Austin Theory was front and center for Vince McMahon’s horrendous stunner sell with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38, and knows better than anyone how the locker room reacted once McMahon returned backstage through the curtain.
Speaking to Mark Andrews: My Love Letter to Pro Wrestling, Theory revealed that the locker room, especially the female talents, teased McMahon for the botched stunner once he returned backstage. However, it sounds like the boss took it all in stride and laughed it off.
“It was really cool. When Mr. McMahon walked to the back, everyone was screaming at him,” Theory said (via Fightful). “It was a lot of the female wrestlers, they were screaming at him and messing with him. He was like, ‘Okay, okay.’ It was proud, like being proud of your dad.
“Pat comes through and everyone was proud of what we did out there and everyone enjoyed it. You know it went well when everyone in the back enjoyed it. It was awesome. Even days after and now, hearing so much about it, you know you made that WrestleMania moment, which is really cool to me.”
McMahon was initially sitting ringside for Theory’s match with Pat McAfee, but angrily entered the ring after Austin Theory came up short against the SmackDown Live commentator. After ordering an impromptu match between himself and McAfee, it didn’t take McMahon long to put the ex-NFL punter down for a three-count. After the match, however, Austin hit the ring to give stunners to all three men – Theory, McAfee, and McMahon.
“The Chairman” is no stranger to taking stunners, probably having taken more than anyone over the years given his famed rivalry with Austin throughout the Attitude Era, but this one was one of the worst of all time. While Night Two of WrestleMania didn’t offer the best closing stunner, Night One certainly did.
Austin made his in-ring return after over 19 years, defeating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match after nailing “KO” with the stunner. His appearance the following night wasn’t advertised, nor expected, but it was a tremendous treat nonetheless.
