"I'm going to protect my brand" - Veteran on Stone Cold Steve Austin rejecting WWE's pitch for a match (Exclusive)
Vince Russo recently speculated on why Stone Cold Steve Austin turned down WWE's offer to compete at WrestleMania 39.
After his highly-acclaimed comeback match at WrestleMania 38, where he defeated Kevin Owens, fans were eagerly waiting to see Austin compete at this year's Mania as well. Despite plenty of rumors floating around, The Texas Rattlesnake did not lace up his boots for the Premium Live Event.
While Austin revealed he did not wrestle due to his physical condition, Vince Russo believes it could also be due to a lack of good pitches by WWE. Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's The Wrestling Outlaws, Russo explained that Stone Cold Steve Austin rejected WWE's offer as he didn't want to tarnish his legacy.
Vince Russo thinks The Texas Rattlesnake didn't want to harm his brand, which is why he turned down all pitches, even if it meant losing out on making big money.
"We always talk about protecting the brand and pooping on your legacy. There's the perfect case of, 'I'm going to protect my brand, I have worked my entire life on this brand, and I'm not going to do anything that tarnishes this brand even if it means turning down a payday.' We have talked about this, bro. And good for him, man," Vince Russo. [1:40 - 2:12]
Check out the full video below:
Vince Russo thinks WWE's creative team doesn't know what Stone Cold Steve Austin likes
Furthermore, Russo, who worked with Austin during the Attitude Era, revealed how he kept the WWE legend's likes and dislikes in mind before pitching anything. However, he feels the current creative team has little idea about what The Texas Rattlesnake wants, which results in him turning down everything that's offered.
"Here's the difference. I knew Austin. I knew the things he would like and the thing he wasn't gonna like, and I wasn't gonna pitch to him. That's the problem. They don't know him. If you know him, you're going to know what he wants to do, and then it's easy. If you're going to pitch him stuff as if he's just another wrestler on the roster, that's what you're gonna get. There's no match!" said Vince Russo. [3:56 - 4:27]
Kevin Owens reflects on his #WrestleMania match against Stone Cold Steve Austin! https://t.co/haotQAxsc9
It remains to be seen if WWE manages to lure Stone Cold Steve Austin to get back into the squared circle again sometime down the line.
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