On a recent edition of his “The ARN Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson discussed WCW splitting up The Hollywood Blondes with Steve Austin and Brian Pillman in November 1993.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the pairing of Steve Austin with Colonel Parker (Robert Fuller): “It’s hard for me to look at it objectively, because everybody knew it was too soon. Splitting those guys up was just a mistake, it really was. You know, I mean, Colonel Parker was great on the mic. He was a great character. And Austin was coming along. But I think if you asked, Austin [if he] would have rather had the single push or stayed with Pillman, He would have probably chosen to stay with Pillman.”
On what Austin could’ve learned from Parker: “Any number of teams, they would have excelled working with. You know, it’s just — you just cut it off way, way, way too soon. And Austin would have still gotten where he got. He would still have become Stone Cold, I believe that. Because I believe in fate. But man, the company would have benefited so much from that pairing… [Austin could have learned] to be such a colorful character, it’s like a goofball thing, the whole Colonel thing and the suit and all that. He’s one of those guys who grew up several generations in the business and was very smart about the business, very intelligent. They moved in several places, and his father and grandfather set up highly successful territories. And there’s a reason for that, because he knew the business and would share that knowledge with the guys, too. So what you saw, Colonel Parker was not Robert Fuller as far as knowledge.”
On how he would’ve kept The Hollywood Blondes instead of splitting them up: “I’d have let the fans turn them a babyface a year down the road. But we did not get their best. You would have gotten their best in the course of the next year.”
On whether their break up made him think Austin would make his way to the main event: “Well, I think he would have got there anyway. But I mean, Austin was just, he had it. It was just a question of when.”
On whether Pillman or Austin reached out to him for advice: “I don’t think so. I think they took control of their own situation. Once you were a top guy and being used as a top guy, you pretty much took care of your own business.”
On whether he heard why WCW split up The Hollywood Blondes: “Well, I sure wouldn’t blame them for the low ratings. That’s the last crew I would put the finger on. I don’t think [they realized what they had], either. And they didn’t realize that it takes six months of being on TV every week to get over. In those days, you had to be there every single week and used in a good capacity. And when I say get over, that means you can go to a town single main event and draw a house.”
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The Hollywood Blondes were a popular tag team in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during the early 1990s. Comprised of Steve Austin and Brian Pillman, the duo had great chemistry and were loved by fans. However, in November 1993, WCW made the decision to split them up, a move that many believe was a mistake.
In a recent episode of his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson discussed the decision to split up The Hollywood Blondes. Anderson expressed his belief that it was too soon to break them up and that it was a mistake on WCW’s part. He mentioned that Colonel Parker (Robert Fuller), who was paired with Austin after the split, was a great character but splitting Austin and Pillman was not the right move.
Anderson also discussed what Austin could have learned from working with Parker. He believed that Austin could have become a more colorful character and learned valuable knowledge about the business from Parker. Anderson emphasized that Austin would have still achieved success on his own, but the company would have benefited greatly from keeping The Hollywood Blondes together.
When asked about how he would have kept The Hollywood Blondes together, Anderson suggested turning them into babyfaces after a year. He believed that they would have given their best performances in the following year and that the fans would have embraced them as babyfaces.
Despite the split, Anderson had no doubt that Austin would have eventually made his way to the main event. He recognized Austin’s talent and believed that it was only a matter of time before he reached the top.
Regarding whether Pillman or Austin sought his advice during that time, Anderson stated that he didn’t think so. Once a wrestler became a top guy and was being used as such, they usually took care of their own business.
Anderson also commented on whether he knew why WCW decided to split up The Hollywood Blondes. He mentioned that he wouldn’t blame them for low ratings and believed that WCW didn’t realize the potential of the team. He emphasized the importance of consistent TV appearances and being used effectively to get over with the audience.
In conclusion, the decision to split up The Hollywood Blondes was seen as a mistake by many, including Arn Anderson. The team had great potential and chemistry, and keeping them together could have benefited both the wrestlers and WCW. However, despite the split, both Steve Austin and Brian Pillman went on to have successful careers in professional wrestling.