Steve Austin's run with the United States Championship in early 1993 World Championship Wrestling was a testament to the quality of performer he was. When his tag team with Brian Pillman, dubbed the Hollywood Blondes, was unceremoniously split, he was understandably upset but hardly allowed it to slow down his progression as an in-ring worker. With villainous manager Col. Robert Parker by his side, the hard-working Texan set off to capture the title that would catapult him into singles stardom. And he did just that, defeating Dustin Rhodes at the December '93 Starrcade pay-per-view. It was the first step to what should have been a monumental year of career growth and unprecedented success. Instead, Austin carried the title for nearly nine months before dropping it to the legendary Ricky Steamboat. Their feud helped breath life into the title and provided fans of WCW with stellar in-ring performances on a regular basis. Most importantly, it proved to critics and fans alike that Austin was not just a tenacious worker but a skilled mat wrestler. For fans of the Attitude Era and his brawling main event style, watching him compete during his time as United States champion is almost like watching a completely different performer. Like the WCW television champion, the U.S. champion was meant to be a wrestler's wrestler and Austin was certainly that.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
