“Stone Cold” Steve Austin is a big fan of current WWE superstar Kevin Owens who uses his finishing move, the Stone Cold Stunner. And Austin now has a grade for Owens using the move. The WWE Hall of Famer talked to The Wrap about Owens’ version of the stunner and he thinks he’s doing a good job with it.
“I would give it a B+,” Austin said of Owens’ use. “I’m a huge K.O. fan, but I’ve seen a couple of the deliveries that have been a little off.”
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Austin continued and said Owens can get an “A” if he continues to work on it.
“He’s timing it up and he’s coming up — he’s got a little bit of a different finesse to it than I did,” Austin said. “But I soon think he’ll achieve A to A+ status if practice makes perfect, and they gotta let him turn that thing loose.”
So why is Owens using the stunner? He started using it earlier this year when he returned the live-action after suffering knee injuries in October. And according to WrestleTalk.com, the WWE loved Owens using the stunner, so they decided he will use that move along with his other finishing move, the Pop-Up Power Bomb.
After the first time Owes used the stunner, he sent a message to Austin on Twitter.
Hey @steveaustinBSR, I finally figured it out!
— Kevin (@FightOwensFight) February 27, 2019
As good as Owens looks doing the stunner, it will always be Austin’s move in the eyes of the fans. However, Austin told The Wrap two years ago he has no problem with other wrestlers using the move.
“I’m down with anybody using the Stunner,” the Victoria, Texas, native said. “I would prefer that it be used as a used a finisher, and not as the current routine with the DDT, where it’s basically one of the lamest false-finishes in the business after being one of the most devastating finishers in the history of the business.”
Austin retired from wrestling in 2002 due to a neck injury he suffered in 1997. Since then, Austin has made appearances on WWE television including an episode of WWE Raw on Jul. 22. The former six-time WWE Champion is set to debut on new series on the USA Network called Straight Up Steve Austin which premiers on Aug. 12.
