Steve Austin first cut his teeth in WCW as a member of the Dangerous Alliance, but it was Paul Heyman who had to fight to include the legend in his stable.
Austin would later gone on to superstardom as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in WWE, becoming the biggest star in the companies history, making more money than even Hulk Hogan in his prime.
However, he was originally being groomed as a big star in WCW, looking set to take over from Hogan and Flair as they got up there in the years.
He was groomed as the next star by Paul Heyman, who had to convince booker Dusty Rhodes to put him in his stable, The Dangerous Alliance, as the foil to Flair’s Four Horseman.
Speaking to Austin on the Stone Cold Podcast, Paul Heyman explained what he did to convince Dusty Rhodes to push “Stunning” Steve Austin in WCW.
“I had my eye on it if I was coming back to manage, I wanted to manage you. I always took a look at, well, who’s the next big thing running the business. And I called Dusty on the phone and said ‘this Dangerous Alliance is going to blow away the Four Horseman, but it’s missing one piece. ‘”
“‘Well, I think it’s just the greatest thing in the world, and I think this is better than the Horseman. Who’s missing?'”
“And I said, well, ‘I think this kid Stunning Steve Austin is the world’s greatest athlete. I like kid. Then he’s good, but you really think we’ll put this kid in the Dangerous Alliance.'”
“And I said, ‘but Dusty, he’s from Texas, he’s just like you. He’s gonna become the big star of business'”
‘I knew the next Big Star in WCW will be from Texas. He’s all yours baby, because I’m a super genius. I’m glad I thought of the idea’
“‘And it’s a wonderful idea. That’s good, thank you very much.'”
Steve Austin would later be released by WCW while he was injured, and he followed Paul Heyman to ECW before becoming a big star in WWE.
