"Stone Cold" Steve Austin Shares Honest Take on WWE Unreal (Exclusive)

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is a multiple-time world champion, a multiple-time WWE Hall of Famer, and one of the most successful characters in the history of pro wrestling. When he talks, people listen.

As part of the WWE content partnership with Netflix, WWE began producing an all-access backstage show called WWE Unreal. It's a show that details the backstage happenings of the business and creative team, and premiered in 2025. The second season of the hit show dropped at the beginning of this year.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is plenty busy with projects outside the wrestling industry, but he found time to stay close to the business he helped build because of the WWE Unreal program. In an exclusive interview with The Takedown on SI, which will drop in full on Monday, March 16, Austin reviewed the show and discussed the pros and cons of it existing as a piece of content in the pro wrestling industry.

"I follow WWE," Austin said. "I follow some of the talent on IG and I'll pick up clips and stuff like that. I watched the first season of Unreal, and I think I'm almost, maybe I'm midway through the second season of Unreal, but that's about as close as I am to the business."

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin thought he would hate WWE Unreal

WWE Unreal is a polarizing show because of the behind-the-scenes look it gives wrestling fans. Current WWE stars like Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins have spoken out against the program. Austin's review is mixed with pros and cons.

"I thought I was going to hate it," Austin said. "When you come from the era that I came from, especially if you were in a Bill Watts territory, it was kayfabe. You didn't smarten up anybody. If you smartened up anybody? You're going to get fired. If you get in a fight with some guy at a bar and he kicks your a--, you're going to get fired, because you got to protect the business. So, I thought I was going to hate it from that standpoint. They give away a lot of information, but that's what it's for, right?

Despite giving some of the business away, Austin said a positive of the show and a reason to watch it is because of how the talent is presented.

"The talent is so likable," Austin said regarding how WWE stars come across on Unreal. Whether they're heels or babyfaces, the talent shines so much. You end up liking it just because the talent is so likable. The old school part of me says, 'hey, man, you can't give away too much' and I think it's a good show because of the freaking talent on there."

Is WWE Unreal good for the wrestling business? According to Austin, it isn't that simple.

"I think it changes the ride for the audience," Austin said regarding the industry impact of WWE Unreal. "When I was doing my thing, you really thought I was that guy. I wasn't back there just doing interviews, laughing, and joking because I got a sense of humor. Back then, you didn't think I had a sense of humor. You believed that I was an a-- whipping machine ... Now, if you saw me back there just laughing and joking with everybody, you might have a different perspective of Stone Cold the character."

WWE Unreal has been picked up for a third season, but Netflix and WWE haven't announced a premiere date yet.

As for Austin, he will be a part of WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas this year with multiple signings for fans scheduled at the fan convention, WWE World.

Austin appeared at WrestleMania 41 last year and announced the weekend attendance on night two of the event. There is no official word on whether Austin will be at WrestleMania this year.