WWE Almost Gave Steve Austin A Gimmick You DIDN'T Know About

Steve Austin was almost something else before becoming 'The Ringmaster' in WWE.

Steve Austin The Ringmaster
WWE.com

Steve Austin was almost 'The Sandman'.

No, not that Sandman. The future 'Stone Cold' wasn't about to start carrying a cane, smashing a beer can against his forehead or entering arenas to Metallica's classic 'Enter Sandman' track. In short, he wasn't going to be a homage to the ECW original at all.

Bruce Prichard revealed via his 'Something To Wrestle With' podcast that the then-WWF's idea was rather different. Back then, the creative nucleus (fronted by Vince McMahon) was interested in introducing a mechnical 'nuts n' bolts' style pro wrestler who'd work rings around his opponents.

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That eventually blossomed (if that's even the right word) into the dreaded 'Ringmaster' gimmick.

Prichard had something else in mind. He wanted to call either Austin or Dustin Rhodes 'The Sandman', and have them "be a real smooth worker" who made winning matches seem effortless. This character would've deployed a humble sleeper as their finishing hold, and would've gone on quite the winning run.

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Vince preferred 'The Ringmaster' over that plan, so it got changed. 'The Sandman' idea was ditched, and it'd go on to become synonymous with Paul Heyman's extreme fed instead.

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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.