Stone Cold Steve Austin is regarded as one of the all-time greats in the wrestling world. His legacy is filled with memorable moments and intense matches. However, not all his professional encounters were smooth. Hacksaw Jim Duggan, a fellow WWE legend, recently revealed on a podcast episode that Austin once had reservations about working with him.
The incident in question dates back to September 18, 1994, at WCW Fall Brawl, where Austin was hastily crowned the United States Champion after Ricky Steamboat vacated the title due to injury. In a surprising turn of events, Duggan challenged Austin and won the title in a brief 35-second match. Reflecting on that moment, Duggan commented on the podcast Everybody’s Got A Pod, “That match was supposed to go much, much longer when he dropped the belt. He didn’t wanna drop the belt. He didn’t wanna work with me. A lot of guys didn’t wanna work with me. I was an old-timer.”
At the time, Duggan was 40 years old, while Austin was a rising star at 29. Despite the age gap and Austin’s burgeoning reputation, Duggan managed to secure a swift victory over him. The match saw Duggan perform a big body drop, followed by a quick pinfall. Austin tried to kick out but was pinned down by Duggan’s weight. This win, though rapid, was a significant moment in Duggan’s career.
Duggan admits that while he may not have been the most athletic wrestler at that stage in his career, his patriotic “USA” gimmick resonated with fans, who would chant along enthusiastically. He shared further details about the match with Austin, saying, “Back then, yeah, I may not do a whole lot of [in-ring] work, but everybody in the place is standing up chanting ‘USA! USA!’ because it’s coming from the heart. But, anyway, Stone Cold, he didn’t wanna do the job, so he faked an injury that he hurt his knee. He didn’t want me to shine at all. He just wanted to get the match over and get the hell out of there.”
The tension between Austin and Duggan wasn’t an isolated incident. Duggan also mentioned that former WCW World Television Champion Alex Wright had difficulties working with him around the same period. These revelations provide a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of wrestling and the challenges faced by performers in the ring. Fans of Steve Austin’s WCW era may find these insights particularly interesting, as they shed light on the early part of his storied career.
