WWE News: Jim Ross reveals the backstage reaction to Owen Hart accidentally injuring Stone Cold Steve Austin
What's the story?
One of the most memorable feuds of Stone Cold Steve Austin's career was when he battled against numerous members of the Hart Foundation in the late 1990s.
As most wrestling fans know, when Austin faced Owen Hart in a match, the youngest Hart actually severely injured Austin after a botched move. Jim Ross talked about the backstage reaction to the spot on his Grilling JR podcast.
In case you didn't know...
Before he became the icon of the industry that he now is, Steve Austin was slowly built up. One of his main feuds was against Owen Hart and the Hart Foundation. The two battled over the Intercontinental Championship, but Austin's neck was severely injured in the match.
The heart of the matter
Injuries are a part of the business, and before his own tragic passing in the ring, Owen Hart's match with Stone Cold Steve Austin for the IC title was memorable for many reasons. One reason is that Austin won the title and would soon be on his way to main event stardom.
Another big reason why the match was so integral in WWE history is that Hart accidentally caused a severe injury to Austin during the match. Austin would retire later due to recurring injuries to his neck.
When the accident happened, Jim Ross was backstage with many other members of management. He recalled how people reacted to the incident right after it happened since Austin was on his way to becoming a major player in the company.
"A lot of concern. And it’s gonna sound bad if I don’t say this the right way, but you’ve gotta be first and foremost concerned about a man’s health. But at the same time, you’re looking at the guy that you see is going to be, unless injuries bite him in the a**, is going to be the biggest we’ve ever had. And now that may be over just as he got started. Took him seven years to get to WWE. Territories, missed booking, underutilized in WCW. We all remember all those stories. But you know, you just thought, ‘Well, this poor son of a b***h is not gonna live his dream.'” [H/T: 411mania]
What's next?
Even though he suffered a devastating injury, wrestling fans know how Austin was still able to become one of the most popular stars of all time. Instead of having one more match, appearances like the one at the RAW Reunion are the best way for Austin to impact the current product.