Highlights
- Brian Pillman and Steve Austin's scripted breakup turned into a real, intense conflict both inside and outside the wrestling ring.
- Their clash included an infamous gun-pulling incident on live television, but there were other real confrontations in the ring as well.
- The rivalry between Pillman and Austin reached a dramatic peak when Pillman sought revenge on Austin and delivered one of the worst beatings Austin had ever experienced in his career.
In professional wrestling, scripted rivalries often blur the lines between fiction and reality. Among the iconic feuds, the tumultuous relationship between Brian Pillman and Stone "Stone Cold" Steve Austin stands out, marked by intense battles inside and outside the ring. Behind the scenes, however, lies a compelling mystery, a moment when the theatrics of wrestling gave way to a genuine conflict. We delve into the crazy WWE incident that left fans questioning why Brian Pillman unleashed a real beatdown on his former WCW ally, Steve Austin. From scripted drama to unscripted intensity, the tale of Pillman and Austin's clash adds a layer of intrigue to the rich tapestry of wrestling history.
The Story Of Brian Pillman And Steve Austin
Brian Pillman And Steve Austin Were A Tag Team Called The Hollywood Blondes
CloseWrestler | Debut Year |
|---|---|
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin | 1989 |
Brian Pillman | 1986 |
Brian Pillman and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's professional camaraderie burgeoned in WCW in the early 1990s. As a tag team, they not only showcased their talents but also created an indomitable force that caught the attention of wrestling fans. Their chemistry inside and outside the ring was palpable, solidifying a genuine friendship. The duo's partnership reached a pivotal moment when they decided to script a storyline breakup.
The friendship that had once flourished turned into a combustible dynamic, captivating audiences with the emotional intensity of their clashes. One of the most memorable chapters in their feud unfolded in WWE, where an altercation between Pillman and Austin escalated into an infamous gun-pulling incident on live television. Many fans might not know that there were two different confrontations that Steve Austin remembers in which things got real in the ring. And it wasn't the gun incident.
RelatedBrian Pillman Pulling A Gun On Steve Austin Was One Of WWE Raw's Most Controversial Moments
One of the most controversial moments in WWE history was when Brian Pillman pulled a gun on Stone Cold and almost cost WWE its television deal.Steve Austin Beat Up Brian Pillman First During A WWE Segment
Steve Austin Hurt Brian Pillman With A Cane
On that fateful night of October 27, 1996, during Rawthe wrestling world witnessed a scripted confrontation between Brian Pillman and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Pillman, nursing an injury, extended an invitation to his former tag team partner to discuss Austin's upcoming match against Bret Hart at Survivor Series. However, the atmosphere quickly shifted as Pillman, seemingly more aligned with Hart, began to express sentiments that didn't sit well with Austin. In the midst of what was intended to be a scripted beatdown, the intensity of the moment escalated beyond the usual boundaries of a staged performance. What many fans may not realize is that, despite the predetermined nature of the encounter, the impact was very real, especially when Austin attacked Pillman with the cane, as Austin revealed on The Steve Austin Show. He said:
"When I shanghaied Brian Pillman with that big right hand, kind of like a clothesline, I stomped a mudhole in his ass and walked it dry. I was working, but it was a damn near shoot because it had to be. I was wearing those heavy-ass, Hi-Tech Magnum boots, and I still wear them to this day, and those things have a damn sole on them. They're very, very comfortable, but I stomped the s–t out of him. I was stomping him. I was kicking him. I was beating him to death. If you watch that footage back, Brian was walking around with that cane and there was a brass duck head on top of that cane that you put your hand on. So when I took that baseball swing and hit him in his shin. And he had his leg bandaged up. There was some plastic wrapped around his shin, so I didn't break his shin, but the stick broke. The walking stick broke. And if you watch that footage back, watch that brass duck head, as I hit him in the leg, fly off right into the crowd. And I believe it hit the top of that metal barricade. And it damn near could have easily hurt somebody, but we got lucky that it didn't. And believe me, when I swung that damn walking stick, I was swinging for the fence. It broke off."
Once the segment concluded, Pillman, now legitimately injured, had to be swiftly taken backstage. Steve Austin, concerned for his friend and professional counterpart, visited Pillman to ensure he was okay.
RelatedBrian Pillman & Stone Cold's Friendship In Wrestling, Explained
Brian Pillman and Steve Austin developed a close friendship in WCW before both men moved on to WWE, and their relationship lasted to the end.Brian Pillman Returned The Beating To Steve Austin
It Was The Worst Beating Stone Cold Ever Got
The saga between Brian Pillman and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin took an even more dramatic turn in a subsequent segment a while later. Pillman turned on Austin, seeking retribution for the earlier beatdown. Austin described the encounter, saying:
“If you will remember, a couple of weeks or a couple of months later, he turned the tides on me. And let me tell you something, mister, as bad and as hard as I was kicking the s–t out of him, he gave it to me and then some. He beat the flying s–t out of me. And I wasn't selling it and I knew I had it coming. And I knew there was going to be a receipt on that ass-whooping. And I didn't know how Brian was going to respond because it was weeks or months later. But when he beat the dog s–t out of me, I mean, that was one of the worst beatings I've ever had in my time in the business and that's a straight-up shoot. Brian was kicking the s–t out of me.”
Despite the intensity, Austin expressed admiration for Pillman's competitiveness and the thrill of their working relationship.
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