In recent months, WWE has been increasingly pulling back the curtain on kayfabe. Prominent figures like Paul “Triple H” Levesque have participated in out-of-character interviews, and the company is preparing to launch “WWE: Unreal” on Netflix — a docuseries that will delve even deeper into the behind-the-scenes workings of professional wrestling.
However, not everyone is on board with this shift. WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin has voiced his opposition to the company’s new direction.
Speaking on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Austin explained, “I’m a little old school on that, and you know, it’s just like… I’m a big magic fan, but you know, if Harry Houdini’s still around, you know, I don’t want him to tell me how he does it.
Stone Cold Steve AustinI want to figure out he does it, and if I can’t then I’m gonna keep wondering and I’m gonna keep watching, but I’m gonna keep wondering.” Austin made it clear that he understands magic is an illusion, but it’s the mystery that holds his interest — a sentiment he believes applies equally to wrestling.
While Austin disapproves of the further erosion of kayfabe and the concept behind “WWE: Unreal,” fellow wrestling veteran Jeff Jarrett sees it as a gamble. Jarrett suggests the success of the docuseries depends entirely on how WWE handles the concept.
He acknowledged that wrestling has evolved into a hybrid form of entertainment, but he also warned that no matter the approach, peeling back the layers will likely diminish the mystique that has long been part of wrestling’s charm. In this sense, Jarrett’s viewpoint aligns with Austin’s: once the magic is fully exposed, the product may become less compelling.