Stunning Steve: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s Early Wrestling Career

Williams fell in love with professional wrestling much like how most fans find it by channel surfing. Stumbling upon channel 39’s Houston Wrestling he loved the smoke-filled arena and seeing two men completely obliterate each other. He would religiously watch wrestling every Sunday, becoming a massive fan of Von Erich’s WCCW and Southwest Championship Wrestling (SCW).

Williams earned a scholarship to play football at the University of North Texas as a running back started to fall out of love for the sport and school. Always a straight-A student, Williams realized that college simply wasn’t for him and dropped out to work on a forklift. During his spare time, he and his friends would go to the Sportatorium and watch wrestling. Williams would be constantly reminded that he could be in there and through that positive peer pressure he wanted to make that dream a reality.

Stumbling across Chris Adams’ commercial for a wrestling academy, Williams signed up in 1989 and was prepared to be amongst giants looking to break into the business. Surprisingly he was the only one with any sort of athletic capability making him a stand-out. He worked 3 matches for the WCWA (eventually rebranded WCCW) in Dallas before expanding into Memphis for the USWA.

Here we learn the origins of the name “Steve Austin”. Wrestling as Steve Williams up to this point, he’d introduce himself to head promoter at the time Dutch Mantell (WWE’s Zeb Colter) saying he was looking to wrestle that night. Mantell told him they already had a Steve Williams with Dr. Death Steve Williams consistently featured on USWA cards and he’d need to find a new name to avoid confusion. This all happened in 15 minutes as Williams contemplated what his new ring name was going to be for the rest of his foreseeable career.

After time was up Mantell gave him the name Steve Austin. Now working as “Stunning” Steve Austin, he’d come to the ring in a red sequin robe along with his long blond hair antagonizing the Memphis crowds. During this time he’d work with Brian Lee, The Soultaker, Tony Anthony, and even tagged with Dutch Mantell and defeated The Soultaker and The Punisher (The Undertaker). It’s also important to mention he would be managed by Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer) and his girlfriend at the time Jeanie Clarke. They would get married and have 2 children as well.

• 'Stunning' Steve Austin
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