Big Brother fans remember the barefoot wrestler. You know the one. Austin Matlock, or "Judas" as he liked to call his alter-ego, basically dominated the narrative of Big Brother 17 in a way few houseguests ever do. It wasn't just that he was a giant of a man with a ponytail and a penchant for top hats. It was the sheer, chaotic energy he brought to the game. Honestly, looking back at 2015, Big Brother 17 Austin was the catalyst for almost every major shift in that house. People love him. People hate him. But nobody forgets him.
He entered the house as a professional wrestler. That’s a specific kind of personality. You're trained to play a character, to find the "heel" and the "face" in every room. Austin didn't just play the game; he performed it. This wasn't just some guy looking for a summer tan and a 500k check. He was an analyst. A strategist. And, occasionally, a total mess.
The Twin Twist and the Rise of Liztin
Remember the Twin Twist? Julia and Liz Nolan were swapping in and out, trying to fool the house. Austin was the first one to really clock it. He didn't just notice a different mole or a slight weight difference; he felt it. He figured it out because he was getting close to Liz, and suddenly, things felt off. Instead of blowing their game up immediately, he used that information. That’s high-level Big Brother. He protected them. He built an alliance that arguably carried him to the final six.
But then things got weird.
The relationship between Austin Matlock and Liz Nolan—dubbed "Liztin" by the fans—is still one of the most debated showmances in the history of the franchise. It wasn't your typical "boy meets girl" TV edit. It was awkward. It was intense. Sometimes, it was downright uncomfortable to watch on the 24/7 live feeds. Austin was all-in. Liz was... hesitant? Or was she? The feeds showed a much more complex dynamic than the three-night-a-week broadcast ever could. He became obsessed with her safety in the game, often putting her needs above his own strategic best interests. That’s a cardinal sin in Big Brother. You never put the showmance above the check. Yet, he did it anyway.
The Judas Persona: Strategy or Cringe?
Austin tried to introduce this concept of "Judas." He’d put on a top hat, change his demeanor, and claim that Judas was the one making the dirty moves, not Austin. It was his way of distancing himself from the betrayal inherent in the game.
Most fans found it a bit much.
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Actually, they found it a lot much. It felt like someone had watched too many episodes of Dr. Will and tried to manufacture a legendary persona. But here's the thing: it worked for a while. By creating this secondary character, Austin could lie to his allies' faces and then shrug it off in the Diary Room as "just Judas things." It gave him a psychological shield. While the viewers at home were rolling their eyes, the people inside the house were actually buying into his logic. He was a master of the "long con" conversation. He could talk for hours—literally hours—about medieval history, heavy metal, and wrestling psychology, lulling his competitors into a sense of security before striking.
The Vanessa Rousso Factor
You can't talk about Big Brother 17 Austin without talking about Vanessa Rousso. They were the two titans of that season. Vanessa was a professional poker player, and Austin was a professional wrestler. It was a battle of the bluffs.
They worked together. They fought. They cried.
Their alliance was built on a foundation of mutual respect and deep-seated paranoia. Vanessa eventually realized that Austin was a massive threat in a final two scenario because he had "the twins" (Liz and Julia) as guaranteed jury votes. The game became a race to see who would backstab the other first. Austin thought he had the numbers. He thought he had the leverage. He was wrong.
That Iconic Barefoot Exit
If you ask any casual fan what they remember about Austin Matlock, they’ll describe his eviction. It is legendary. Top five all-time.
Vanessa won the Power of Veto at the final six. She had the sole vote to evict. Austin stood there, completely confident that he was safe. He didn't even put his shoes on. He was standing in the living room, barefoot, ready to watch someone else walk out the door. Then, Vanessa dropped the hammer. She voted to evict him.
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The look on his face? Pure, unadulterated shock.
He walked out of that house without shoes. He didn't say goodbye to Vanessa. He didn't do a "good game" lap. He just left, fuming, his bare feet hitting the pavement of the studio lot. It was the perfect ending to his story arc. He was blinded by his own confidence and his trust in an alliance that was always destined to crumble. It was Shakespearean, in a trashy, reality-TV sort of way.
Why Austin Was Actually a Great Player
People trash Austin's game because of the showmance, but he was actually statistically impressive.
- He survived 89 days in the house.
- He won one Head of Household (HoH) and one Power of Veto (PoV).
- He was never nominated for eviction until the very day he was sent home.
Let that sink in. In a house full of "superfans" and gamers like Steve Moses and John McGuire, Austin managed to stay off the block for nearly three months. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because you are a social wizard. He knew how to make people feel like they needed him. He was the "shield" for the twins, and he was the "muscle" for Vanessa. He positioned himself in the center of the web.
His biggest mistake wasn't being a "bad" player. It was being too "human." He let his emotions for Liz cloud his judgment regarding Vanessa’s lethality. He assumed Vanessa would play with "honor," which is hilarious considering her entire brand was game theory and manipulation.
Life After the House: From Austin to Luchasaurus
Unlike many reality stars who fade into the background or spend their lives doing sponsored Instagram posts for hair vitamins, Austin Matlock actually used his Big Brother fame to propel his pre-existing career. He didn't just go back to the indie wrestling circuit. He reinvented himself.
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He became Luchasaurus.
If you watch AEW (All Elite Wrestling) today, you’ll see a man in a dinosaur mask who is an absolute fan favorite. That’s Austin. He took the "theatrical" elements of Big Brother—the persona building, the promos, the crowd work—and applied them to the ring. He’s arguably the most successful Big Brother alum in terms of carving out a niche in a different industry. He’s a world-class athlete who just happened to spend a summer in a house with 15 strangers.
The Legacy of Big Brother 17 Austin
What can we learn from his game? First, showmances are a double-edged sword. They provide a built-in ally, but they make you a massive target and mess with your head. Second, never trust a poker player. Vanessa was playing for the win; Austin was playing for the "experience."
Ultimately, Austin Matlock remains a template for the "Modern Big Brother Villain." He wasn't mean-spirited like some contestants in later seasons. He was just arrogant, highly intelligent, and incredibly dramatic. He understood that Big Brother is a television show first and a game second.
If you're looking to replicate his success (minus the barefoot eviction), here are the takeaways:
- Information is Currency: Like Austin, find out the house secrets early. Don't reveal them. Store them.
- The "Shield" Strategy: Use a larger-than-life personality to distract people from your actual moves.
- Social Dominance: Be the person everyone wants to talk to. If you control the kitchen or the couch conversations, you control the house.
- Always Wear Shoes: Seriously. Just in case.
Austin didn't win the half-million, but he won the "relevance" game. He is a staple of BB17 discussions for a reason. Whether you found him cringey or captivating, he understood the assignment: make us react. Ten years later, we’re still talking about him. That's a win in itself.
To truly understand the depth of his strategy, you have to look at the week 12 fallout. Watch the clips of his final confrontation with Vanessa. Notice how he tries to use logic against her emotion—and how she flips it. It's a masterclass in high-stakes social manipulation that serves as a warning to every future houseguest: the game isn't over until you're sitting in the jury house.
Next Steps for Fans:
Go back and watch the "Judas" compilation on YouTube to see the subtle shift in his body language. It's a fascinating look at how a professional performer tries to "work" the cameras. Then, check out his work in AEW to see how the "Luchasaurus" character evolved from his time on the show. You’ll see a lot of the same intensity, just with a better mask.