10 Biggest Stone Cold Steve Austin "What Ifs" In WWE
4. What If He Called The Audible At Wrestlemania X-Seven?
Austin shaking hands with Vince McMahon at the end of X-7 is an iconic visual that represents the end of the Attitude Era, the hero and the villain finally reconciling, both celebrating their victory, Austin winning the WWE Championship, and Vince McMahon having just bought the WCW. The only issue was that fans couldn't be paid to accept that heel turn from Austin, not all the fans in Austin's home state of Texas in the Astrodome, nor the fans across the world who spent years living vicariously through him.
During their exchange of pleasantries, Austin thought about calling an audible and giving the old man a Stunner one more time for the road. If Austin does leave X-7 as a face, that can potentially mean the Attitude Era goes on for a few more months with Austin remaining the rowdy protagonist against the incoming alliance.
Nobody benefited more though from Austin's heel turn than the Rock and Kurt Angle though. The Rock got to shine as WWE's undisputed babyface, ironically holding the WCW title, while Angle, working as a comedy duo with Austin began a gradual climb up the card which culminated in him winning the WWE Title at Unforgiven 2001.
Whether Austin remained a face or a heel at the end of X-7, fans can all agree that either way, there would still be plenty of good wrestling to see no matter who he gave a Stunner to.