Mike Tyson’s Major Segment with Steve Austin Met with Errors and Missteps

Mike Tyson is considered one of the most legendary boxers in the history of professional boxing. He was almost infallible during his time as a boxer and it’s not hard to see why. While he was part of WWE programming during the late 90s, it appears that he botched a major segment with Steve Austin.

At WrestleMania 14, 25 years ago, the WWE witnessed one of the most electrifying moments in its history, when the reigning WWE Champion Shawn Michaels faced “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Adding to the already intense atmosphere was the presence of none other than the legendary ‘“’Baddest Man on the Planet,’ Mike Tyson.

The legendary boxer served as the special outside enforcer, which saw The Texas Rattlesnake defeating Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 14. Prior to the match, Mike Tyson was positioned between Austin and Michaels at a press conference.

While speaking on the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast, former WWE photographer Tom Buchanan revealed that Mike Tyson was supposed to separate Austin and Michaels during the media event. However, Tyson made a major botch by turning his back at the wrong time.

“Tyson gets up and he turns around backwards, and somebody else in the media has to say, ‘Mike, turn around!’ [Tyson is] not a smart guy. I think he was originally scheduled to be an in-ring referee, special guest referee, but it became clear to us that he just didn’t have that capacity, so he became an outside the ring guest enforcer, and it worked that way.”

WWE also never considered having Mike Tyson compete in a match. Regardless, Mike Tyson’s inclusion in the WrestleMania 14 program proved to be a major hit for the company and that’s all that matters.

What’s your view on this Mike Tyson story? Do you think Mike Tyson was perfect in his role? Let us know in the comments!