10 Best WWE Gimmicks Vince McMahon Had Nothing To Do With

2. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin

Knowing Steve Austin's mentality as wrestling fans do now, one can only picture his face falling when Vince McMahon outlined the new 'Ringmaster' gimmick to him in 1995. It was as bland as they come. Austin, fresh off cutting career-best promos in ECW, would become a straightforward, 'boots n' trunks' in-ring mechanic. Nothing more, nothing less.

It was utterly, utterly boring, and he barely spoke (Ted DiBiase filled that role).

Almost everybody knows that Austin's then-wife helped him come up with a new direction by advising he drink his tea before it went 'Stone Cold'. That was the spark of brilliance Steve needed, and he was off to the races with his new character. There were teething problems, of course, as the WWF and McMahon didn't seem to understand his cold, calculating concept for the persona at first.

Austin created everything about the original character. He came up with the name 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, he ad-libbed the 'Austin 3:16' catchphrase, he shaved his head bald and he started throwing middle fingers liberally at rivals. Vince capitalised when it took off, but he didn't create it.