Stone Cold Steve Austin is a legend and a well-loved WWE superstar of his time. Even after retiring almost two decades ago, The Texas Rattlesnake has the same influence on the fans. However, if you ask former WWE superstar Val Venis, Steve Austin wasn’t an easy person to approach backstage.
Val Venis made his WWE debut in 1998 and stayed in the company for more than a decade. During his run, the former star won the IC Title, the European Title, and the Tag Team Title once. Recently, “The Big Valbowski” appeared on “Wrestling Shoot Interviews” where he opened up about his early years working in WWE. The former star also revealed an unknown aspect of The Texas Rattlesnake.
Val Venis says Steve Austin “always seemed standoffish” when approached backstage
While speaking on the show, Venis lauded the connection Steve Austin had with his fans. He noted that back then, Austin had an unbelievable relationship with the crowd. So, he often approached The Texas Rattlesnake for some insights. However, whenever Val Venis tried to have a conversation, Steve Austin appeared standoffish and defensive.
In fact, the former star claimed he never got much to comprehend from The Texas Rattlesnake. Val Venis noted Steve Austin was a fan of old-school wrestling and was protective of his position. But when approached backstage, The Big Valbowski stated Austin seemed paranoid which made approaching him an uncomfortable task. He said:
“I would try to go [Steve] Austin every once in a while, because, let’s face it, that guy had a connection with the fans that was unbelievable… But, [Steve]Austin always seemed standoffish to me, very defensive… A little bit paranoid I think, and I think, that made it a little bit uncomfortable for me to approach him on a regular basis.”
The Big Valbowski was in all praise for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
During the show, Val Venis also talked about The Rock and claimed he was an easy person to approach. He stated The Great One had an “IT” factor that made meeting him backstage very comfortable.
In fact, he feels that is the reason why The Rock is reaching new heights in Hollywood. According to Val Venis, approaching The People’s Champion was much easier when it came to making an emotional connection with fans.
Nevertheless, Steve Austin made his comeback to the ring at WrestleMania 38, after almost 20 years of retirement. He wrestled Kevin Owens in a No Hold Barred Match at the Night One of this year’s Show of Shows. However, Val Venis left WWE in 2009 and wrestled for one more decade before retiring in 2019.
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