Austin: “this Andrade kid is going to be a player one of these days”

Sports Illustrated recently chatted with WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin, who had high praise for current WWE Raw Superstar Andrade. Below are some highlights.

Austin on Andrade: “Right now, the people that are on top are the people that should be on top. But I called this two years ago watching his match when he did the favors for somebody that night, and I said, ‘Man, this Andrade kid is going to be a player one of these days.’ I think he’s proving that.”

Austin on Andrade needing to tweak his character: “He still has a ways to go, but it’s just tweaking that character. The kid’s a hell of a damn worker.”

Austin on what it takes to become a top star: “The people that have tremendous success either have a gimmick that is so close to them that it’s basically them turned up or it’s so far away from them that it cannot be missed. It’s all about how you resonate with the people. Wrestling is a relationship, whether you’re a heel or a babyface, you’re establishing yourself as a brand. How do you make them feel? They’re living vicariously through your storylines. They feel strength, vulnerability, or power. If it works, you’re doing something that resonates with people in regards to entertainment and wanting to invest in a person.”