Jim Ross Explains Why Steve Austin Was Difficult to Manage Backstage in WWE

WWE Hall of Famer ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin has accomplished everything one would want to accomplish as a professional wrestler but it wasn’t an easy rise to the top for Austin. Not everyone was a fan of him and now Jim Ross has explained why Austin was difficult to manage backstage in WWE.

Steve Austin played a huge role in launching the Attitude Era and quickly became its main figure. His impact helped make professional wrestling as popular and mainstream as it was during that time.

While speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross talked about his time working with Steve Austin and revealed that Austin was tough to work with behind the scenes. Ross explained that his job was to keep top stars happy, and Austin was the biggest star at the time. However, Austin often questioned the decisions made about his character, which sometimes led to disagreements.

“I learned a long time ago you keep your top guys happy and that was very important in my role and who was the bigger top guy than ‘Stone Cold?’ Steve was not an easy manage. He was challenging ’cause even to me he had questioned the booking at times and so forth.”

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For example, in the late ’90s, Austin refused to work with wrestler Jeff Jarrett, even though it could have helped Jarrett’s career and boosted earnings. Austin’s popularity at the time was much higher than Jarrett’s, so they never developed a storyline together.

Jim Ross also mentioned that Steve Austin didn’t want to work with Marc Mero, feeling that Mero wasn’t yet skilled enough for top matches. At that stage in his career, Austin preferred working with wrestlers who were already established, so they could have a great match and tell a good story together.

“I remember once, he had the same issue with Marc Mero He didn’t want to work with Marc Mero, he didn’t want to work with Marc Mero. He didn’t think Marc Mero was up to speed and Steve wasn’t ready at that time in his career to make guys in that respect; he wanted them made before he got ’em so they could go out and have a good match and a tell a good story.”

As for Steve Austin’s career future in professional wrestling, he hinted at making his in-ring return at WrestleMania 41. Therefore, only time will tell if he will end up competing at the Showcase of the Immortals, as Austin is clearly easier to work with now than in the past.