History: At WrestleMania X-Seven in April 2001, Stone Cold Steve Austin alligned himself with Vince McMahon, winning the WWF Title. On the following Smackdown, Jim Ross was given an assignment to interview Austin to find out why this came about. Tazz and Michael Cole were on commentary.
(The Oklahoma Sooners fight song plays as Jim Ross makes his way to the ring to a big pop from the Oklahoma City crowd.)
Michael Cole: A tremendous ovation, Tazz, for Jim Ross but it hasn't been a happy homecoming for... JR. A lot on his mind over the past week responding to press because of the situation concerning his good friend Steve Austin.
Tazz: Well as everyone knows, JR is a native Oklahoman, and he's proud to be an Oklahoman. But today... he just doesn't seem like himself.
Jim Ross: It's always great to be around WWF fans wherever we are around the world, but by God... I gotta tell ya it's great to be back home! Folks, tonight I have the opportunity to talk to the new WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin. I think that there's a lot of questions that need to be answered by Stone Cold, I think you deserve an answer, our fans at home deserve an answer, so... without further ado here tonight, I'd like to introduce to you the new World Wrestling Federation Champion... Stone Cold Steve Austin!
(Austin's music hits and he comes down to the ring to a mixed reaction.)
Cole: Well Tazz, perhaps an appropriate response for Stone Cold from this crowd here in Oklahoma City. The WWF is still in shock over what has been a surreal week, so to speak... Austin alligning himself with his long-time enemy Mr. McMahon.
(He throws the belt in the ring and gives JR a look before posing on all four corners.)
Tazz: No doubt about it Cole, we have a new champion in the World Wrestling Federation. His name is Stone Cold Steve Austin and I'm just curious, right now, to see what goes down here.
Cole: And can you imagine what's going through the mind of Jim Ross as he stares into the eyes of the Rattlesnake, Tazz? He has been a staunch supporter of Stone Cold. He has been a backer of Stone Cold in the past, and just imagine what Jim Ross is feeling... imagine what you're feeling when your best friend does something that you just don't understand.
Tazz: I don't know, uh... something like this has never happened to me personally, but you have to kinda feel a little bit bad for JR. I mean, he and Austin are tight, no doubt about it, they've got a lot in common and stuff, and it's just... confusing, I guess. It's confusing.
(He gets a microphone and stands in front of Ross. A "Rocky!" chant starts up in the crowd.)
Cole: And chants of "Rocky!" fill the Mariotte Convention Center, but the Rock has been suspended indefinitely by Mr. McMahon.
(He gives them a dirty look. Ross tries to talk, but Austin holds up his hand. After a moment, he gives JR permission to speak.)
Ross: There's a lot of things I'd like to talk to you about in private... that hadn't been made possible. But this isn't about me and you. I just think there's a lot of questions, Steve, that... that you should answer for the fans around the world, and... I, the first question I think is the most obvious one: is that why in God's name have you alligned yourself with Mr. McMahon, a human being that I know, in your heart, you have despised more than anybody walking the face of the Earth?
Steve Austin: Well, that's a pretty simple answer: it's an insurance policy, Jim. How stupid are ya? I'm Stone Cold Steve Austin.
(The crowd boos.)
Austin: I said I'm Stone Cold Steve Austin...
(The crowd boos again.)
Austin: I said I'm Stone Cold Steve Austin, and that just...
(The crowd boos and Austin gives them a dirty look.)
Austin: I just made the single biggest comeback in the history of our business. A successful comeback, I might add. Did you think I was so stupid to roll into WrestleMania without an insurance policy? I'm right there in my backyard... Houston, Texas... WrestleMania, the biggest pay per view in the industry, and I'm just...
(Ross hangs his head.)
Austin: Look at me when I'm talking to you... and I'm not gonna roll in there without an insurance policy? Like I'm gonna take a chance on being a loser? No sir! Vince McMahon was an insurance to Stone Cold Steve Austin then, and he will continue to be so in the future.
Ross: All right, but... Steve, don't you think... don't you feel any... any remorse for turning your back on the millions of fans around the world that supported you?
(Another "Rocky!" chant starts up in the crowd.)
Cole: And the fans are chanting for Rocky.
Austin: I really don't appreciate the response I'm getting right now. Why in the hell would I feel remorse for anything I've done, Jim? When did Stone Cold ever say, "Hey, I love to be a hero... I wanna be a hero, I wanna be these people's hero." When did you ever hear Stone Cold Steve Austin say that? When have you ever heard me say, "Yeah, I'm Stone Cold Steve Austin and I care about... and I love the WWF fans!" When have you heard me say that? You've never heard me say that, have you? And you sit there behind your stupid little desk every week and you go, "The Rattlesnake, the Rattlesnake, the Rattlesnake!" Hello, Jim! I come out here and I say DTA: Don't Trust Anybody... and especially don't trust Stone Cold Steve Austin. I don't feel sorry for one single soul out here in this godforsaken town or in America, or anywhere in the damn world.
Ross: All right... well, you don't care about the fans anywhere. I guess that's your prerogative.
Austin: Are you sassin' me?
Ross: (shakes his head) No...
Austin: Don't you dare sass me. Do I make myself clear?
Ross: Yes. Next question: Monday night on Raw, you stood in the ring, right next to a man, Triple H, that orchestrated the most elaborate conspiracy to run you down like roadkill with the express thought in mind to put you out of the WWF forever. How can you become, all of a sudden, an ally of Triple H?
Austin: Are you gonna talk about Triple H behind his back? Because Triple H ain't out here to defend himself, you're gonna talk trash about Triple H, is that it?
Ross: I'm just ask...
Austin: Shut up. I'm talkin'. When I talk, you listen. Shut the hole in your face. If that man was sick enough to run over Stone Cold Steve Austin with a car... if he was sick enough to try to put me out of this business, and he was not successful, but if he was sick enough to do that, wouldn't you want him on your side too? And I'll tell you right now, if you want any more of an answer out of Stone Cold Steve Austin about that question, you'll have to beat it out of me. Do you understand what I just told you?
Ross: I heard, Steve.
Austin: Look at you. Your little cowboy hat, your little glasses, your stupid little belt buckle... look at me! You look like you just lost your best friend.
Ross: Well, you know... maybe I have. You know, I... I can remember when you came out of surgery, there was one person from the WWF that was there... it was me. And on Super Bowl Sunday, three weeks after your spinal surgery, there was one person you talked to on national television... and that was me. And the one person that called you time and time again when you were healing, that said "Stone Cold, don't you give up... you'll be back in the WWF, and you'll be WWF Champion." That was me, Steve. And the only people from the WWF that you and Debbie invited to your wedding was me and my wife, so yeah Steve, I do feel like I'm losing my best friend... and it don't feel good.
Austin: Let me see if I can sort through all this sentimental crap and get down to the bottom line... you're telling me right now Stone Cold Steve Austin turns up the voltage and you don't wanna be my friend no more?
Ross: I never said that... I never said that.
Austin: It sounds to me like you said you don't wanna be Stone Cold Steve Austin's friend.
(Austin flips off Ross's hat and snatches off his glasses.)
Austin: Does that make you mad? I knocked your little cowboy hat off, I pull off your glasses, huh? Does that make you mad?
(He rips open Ross's shirt.)
Austin: You wanna punch me, hillbilly boy, right here in your hometown?
Ross: No, Steve. No...
Austin: Go ahead, you little mealy-mouthed bastard... take your best swing at Stone Cold... your old best friend!
Ross: I think... this interview was a mistake. Interview over. Sorry.
(Ross turns his back and starts to walk away, but Austin attacks him from behind, dropping him to the canvas.)
Cole: Wait a minute! What the hell is Austin doing?
Tazz: Oh man, this is too much, Cole.
Cole: Stone Cold just attacked JR from behind.
(He puts the boots to Ross as Vince McMahon emerges from backstage.)
Vince McMahon: Wait a minute! Stop it, stop it, stop it! Dammit, stop it right now!
(Austin stops to look at McMahon.)
McMahon: What do you think you're doing? What do you think you're doing, Austin? That's your best friend out there, and you're taking it easy on your very best friend! Dammit Steve, come on... OPEN HIM UP!
(Austin continues with the attack on Ross.)
Cole: Oh...
Tazz: Oh my God!
McMahon: Open him up! Get him up! Get him up! Come on! Get him! Beat him, Steve! Beat him!
Cole: Jim Ross has been bloodied...
McMahon: Stomp a mudhole in him!
Tazz: Steve man, stop!
Cole: Stone Cold Steve Austin...
McMahon: Teach that son of a bitch a lesson!
(Ross is unconscious and bleeding from Austin's assault. He stomps and drops the elbow on Ross.)
Tazz: Damn!
Cole: Stone Cold Steve Austin following orders from Mr. McMahon to beat the hell out of his once best friend, Tazz!
Tazz: I don't believe this, Cole.
(A cascade of referees come down to the ring, but are afraid to get in.)
Cole: But a number of officials making their way to the ring. Jim Ross has been beaten to a bloody pulp by Austin. And now he's got the belt off!
(Austin removes his belt, strangling JR.)
Tazz: He's not stopping, he's choking him out, he's busted him open... Steve stop, man!
Cole: Austin is crazed, Tazz. He's in that other state we've only seen once before, and that was that vicious assault on the Rock, and look at Jim Ross! He's like a crazed dog. Manson-like psychotic.
Tazz: Well get in the ring and stop him, refs! Damn. You can't blame them, though.
Cole: You can't blame them at all as Stone Cold Steve Austin should stop this now... he's destroying Jim Ross...
(Austin drags Ross to the center of the ring and steps on his groin.)
Tazz: Damn!
(Austin looks at McMahon, who's smiling.)
Cole: And look at the satisfied grin on Mr. McMahon's face. Austin following orders from Mr. McMahon, Tazz. Austin destroying his good friend Jim Ross in front of his hometown, in front of his own people. Jim Ross's family's here, dammit!
Tazz: I'm speechless Cole, I... I didn't think I'd ever see the day that Stone Cold would bite JR in the heart.
(He gets the WWF title belt and rubs it in Ross's face. His theme music plays again.)
Cole: Austin's just using that title and rubbing it in the face of Jim Ross.
Tazz: I never thought I'd see this...
