Image Via
Following the success of their Andre the Giant documentary, American television network A&E plans to turn the camera over to another wrestling icon, “Stone-Cold” Steve Austin.
Full-disclosure: I had never heard of Austin prior to this write-up. Yes, I am a child of the 90’s, but I was far more interested in Barbies than the theatrics of American wrestling. Upon first glance, I thought he just looked like a guy who yells at his wife a lot in public.
That said, researching Stone-Cold Steve has been fascinating, and I may join the ranks of the nostalgic who are waiting for the documentary’s 2021 release.
For the equally uninitiated, Austin made his debut in professional wrestling in 1989. His antihero persona emerged under the patronage of WWE in the mid-90’s, where he became known as much for his vulgarity and contrarian nature as for his physical strength.
YouTube is brimming with compilations highlighting Stone-Cold Steve’s antics, along with recordings of his glass-shattering theme song. This WWE compilation video reveals him as somewhat of a devil’s darling, citing his own scripture and kicking some unsuspecting ass.
Since retiring from the ring in 2003, the former WWE icon has added actor, television host, and podcast host to his resume. A cursory web-search also revealed that he has partnered with a brewing company to create an IPA (very on-brand), along with a collection of knives for Cold Steel. His website also boasts a variety of t-shirts with catchphrases like “S.O.B.–Swig of Beer” and “Broken Skull Ranch”.
Even if you’re not a fan of WWE or wrestling in general, the sheer theatrics of the sport (especially those of Stone-Cold Steve) will delight you. A&E has announced that this is only one in a handful of documentaries that are set to release in partnership with WWE, but I think this is the one I’ll actually watch
