Whether you prefer to call it the Steve Austin Show or the Stone Cold Podcast, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin has sat down with many a wrestler or wrestling personality since the show's debut in 2013. Much to the pleasure of wrestling fans and the chagrin of WWE executives, Stone Cold's interviews with people from the business are largely shoots, where they speak out of character and relate the stories of their lives before wrestling, and tales from behind the scenes and away from the camera. As such, you can expect wrestlers to be as candid and transparent as possible, though there are a few exceptions (hello, Brock Lesnar) where the interview subject is clearly uncomfortable with being on the show.

Indeed, there have been a lot of fascinating stories told on the Stone Cold Podcast, some of which are common knowledge, others brand new to the average member of the WWE Universe. (Or TNA "Galaxy" – minor spoiler alert!) We're bringing to you a combination of both in this list, and in the best interests of representing as many wrestlers/wrestling personalities as possible, we're including one entry per person.

That all said, here are 15 of the more interesting "wrestling secrets" we've heard on the Stone Cold Podcast.

15 Dean Ambrose – Brock Wouldn't Cooperate At 'Mania

More so than Dean Ambrose's admission of having a troubled, poor upbringing, WWE was probably more ticked off by his telling Stone Cold about the issues he had with Brock Lesnar during, and after their disappointing match at WrestleMania 32. According to Ambrose, Lesnar was "lazy" and hard to work with, and didn't want to cooperate as he tried to pull out all the stops, in hopes of making their 'Mania match awesome. The Lunatic Fringe had all the best laid plans ahead of the match, but in the end, it was a case of "Brock being Brock," as both men failed to connect in the ring with their clashing styles and Lesnar's uncooperativeness.

Not long after that podcast appearance, Ambrose was bumped down to the mid-card, with his WWE Championship reign ending with a whimper. Let's hope WWE's done punishing him for that frank, and we dare say, necessary assessment of what went down at 'Mania 32, because he was so close to clawing his way back to the main event when he got injured late last year.

14 Becky Lynch – Keeping Kayfabe In NXT

Although they may be of varying heel or face alignments at any given point in their WWE runs, the "Four Horsewomen" of professional wrestling are, in real life, good friends who came up in NXT together. Things haven't worked out exactly as hoped for most of the Horsewomen, and that includes Becky Lynch, who's far removed from the SmackDown Women's Championship picture more than a year after she became the belt's inaugural holder. But the future remains bright, and the Horsewomen remain tight away from the ring, even if Lynch had temporarily stopped traveling with Charlotte Flair back when they were onscreen rivals in NXT.

As the Irish Lass Kicker related to Stone Cold when she appeared on his podcast in 2016, both women mutually decided to stop being travel buddies during the course of their NXT feud, which is interesting because it's so rare these days for wrestlers to religiously adhere to kayfabe when not in the ring. That's something WWE officials ought to have, and still ought to appreciate, though Lynch also admitted on her Stone Cold Podcast appearance that she was currently travel buddies with erstwhile rival Alexa Bliss.

13 Triple H – Why Chyna Isn't In The WWE Hall Of Fame

For this list, we've tried to offer a mix of well-known and obscure comments from wrestlers' appearances on the Stone Cold Podcast, and this is definitely an example of the former. When he sat down with the Texas Rattlesnake to talk about several topics, most of which centered on "this business-uh..." (sorry, we couldn't help it), Triple H explained that his ex-girlfriend, Chyna, wasn't in the WWE Hall of Fame because he was concerned that many young children, including his own, might Google her name and discover that the Ninth Wonder of the World had a notorious film career after leaving the WWE.

Those comments were made months before Chyna tragically passed away in 2016, after years of battling myriad personal demons. And while Triple H has softened his stance and is now more open to posthumously welcoming his former flame to the hallowed halls, we've yet to see Chyna announced for the Hall of Fame, as Beth Phoenix and Ivory were named instead as 2017 and 2018's respective female inductees. Not to take away anything from those two women, but many would agree that Chyna is long-overdue for a Hall of Fame induction.

12 Paul Heyman – Why He Left WWE In 2006

If Brock Lesnar chooses not to re-sign with the WWE when his contract is up, it will be a shame if Paul Heyman leaves with him, because even his subpar promos are better than what most of today's roster has to offer. Few performers, if any can match his oratorical skills, and one can't help but suck in every word he says as he hypes up his clients, especially Lesnar. We as WWE fans have had it so good for the past six years, but we should also remember that WWE went a good six years without Heyman after he left the company in 2006.

According to Heyman, he chose to leave WWE in 2006 because he had lost his "passion and purpose" in the industry. But he did mention one specific detail to Austin – apparently, the catalyst for his departure was WWE's toned-down version of ECW, as he "didn't like the way it was going." Can't say we're taking that against Paul E., because there truly is a huge gap between Heyman's ECW and WWE's ECW, which blended past-their-prime stars from the original ECW, mid-carders with nothing to do, and wrestling zombies.

11 Scott Hall – An Unlikely Similarity With The Texas Rattlesnake

It's a well-known story that Scott Hall basing his Razor Ramon character on Al Pacino's role as Tony Montana in Scarface went over Vince McMahon's head because he'd never seen the classic movie. Likewise, many fans are aware that WWE had many silly ideas for Steve Austin's new ring name after he told creative he didn't want to be The Ringmaster anymore. Apparently, Hall was in a similar situation as Austin when he was preparing to debut in WWE as Razor Ramon, as the company's creative team had some uninspired suggestions for his ring name.

While not on the same level of ridiculousness as Fang McFrost and Chilly McFreeze, Hall told Austin that WWE creative had suggested names such as "Shrug Shadow" and "Deadbolt," the latter one coming from Road Warrior Hawk. Those names obviously didn't pass muster, and while Vince had his reservations at first, common sense (and Hall's own suggestion) prevailed, as WWE fans "said hello to the Bad Guy," Razor Ramon, not long after that creative meeting.

10 Al Snow – Going On A Dinner Date With Head

Although he's often played an oddball onscreen, especially during his WWE run alongside that infamous mannequin head simply called "Head," Al Snow had no issue playing these characters away from the camera. Such dedication to kayfabe was because of his respect for the original Sheik, a Lebanese-American named Ed Farhat who completely downplayed his American roots because he wanted to stay in character.

As Snow related on the Stone Cold Podcast, he was truly scared of The Sheik back when he was growing up, just as you'd expect from a young child watching an especially evil heel during those years when kayfabe was alive and kicking. But it was Snow's eventual respect for Sheik that gave him the impetus to stay in character as long as he had one – this apparently included taking Head out on a date (if you can call it that), and even ordering food for the mannequin head, despite the quizzical look he got from other customers and waiters. Now that's dedication.

9 Mick Foley – Becoming Cactus Jack

Listening to Mick Foley today, there's only a faint hint of his native New York accent – it's not like listening to New Yorkers such as Vince Russo, whose thick accent has been imitated and parodied time and again through the years. As he admitted on the Stone Cold Podcast, Foley was told by Robert Fuller (aka Col. Robert Parker in WCW, Tennessee Lee in WWE) that his accent may be a problem, considering he was billed as Cactus Jack from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Foley mentioned this in passing in his first autobiography, but he left out some interesting details that he was happy to share with Stone Cold.

As Foley decided to immerse himself in his Cactus Jack character to rid himself of the accent and get more comfortable with his role, he remained in character offscreen, and never admitted to being the real-life Mick Foley from New York, even when he was meeting women on the road. It was a strategy that seemed to work when he was single, though we can confidently say that his wife of almost three decades, Colette, didn't have a problem with the man behind Cactus Jack.

8 Vince Russo – Raw (Allegedly) Loses 600,000 Viewers In Its Third Hour

For years, the oft-repeated refrain when it comes to Monday Night Raw is that WWE's flagship show desperately needs to lose its third hour. Although WWE's roster is chock full of talent across both main roster brands and NXT, three hours is just too much wrestling for many fans to sit through, and if you consider the plethora of unnecessary backstage skits and overly long promos that get in the way of the wrestling, it's not surprising that much of the WWE Universe, especially the casual sector, tends to lose their patience easily when watching Raw.

If Vince Russo's sources are accurate, "much of the WWE Universe" means about 600,000 fans each Monday who stop watching during Raw's third hour. That, by any measurement, is a huge drop-off in viewers, and Russo believes this is due to all the filler being aired on each episode of Raw. Honestly, we're not sure about the claimed number, but this was one time when Russo's comments actually made sense.

7 Sasha Banks – She Wasn't Supposed To Be A Top Talent On NXT

She's the Legit Boss, and after that vicious attack on Bayley, she's finally compelling again after all those months running in place without WWE pulling the trigger on her heel turn. We've yet to see if that will all lead to Sasha Banks becoming a five-time Raw Women's Champion and finally defending her belt successfully, but if WWE's higher-ups had their way, she wouldn't even have made it to NXT's main event picture.

During her appearance on the Stone Cold Podcast, Banks recalled how she was hired by WWE in 2012 on the basis of her strong performance in the indies, and during her tryout with the company, only to be told that her main role would be to make the other women of NXT look good. Just think how wasted her talents would have been if she was putting over the likes of Eva Marie, who joined WWE a year later! Fortunately, Sasha's Legit Boss gimmick would take off, and that convinced NXT creative to book her like a future star on the main roster.

6 AJ Styles – He Nearly Returned To TNA

For the past two years, the WWE Universe has been blessed (pardon the cliche) to finally be enjoying the presence of AJ Styles on the company's roster. Although he briefly appeared in WWE in the early 2000s as an enhancement talent, it was in promotions such as Ring of Honor, TNA, and New Japan where he truly made his name in the business. He was already 38-years-old when he debuted for WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble, but what fans might not know was how close he was to returning to TNA after his successful stint at New Japan as part of the Bullet Club.

When asked by Austin why he decided to sign with WWE, Styles explained that he heard that there was a chance that the company was finally interested. But when Triple H failed to get in touch with him right away after initially promising to call, the Phenomenal One met with TNA officials for a potential return. As it turns out, AJ was wrong about WWE not having a keen interest in signing him due to his age, and he ultimately signed the deal that has since seen him win two WWE Championships and one United States Championship, and hopefully counting.

5 Dixie Carter – The Story Behind That Table Bump

Dixie Carter gets a lot of heat for what many fans feel was her incompetence back when she was still in charge of TNA/Impact Wrestling. One of the most divisive things she ever did for the company, as you might have guessed, was the table bump she took from Bully Ray, a man known not only for working snug, but also working snug even when driving much smaller women (see: Keibler, Stacy) through the tables. She told Austin in her 2015 appearance on the Stone Cold Podcast that the bump resulted in a broken back and a hairline fracture – take note we're talking about an untrained female less than half the weight of Bully Ray, powerbombed through a table.

As for the reason why she decided to take such a dangerous bump, Carter explained that that was her way of showing TNA fans and employees how dedicated and respectful she was to the business. We don't know about you, but there may have been better, and safer ways for Dixie to get the point across to her talent and live/TV audiences.

4 Ric Flair – The Story Behind The "Woo"

So many of pro wrestling's greats are instantly identifiable by their catchphrase. You can smell what The Rock is cooking, agree that Bret Hart is the "best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be," and ponder what you're going to do when Hulkamania runs wild on you, brother. And while Ric Flair has his own wordier catchphrases, it's a one-syllable catchphrase that arguably best defines him through the years – "WOO!" But where did he get the idea for such an exclamation?

Apparently, the idea came from rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, whom you can hear woo-ing (though in a manner unlike that of the Nature Boy's) in his most memorable hit single, "Great Balls of Fire." Who would have guessed that "The Killer" would have a deeper connection to professional wrestling than that one time WWE named a pay-per-view, to great derision from fans, after his highest-charting and most famous song?

3 Big Show – On His Many Turns, Fans Who Chant "Please Retire"

When Big Show finally calls it a pro wrestling career, which should be soon, he'll be walking away as one of the most successful big man wrestlers in history. Unfortunately, that's overshadowed for many by his unshakeable reputation as someone who, in his words, has had "more turns than NASCAR." Show had no problem acknowledging the fact that he has been turned face or heel so many times it's ridiculous, and while he lamented the lack of character development that often resulted, he said that the good thing about this is that he gets to put over many an up-and-coming star in the process.

In addition to discussing the good and bad side of his myriad changes in alignment, Show also told Stone Cold that fans who jeer him as a heel by shouting "please retire" don't understand the role he plays for the WWE. Which is, at this point in his career, a wrestler who makes the younger guys look good. Don't worry, folks, you'll get your wish soon enough, but we won't be surprised if you'll be missing the World's Largest Athlete not long after he makes his retirement official.

2 Brock Lesnar – Recollections Of His WrestleMania XX Disaster Vs. Goldberg

Onscreen and offscreen, Brock Lesnar is notorious for being a man of few words, and a bit of a loner whose alleged dislike for most people is well-known to the WWE Universe. That's why his 2015 appearance on the Stone Cold Podcast had stoked the interest of fans who wanted to hear the Beast's side of the story on many a topic related to his WWE and UFC runs. Unfortunately, these fans got to hear "Brock being Brock," as he seemed disinterested and monosyllabic, most likely wishing he was back on his farm and isolated from most of the outside world.

If there was one interesting wrestling-related takeaway from Lesnar's podcast appearance, it was his recollection of what went down at WrestleMania XX when he and Goldberg had one of the worst matches in the event's history. Aside from admitting that both of them were mailing it in that night, he clarified that he was not flipping the bird to the fans after the match, but rather doing so to Vince McMahon as a way of saying goodbye and good riddance to the WWE.

1 Vince McMahon – "Brass Rings"

Stop us if you've heard about this one, but take note that we didn't exactly say "backstage secrets you didn't know." But this is such an infamously candid set of remarks that many fans still recall them to this day, and largely disagree with Vince McMahon's assessment of his then-current roster. In his 2014 appearance on the Stone Cold Podcast, Mr. McMahon sat down with his old onscreen adversary, and said it in no uncertain terms – WWE's roster was packed with millennials who didn't have the ambition Austin and his contemporaries had back in the day.

In other words, WWE was teeming with underachievers who weren't reaching for the brass rings like the ex-Shield members (and surprisingly in hindsight, Bray Wyatt) were. Cesaro, in specific, "didn't connect" and was lacking in verbal skills; that completely ignored two things, namely his loyal fans known as the "Cesaro Section," and the fact that the Swiss Superman speaks accented, but fluent English. It was myopic, to be brutally honest, and a sign of how Vince had no problem whatsoever burying most of his roster in a rare shoot interview.