10 Awesome Wrestling Matches Nobody Talks About

3. Shawn Michaels Vs. Steve Austin (WWF King Of The Ring 1997)

shawn michaels stone cold steve austin king of the ring 1997
WWE.com

Every wrestling fan either lived through or has heard about Steve Austin's first WWF Title win over Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV. That famous moment helped catapult the promotion to unforeseen heights, but the match itself was hampered by Shawn's back problems.

Austin himself had limitations owing to a reckless Owen Hart Tombstone Piledriver at SummerSlam 1997. By 'Mania XIV, both Michaels and his bald-headed counterpart had been forced to change their in-ring styles to suit. That wasn't the case at the 1997 King Of The Ring.

More so than the WrestleMania match, this one from June '97 is must-see. Austin and Michaels weren't yet limited by injuries, meaning they could quicken the pace at points and work without fear. On a pay-per-view only notable for Triple H being crowned 'King', it's confusing that more people don't recall this one.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.