10 Biggest Wrestling Scandals Of The 2000s

10. Steve Austin Goes Home

In 2001, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin was a WrestleMania main-eventer, a World champion, and a top star. In 2002, he was almost persona non grata. 

The first time Austin walked out on WWE was shortly after WrestleMania X-8. Citing burnout, he took an unapproved break from the company. It can't have helped that his old rival The Rock had been given a marquee match against Hulk Hogan, while he'd been stuck with babysitting Scott Hall in the midcard. 

His more famous walkout took place in June. Upon learning that he was going to lose a throwaway match against Brock Lesnar on free TV - a business decision he didn't agree with - Austin "took his ball and went home", leaving the promotion in the lurch. 

WWE went full scorched earth on their former golden boy. He was publicly buried on TV, to the point where it felt like he was going to end up blacklisted. By the following year, however, the two sides had patched things up. 

The fracturing of Austin's relationship with WWE was emblematic of the Attitude Era coming to an end. In another world, he could still be in their bad books today.