The following are highlights from a recent WWE.com interview with WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin:
On if he sees himself in Daniel Bryan: “No, I didn’t see too much ‘Stone Cold’ in [Daniel Bryan], but I saw a young man who could work his ass off in the ring, who had a lot of fire and passion for the business. With that being said, he’s dealing with a very worthwhile adversary in Triple H, a guy with physicality and intelligence on top of that, and of course, he’s got some advice coming from Vince.
“Vince is the ultimate third-generation promoter. He’s been there and done that in every situation that’s ever been done in the history of sports-entertainment. Triple H is gonna lean on him for some resources. Young Daniel Bryan must stay the course and maintain his intensity.”
On Daniel Bryan’s battle with authority and Triple H/The McMahon’s: “It’s a complete parallel, and obviously a decade removed with two cats in these different roles … but it’s a complete parallel with what went on between myself and Vince. Still, he isn’t expecting Bryan to break out a beer hose so much as use his unique opportunity to cement his place as a top-tier performer against the most powerful of enemies.
“I know what [Triple H’s] mentality is, and he’s been hanging around Vince for so long. Right now, he’s playing the ultimate game with young Daniel Bryan … I look for similarities in situations and setups, but also for [Daniel Bryan] to push the envelope and come out of the box strong.”
On his thoughts on Triple H’s rise through the ranks in WWE: “Man, I’ll tell you what: Back in the day when we were having heated battles in the ring, all over the world, and hell no, I didn’t see it coming. But just goes to show they didn’t call him The Game for nothing. He’s a smart S.O.B.
“I think the guy loves the business enough that he didn’t want just any hand in it, he wanted to be at the top and planned his ascent accordingly. I think he was looking way farther down the road than a lot of guys do.”
On advice for Daniel Bryan: “If I could offer any advice to Daniel Bryan, I would tell him to be aggressive. Trust your gut instincts. The best defense is a good offense, and always be on the attack. But, sometimes, lay in wait. I think Triple H’s ego may mirror Vince’s ego. Sometimes, as cerebral as he is, his ego may get the best of him and you’ll be able to spring an attack on him.
“With all these corporate shenanigans going on, he has to stay true to himself. Whether he gets the title back or overthrows the regime, that’ll come out in the wash. He must remember to stay focused about who Daniel Bryan is: A fiery competitor who loves the business and continues to make a name for himself; the guy who [supposedly] didn’t have the ‘It’ factor, wasn’t big enough, wasn’t good-looking enough. … He’s gotta stay the course and prove that — yes — he’s all that and more.”
Check out the complete interview online at WWE.com.
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