10 Times WWE Completely Abandoned Their Talent

10. Stone Cold Steve Austin

A harsh reminder that WWE will always be about "What have you done for me lately?" rather than "thanks for saving my f*cking entire company yesterday", the panicked 2002 character assassination of Stone Cold Steve Austin looked even thicker when 'The Rattlesnake' was back on television within a year.

With tensions high for months between Austin and Vince McMahon as the commercial and creative wheels came off the company following WrestleMania X-Seven, Stone Cold's last straw was being asked to lose to Brock Lesnar on an unannounced King Of The Ring qualifier. He'd been notoriously protective over his character for years, but had earned the right alongside the mountains of cash and - crucially - he was bang right on this particular stance. Enough was enough though, and he was off. In a rash act of self-preservation, McMahon used his weekend Confidential show as an elongated "Bret Screwed Bret" promo on Austin has became just another spoke rather than what he actually was - the whole g*ddamn wheel.

Austin has openly regretted his decision to leave ever since, but agreeing to his own personal wrong has never vindicated the company's own.