Steve Austin says he thought he would hate WWE unreal

Steve Austin thought he would hate WWE Unreal, which is now airing its second season on Netflix.

“I thought I was going to hate it,” said Austin in a new interview with Zack Heydorn on Takedown on SI. “When you come from the era that I came from, especially if you were in a Bill Watts territory, it was kayfabe. You didn’t smarten up anybody. If you smartened up anybody, you’re going to get fired. If you get in a fight with some guy at a bar and he kicks your a–, you’re going to get fired, because you got to protect the business. So, I thought I was going to hate it from that standpoint. They give away a lot of information, but that’s what it’s for, right?”

Austin said one of the reasons he likes Unreal is because it presents the talent in a favorable light. “The talent is so likable,” said Austin. “Whether they’re heels or babyfaces, the talent shines so much. You end up liking it just because the talent is so likable. The old school part of me says, ‘hey, man, you can’t give away too much,’ and I think it’s a good show because of the freaking talent on there.”

Austin said when it comes to deciding if Unreal is good or bad for the wrestling business, the answer is complicated. “I think it changes the ride for the audience,” said Austin. “When I was doing my thing, you really thought I was that guy. I wasn’t back there just doing interviews, laughing, and joking because I got a sense of humor. Back then, you didn’t think I had a sense of humor. You believed that I was an a– whipping machine . Now, if you saw me back there just laughing and joking with everybody, you might have a different perspective of Stone Cold the character.”

Austin is currently scheduled to appear WWE World during WrestleMania weekend in April. He will be part of multi signings in Las Vegas during the weekend. WWE Unreal Season 2 is currenlty airing on Netflix. The show has been renewed for a third season set to premier during the Summer of 2026. John Cena recently confirmed he will be part of season three.