During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Steve Austin discussed a possible pairing between Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman, Kevin Owens, Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn and more. Here are some highlights:
On Kevin Owens: “I think they’ve got to give Kevin Owens a run with the belt. He’s a veteran and he’s really clicking on the mic, and the kid is super talented. Give him a f—— run. I don’t know why you wouldn’t give the guy the opportunity, he’s just too good.”
On the Shinsuke Nakamura – Sami Zayn match at NXT Takeover: Dallas: “I was in Dallas when he wrestled Sami Zayn at NXT, and it was alright, a fifty-fifty match. I thought Shinsuke should have taken sixty percent of that match instead of going fifty-fifty. It was even offense. You’ve got that sensational, charismatic cat–the ‘King of Strong Style’–coming from Japan, and he’s special, and all of a sudden you want him to go fifty-fifty? How is he going to get over on the main roster if he’s going fifty-fifty with, all due respects, Sami Zayn? Sami–who I love–is he working the main event right now? Is he in the IC picture? He ain’t. So all of a sudden Sami’s going with this guy who, I’m hoping, is going to light up American crowds and be the modern-day f—— [Great] Muta. Well, that’s a tall order when you’re working fifty-fifty with a guy on the mid-card. And that’s with respect for Sami Zayn, because the dude is a badass hand.”
On whether Roman Reigns should be paired with Paul Heyman: “You cannot put Paul Heyman with Roman Reigns. People would know you’re putting Paul Heyman with him because there is a problem. And I love Paul. Nobody loves Paul more than I do or has more of an appreciation for how he helped me and was an instrumental part of my career. Paul Heyman works with Brock. The magic works between Brock and Paul because of their dynamic and their chemistry. If you put him with Roman Reigns, people will know that Paul E.’s the band-aid.”
