10 Best Gimmick Changes in Wrestling History

Steve Austin made his WWF debut in 1995, finding a mixture of success during his time in WCW and a brief stint in ECW, but his initial persona was nothing like his ‘Stone Cold’ character. Debuting as ‘The Ringmaster’, Austin performed alongside his manager Ted DiBiase and was handed the Million Dollar Championship by his then-valet. He was even in line for an early push, although a mishap during the 1996 Royal Rumble saw that somewhat squandered.

Although Austin had seen success during his time in WCW, his popularity didn’t seem to translate to WWF programming and he eventually pushed back on the Ringmaster character. In early 1996, Austin requested a complete overhaul of his persona, shaving his hair and growing an infamous goatee. He initially kept the nickname of ‘Ringmaster’ but eventually dropped it in favour of ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.

His hard-hitting, no-nonsense character resonated with fans at the time and after his historic 1996 King of the Ring speech, he landed on the fast track to the top of the card. His historic feuds against The Rock and Vince McMahon saw him reach a level of stardom unlike any other, with “Austin 3:16” becoming one of the most popular (and profitable) catchphrases in wrestling history.

Austin's popularity was such, that he is often credited as one of the most vital figures in saving WWF from bankruptcy in their toughest period. Perhaps there was someone out there who saw his potential in the early '90s, but it's unlikely that anyone could've predicted that "Stunning" Steve Austin would go on to become the most popular wrestler of all time.