10 Exact Moments Great Wrestlers Jumped The Shark
1. 'Stone Cold' Shakes Hands With The Devil
How do you come back from selling out every single one of your principals?
If your name is Steve Austin, you can't.
His WrestleMania X-Seven main event with The Rock was an awe-inspiring showdown between the Attitude Era's two biggest stars, but it's ultimately remembered for one thing: 'Stone Cold' shaking hands with the devil.
Austin had spent the bulk of his WWE career fighting Vince McMahon. Their feud was a huge part of the promotion's victory in the Monday Night Wars, and without it, 'Stone Cold' definitely wouldn't be the era-defining icon he eventually became. His rebellious, beer-swilling character resonated not only because of the strength of his work, but because it connected with anyone who'd ever wanted to kick their boss' ass, and aligning with Vince betrayed all that.
The heel turn was a massive flop. Austin became everything he'd spent his WWE run raging against, and nobody wanted to boo him. The company briefly turned him face again prior to the Invasion, before flip-flopping once more during the angle itself.
They had him play babyface again for his final few months with the company, but Austin's popularity was never quite the same, and WWE suffered greatly too, with TV ratings and PPV buyrates irreversibly declining.