One of WWE‘s most anticipated dream matches, Stone Cold Steve Austin versus Hulk Hogan, almost happened but was stopped by Austin himself. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross explained on his Grilling JR podcast that Austin believed the match would not meet expectations due to poor in-ring chemistry.
Ross shared,
“Oh, I know it’s true. I talked to Steve about it… He didn’t think they had chemistry. He thought the match would suck, and he wasn’t going to stand for having a suck, suck main event, especially at a WrestleMania.”
Austin’s Commitment to Delivering Quality Matches
Austin, known for his perfectionism, respected the audience too much to participate in a match he felt would disappoint. The decision was unrelated to the match outcome or ego issues. According to Ross, Austin’s main concern was the quality of the performance itself.
“It wasn’t anything to do with the finish… It had to do with Steve. He wanted to have a great match, not just a good one. He simply thought he couldn’t get that done with Hogan,”
Ross explained.
Alternative Matchups at WrestleMania X8
Instead of facing Austin, Hulk Hogan squared off against The Rock at WrestleMania X8 in 2002, delivering the memorable “Icon vs. Icon” bout. Ross noted that The Rock’s entertaining style better matched Hogan’s stage in his career at the time.
“Rock was more of an entertainer. And at that stage of Hogan’s career, he was an entertainer. Steve just had no confidence that the match would be good. It would let the fans down in his opinion,”
Ross remarked.
Aftermath and Austin’s Departure
Following the event, Austin took on Scott Hall at WrestleMania but left WWE months later due to frustration over creative decisions. The missed opportunity of a Steve Austin Hulk Hogan WrestleMania encounter remains a significant “what if” moment for fans of the era, underscoring Austin’s dedication to maintaining the quality and integrity of his matches.
