believable and attainable, and this has become even more accurate with his post-wrestling career (E.g. Broken Skull Sessions). For a young kid or even a 20+-year-old adult, those things hold a lot of weight, whether you realize it or not. Thus, watching him perform on the grand stage in WWE one more time was a natural wish of mine.
The idea of a potential in-ring return for Austin has been thrown around on and off for years, but Austin himself usually shot down these rumours. Often, his refusal was not disappointing because, thinking back, his retirement against The Rock at WrestleMania 19 felt rather perfect. Also, Austin sticking to his retirement was admirable, if not a little heartbreaking. Therefore, when news flooded the internet earlier this year that he would be returning for one final match against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania (in Texas), and it appeared GENUINE, it was difficult to put my reaction into words. Euphoria, doubt, fear – all that and more was experienced. Did I want to experience him delivering one last can of whoop a** as an adult? “Hell yeah!” Did I believe he could pull it off? Absolutely. But did I fear that he could tarnish his initial retirement? Yes! However, as Mania edged closer, there appeared to be less and less clarity on what this showdown between Austin and KO would be. All we knew was Austin would appear, verbal barbs would be in abundance, and a stunner would conclude the night.
Without realizing it, however, the uncertainty surrounding Austin and KO’s segment/match did make the showdown all the more engaging. Owens expertly built up the introduction, riling up the Texas crowd with insults and a refusal to give them what they wanted, Austin! Of course, the glass eventually broke, and AT&T Stadium came unglued. The former WWE Champion entered with intensity and purpose – looking like the Austin of old (despite being 57) with knee braces, jean shorts, and his trademark Austin 3:16 t-shirt all intact. From that moment onwards - he orchestrated the live crowd as only he can. With a simple look, he told us an a** whooping was incoming, all the while, eliciting a HUGE response from the crowd. In seconds, he got over 60, 000 fans to chant “a**hole” at Owens. It was a master class, and everything was fun and expected. That was until, KO laid down the challenge for a No Holds Barred match. At that moment, the plethora of emotions I felt prior to Mania came flooding back. But as the crowd started to rumble and Austin did a few stretches to prepare, all I felt was... appreciation. Appreciation that I was about to watch one last can opened up by my hero, and it was the moment we, the fans had been longing for, for 19 years.
The match went nearly 20-minutes with Austin and Owens brawling all over AT&T Stadium. Fists flew, mudholes were stomped, and beers were consumed. Plus, an SUV sped through the ramp way, and, of course, stunners concluded the night. All the bells and whistles associated with Stone Cold Steve Austin were present, and fans loved every second. Admittedly, our hero was a little slower, and at times, that was quite noticeable, such as when he hit Owens with his famous corner stomps minutes into the match. However, this was to be expected after 19 years away. At that moment, though, Austin knew that all the crowd wanted to do was chant “What?” every time he threw a kick, and chant they did. As a result, there was no grimacing at the sight of his kicks. The only thing that appeared on my face was a huge smile. Elsewhere, Austin more than held his own, while like a true professional, Owens enhanced every blow of Austin’s by throwing his body around the stadium. However, in classic Stone Cold fashion, he put his body on the line by taking a nasty-looking suplex on the concrete and even a stunner that stunned the fans. In the end, Austin hit a stunner for the 1, 2, and 3. He celebrated with some beer, hit some more stunners and toasted with his brother in the ring. It was fairytale-like that 19 years later – Stone Cold Steve Austin not only got the retirement match he deserved but at the age of 57 - he made us “forget to not believe” once again. We forgot about his age, limitations, and indulged in the grandeur of the one and only Texas Rattlesnake.
I may be biased, considering I’m spewing all of these words about this moment, but in many ways, this WrestleMania moment will go down as the greatest send-off in pro wrestling history. It featured the biggest and greatest superstar, genuine surprises, crowd investment, enjoyable action, and the perfect conclusion. The smile and appreciation on Austin’s face was evident. But every single person watching this spectacle unfold undoubtedly had the same smile and appreciation. This type of synergy between a performer and his audience is truly rarefied air, and for this reason, Austin is a superstar in a class all by himself. For all the success wrestlers have experienced in Hollywood and other places, moments like these are unmatchable. For this reason, I know personally, the performance I witnessed and the feelings I felt over a week ago, I will likely never ever experience again as a wrestling fan. So thank you, Austin. Thank you for making me “forget to not believe” one last time.
Image courtesy of wwe.com
Amazing article! Was awesome to see Austin back and what better way to finish off than in Texas.