“Stone Chilly” Steve Austin aligning himself with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 17 is broadly thought of one of the vital sudden heel turns in professional wrestling historical past. Austin and McMahon had been at odds for the higher a part of three years, and the 2 linking up was an unfathomable thought not simply to followers, however even to veteran wrestlers corresponding to Kevin Sullivan.

Reflecting on the notorious second, Sullivan believes the inventive determination backfired on WWE since Austin reverted again to being a babyface inside a yr of his character flip. Additionally, Sullivan thinks that Austin appeared uncomfortable doing comedy routines and skits as a part of the McMahon-led faction. “I’d have by no means turned ‘Stone Chilly’ heel,” Sullivan stated on his “Tuesday with The Taskmaster” podcast. “He was enjoying a bit goofy banjo guitar [shakes head]  … brother, he is Billy the Child, he ain’t Billy the Child the goat, you recognize what I imply? I do not wish to knock what folks do creatively as a result of we see issues totally different, proper?” 

“…However you may’t make that kind of mistake. There’s some stuff you simply cannot do,” Sullivan added. 

Austin himself has beforehand admitted that the heel flip did not show to be as productive as he had hoped, referring to the inventive determination as “a foul thought” throughout his 2014 “Speak is Jericho” look. Even Jim Ross felt just like the promotion backed itself right into a nook by turning Austin, leaving the followers and the remainder of the WWE locker room in a confused state.