Watch ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Mick Foley and HBK Bring Wrestlemania Back to the ’90s

One of the big criticisms of today’s WWE leveled by hardcore wrestling heads is that Vince McMahon relies too much on nostalgia in big moments. Maybe so. I’m no hardcore wrestling fanatic, but I did watch wrestling when I was in the middle school, so those nods to the “Attitude Era” that make real fans roll their eyes are the only part of today’s WWE that catch my attention. 

Based on the reaction to Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin walking out at Wrestlemania 32, there are plenty of others out there like me. 

It was easy to overlook their faces, weathered with age, and their paunches, rounded in retirement. And it was obvious as these three grandpas approached the ring that they’d soon deliver a highly-unrealistic ass-kicking to four men half their age.

 But all that absurdity aside, the blast from the past still had me cheering like a seventh grader when Mr. Socko came out. And crying like a seventh grader when HBK played his sweet chin music. And dealing with a surprise erection like a seventh grader when Stone Cold delivered a stunner.