‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin brought his trademark WWE toughness into the world of Hollywood by accidentally injuring a Hollywood icon.
Austin was the biggest star of the WWE’s Attitude Era in the 1990s and early 2000s, and transitioned into acting after he retired in 2003.
He starred in films such as The Longest Yard, The Condemned, and Grown Ups 2 in his post-WWE career after leaving the sport due to injury worries.
The star found himself in hot water on the set of a major Hollywood production when he broke an icon’s neck.
Steve Austin broke Sylvester Stallone’s neck on The Expendables
Sylvester Stallone cast Austin in hit action film The Expendables in 2010, alongside the likes of Jet Li, Bruce Willis, and Terry Crews.
Austin played Dan Paine in the flick and the Rocky Balboa actor got more than he bargained for during an intense action scene.
The pair came to blows while filming a fight scene, which the Hollywood legend described to The Guardian as ‘vicious’.
“I ended up getting a hairline fracture in my neck,” explained Stallone, before confirming: “I’m not joking.”
The star kept it under wraps during the making of the film, but eventually was forced into ‘a very serious operation afterwards.’ “I now have a metal plate in my neck,” explained Stallone.
Stallone appearing with Austin is not the first time he has shared the screen with a WWE icon. He famously cast Hulk Hogan as Thunderlips in Rocky III in 1982.
Steve Austin was nervous ahead of The Expendables fight scenes
It’s no surprise that Stallone was seriously injured after their mocked up fight for The Expendables, as Austin has revealed he was anxious working with the Hollywood legend.
“It’s a moment of stress fighting with a guy like Sly,” said The Texas Rattlesnake in an interview with the New York Post.
“I don’t care if you’re Steve Austin or not, you throw the wrong punch, you’re probably going to be gone,” he added.
Ironically, it was Stallone who succumbed to the WWE icon on the film, but Sly certainly took it on the chin.
