10 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Raw From 2002

2. Miserable ‘Stone Cold’ Isn’t Any Fun

Steve Austin Ric Flair
WWE

Granted, anyone looking back on 2002 now has added context about why Steve Austin was unhappy, but his year on Raw is a quite miserable watch anyway. Good matches are rare, and it's almost like 'Stone Cold' is struggling to haul on those boots and go to work at all.

Often, his upset face tells the full story of a man at odds with his employers.

In retrospect, WWE's decision to bury Austin on television after his mid-year walkout is regrettable too. He's go on to headline WrestleMania XIX the following year, for crying out loud. That'd be like Roman Reigns storming out, taking a verbal on-air pasting and then returning to headline 39 in the spring. Sounds unlikely, doesn't it?

Someone needs to put together a YouTube video showing Steve's descent throughout the first half of the year. It's like he just got less and less enthusiastic about working with guys like Scott Hall, Ric Flair and others by the week.

It isn't fun to watch again.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.