“Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently opened up about his thoughts on WWE’s behind-the-scenes Netflix series WWE Unreal — and the Texas Rattlesnake admitted he expected the show to rub him the wrong way.
The WWE Hall of Famer spoke about the series while discussing the modern wrestling landscape.
Coming from a generation where protecting the business was considered sacred, Austin initially feared the program might reveal too much of the industry’s inner workings.
However, after actually watching the show, his reaction turned out to be more complicated than he first expected.
Steve Austin Steve Austin Shares Mixed Reaction to WWE Unreal Series
Speaking with Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown, Austin explained that his first instinct was to dislike the concept of WWE Unreal because of how it exposes backstage creative discussions.
“I thought I was going to hate it,” Austin said.
Austin explained that wrestlers from his era operated under strict kayfabe rules, especially during his early years working in territories influenced by Bill Watts. At that time, breaking character or exposing the mechanics of the business could have grave consequences.
Because of that background, Austin compared the idea of revealing wrestling’s behind-the-scenes process to a magician exposing his tricks.
Using the analogy of illusionist Harry Houdini in 2025, Austin admitted that he prefers the mystery of wrestling storytelling. “Don’t tell me how he’s doing it, let’s see if I can figure it out myself,” he said in an interview with Ariel Helwani.
Despite that hesitation, Austin acknowledged that the show still has qualities that make it appealing.
One reason, he said, is how well modern WWE talent comes across on screen. Austin noted that the personalities featured on the series make it enjoyable to watch, even when it reveals parts of the creative process.
“The talent is so likable,” Austin said. “You end up liking it just because the talent is so likable.”
Still, the WWE legend believes that revealing too much behind the curtain can alter how fans view wrestling characters.
Steve Austin explained that if audiences had seen him joking backstage during the height of the Stone Cold persona, it might have changed how fans perceived the character on television.
For now, Austin continues to keep an eye on the industry while staying busy outside the ring — proving that even decades later, when Stone Cold talks, the wrestling world still listens.
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