FREE PODCAST 1/25 – WKPWP Interview Classic (10 Yrs Ago): Austin warns about Reigns’s shortcoming before his Rumble win, big Sami Zayn praise, McMahon interview insights, Heyman’s influence, more (143 min.)

January 26, 2025

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

SHOW SUMMARY: In this week’s Interview Classic episode from ten years ago (1-22-2015), PWTorch editor Wade Keller talked in-depth with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for over two hours on a wide array of topics including:

Was Roman Reigns ready and the right choice for the big push he seemed to be on the verge of getting going into the 2015 Royal Rumble?
Big praise for Sami Zayn’s upside as a potential top tier star
Hulk Hogan shining against Nick Bockwinkel and how he compared at a similar stage to Reigns
How Austin compared himself to Hogan when it came to reading a crowd
Austin’s thoughts on breaking character on social media and how some messages are better saved for private texts
Austin on who he’d like to see go into the WWE Hall of Fame
Austin’s clear-cut answer on how he feels about a comeback in the ring
The strengths and weaknesses of Seth Rollins as a babyface and heel, and why Austin preferred one role over the other in his career
Live callers also got to talk to Austin and ask questions

This Interview Classic podcast includes the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow including:

Austin’s insights on his interview with Vince McMahon and what McMahon thought of it afterward
Austin asks Wade to do a Mauro Ranallo impersonation and then reacts
Memories of Austin being asked to drop the U.S. Title in WCW to Hacksaw Duggan
The importance of Paul Heyman to Austin finding his voice during his pitstop in ECW before going to WWE and how his segments came about on ECW TV
Was WWE oblivious to fans rejecting Reigns as a Rumble winner like they were for Batista?
Is there anyone alive who could convince Vince McMahon that what pro wrestling needs most is an immersive sports environment instead of the comedic variety show aspect McMahon pushed?
Who did Austin think were the best overall athletes he wrestled who could excel on the Skull Buster Challenge?
Rusev
The mid-’80s glory period of in-ring wrestling and what wrestlers then had that the modern era wrestlers didn’t
Austin’s reaction to McMahon saying Cesaro was “too Swiss”
Austin on his last match ever
Whether the clock was running out on Samoa Joe being a top guy
And much more