WWE: Stone Cold parts company with WWE

After months of negotiations, the WWE and Steve Austin have been unable to come to terms on a new contract and as a result have mutually agreed to part company. Both parties have left the door open to work together again in the future and the WWE wishes Steve the very best in his future endeavors.It seems Austin has been in contact with Japan, specifically Pride in recent weeks. It looks like Steve was extremely close to reaching a deal with them earlier this week. Pride has pro wrestling events on 5/8, and again in July. The date being talked about for Austin was 5/8.

this has happened many times before, how do you know if its true

Ben its just a report no one knows if it is true except him and the WWE.But as you say it has happened many times and untill something is concrete we can only guess.

New Update

Steve Austin, his lawyers, and WWE had been negotiating for the past several weeks until things came to a halt last week when Austin wanted the rights to the 'Stone Cold' name for outside WWE projects. Austin also wanted to be able to pick and choose which projects he did and not share royalties from outside projects with WWE.Steve hired a very tough attorney that was willing to fight and chose to play hardball with WWE and Vince McMahon. The two sides could not reach angreement after several heated meetings.


Believe it or not, many people backstage in WWE felt this could be the end of Austin before it even started. We were very touchy on what we reported as the matter could have been resolved in minutes. WWE has left the door open for Austin to return to the company.There has been some reports that Austin wanted to leave WWE anyways to work Japan with Goldberg. Although Austin has been talking with Bill about working for PRIDE, the talks only started when WWE contract talks went sour. As it stands right now, Goldberg has a HUGE deal with PRIDE and he feels Austin can make the same.


There was a meeting in Texas last week (we are not sure of the day) for Austin to review his options with Japanese officials. Japan is definitely an option for Austin but he did not choose them over WWE. It should be pretty obvious that WWE didn't want Austin working for another promotion that would be running a PPV in the United States.There is no truth to the reports that WWE released Austin due to the recent domestic situation. This thing was completely contracted related and WWE tried diligently to get a new deal done.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) announced today plans to sign Steve Austin to wrestle for the company. Austin had worked for New Japan earlier in his career, while under contract for WCW in the 1990s. While wrestling for the company, Austin injured his neck during a tombstone spot with Japanese star Masahiro Chono (also of former WCW fame).

Austin was also working in NJPW when he had the big triceps injury that ultimately led to his dismissal from WCW by Eric Bischoff via phone call, and thus the birth of "Stone Cold" in ECW, and later in WWF/WWE.

New Japan is hoping their past association with Austin will help them land a deal with the biggest American draw ever.

who is also apart of this New Japan

Goldberg?