Steve Austin Talks 'The Condemned'; Drug Testing At Tonight's WWE Tapings; ECW Preview
Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer is reporting that earlier today, WWE had 'dozens' of urine tests performed today at the ECW / Smackdown tapings. This in the wake of Monday's Sports Illustrated article regarding several WWE stars embroiled in the steroid scandal. Was it just coincidence that the tests were preplanned and occurred a day after the article was published? I doubt it.
It should be interesting to monitor the next week or so to see if this steroid scandal has any impact on WWE stock.
The following article was published today on the SciFi.com website:
Steve Austin, the former professional wrestler who makes his film debut in the upcoming SF-tinged The Condemned, told SCI FI Wire that he performed many of his own stunts in the action-packed movie, but that he had to learn a new style of fighting and lose his wrestling persona. "I think so many people have watched me as 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin for the last 10 years of my life, and I think people just automatically assume that that is the person themselves that they see," Austin said in an interview at Wizard World in Los Angeles on March 17. "And I'm actually pretty quiet in real life, and I actually have a sense of humor, and I like to laugh a lot, so a lot of people get a big surprise when they see that."
The surprisingly soft-spoken Austin added: "People always say, 'Well, Steve, doing the fight scenes, wasn't that easy for you because that's what you did for a living?' And I stress to people, 'No, that's not what I did for a living. I was a professional wrestler.' And contrary to what many people think, you don't just rehearse and choreograph a wrestling match. ... In a ring, in an arena, say, a normal ring is, like, 20,000 people, [and] you're playing to the absolutely last row there. ... So everything is big. Of course, when you're talking [filming], you go in tight. Everything is very precise and very controlled. So there's a lot of differences."
In The Condemned, Austin plays Jack Conrad, a death-row prisoner in a corrupt Central American prison, who is "purchased" by a wealthy television producer to take part in an illegal Internet reality game show. Brought to a desolate island, Conrad finds himself trapped in a fight to the death against nine other condemned killers from all corners of the world. Only one person will survive to win his or her freedom.
Austin was eager to make the transition to movies, like his predecessor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. "This is my first film, and this is what I want to do for the rest of my life," he said. "I had such a good time, and I'm so intrigued by the whole aspect of it, that my brain is like a sponge. ... As far as the physical part, the fighting aspect, [it was great] just learning [to go] from a very loose brawling-type wrestling style ... to a very tight, precise fighting style. ... I met with a little frustration learning how to be technical rather than the brawling style that I brought, ... but when I mixed my style with their technique, it [looks like] real street-fight-looking stuff." The Condemned, which also stars Vinnie Jones and Rick Hoffman, opens April 27.
Speaking of Sci-Fi, here's your preview of tonight's edition of ECW on Sci-Fi:
'Mania Momentum
On Raw, Bobby Lashley did the seemingly impossible by becoming the first Superstar to break the Master Lock. Following the events of Raw, an irate Chris Masters will come to ECW on Sci Fi to battle the ECW World Champion in singles action. Last week, Lashley added another win to his long list since joining the Land of the Extreme, as he took out Randy Orton in the main event. Will Masters be the second Raw Superstar to fall to Lashley in the past eight days?
The ECW Originals had a big night on ECW on Sci Fi when Tommy Dreamer emerged victorious in the Battle Royal. Do they have the advantage over the New Breed heading into WrestleMania? Will they be looking to add a reinforcement to their faction?
Elijah Burke tried once again to lure CM Punk to join forces with him and fellow New Breed members Kevin Thorn, Marcus Cor Von and Matt Striker. But just like the first time, Punk didn’t appear to be very interested. Will Punk come closer to joining the other four Superstars in their quest for ECW supremacy, or will he continue to resist the offers?
Also, the force of one of ECW’s newest Superstars, Snitsky, has now been tested in between bells. After making easy work of his Handicap Match victims, what is next for the deranged Superstar?
Find out the answers to all of these questions and more on ECW on Sci Fi on Tuesday at 10/9 CT.
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