This WWE Legend Didn't Think Stone Cold Vs. Hulk Hogan Could Work
One WWE icon is sure that Stone Cold vs. Hulk Hogan would've been a huge disappointment.
Legendary wrestling announcer and current AEW play-by-play man Jim Ross doesn't think Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan would've been a winner back in 2002.
Via his 'Grilling JR' podcast, Ross dissected the chances of that bout happening when Hogan returned to WWE that year. Privately, his good pal Austin told Jim that he had reservations about working Hulk's rigid in-ring formula - he wanted to wrestle an "intense, aggressive, somewhat snug" pace.
'Stone Cold' wasn't convinced that the match was right for him.
Of course, longstanding rumours suggest Austin and Hulk had a frosty relationship anyway, but JR said that's not true at all. Steve was more worried about a "styles clash" than anything, and wanted to be sure of a good match before rubber-stamping his approval.
Jim agrees that the bout would've been disappointing. He can see the appeal, and definitely thinks it would've made for an awesome poster, but doesn't think the actual bell-to-bell "had a chance in hell" of living up to the insane hype.
That's fair, and yet it still feels like Hogan vs. Austin is one dream match that got away for WWE.