Vince McMahon didn't initially see multi-time world champion as a main eventer, claims WWE Hall of Famer
WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts recently claimed that Vince McMahon did not initially believe Stone Cold Steve Austin was a main eventer.
The Texas Rattlesnake spent a few years as an active competitor in WCW and ECW before joining WWE in 1995. The 58-year-old debuted in the Stamford-based company as The Ringmaster before later adopting his famous Stone Cold gimmick.
Austin's rise to stardom in Vince McMahon's promotion started when he won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament after defeating Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Following his victory, he mocked Roberts' born-again Christian persona by referring to himself as "Austin 3:16" in a promo, which later became one of his iconic catchphrases.
In an interview with Cafe de Rene, Roberts confirmed that Austin had thanked him for helping him with his career. He also disclosed that Vince McMahon did not initially believe that The Texas Rattlesnake was a main eventer.
"Yeah, he's shown his love several times man. I mean at the time nobody believed in him but me. Vince did not think he was a main eventer. And then he went out and cut that f**king interview and, you know, the rest was f**king history," he said. [41:03 - 41:18]
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Stone Cold Steve Austin had a legendary career in WWE
WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin spent nearly eight years as an active competitor in the Stamford-based company. He won several titles, including six world championships, before retiring from in-ring competition in 2003.
Over the past two decades, The Texas Rattlesnake has made several sporadic appearances on WWE television. Last April, Austin competed for the first time in 19 years when he defeated Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38.
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