10 Moments Legendary WWE Careers Almost Died
9. Steve Austin Receives Junk Mail
There are two sides to every story (and often even more when it comes to the rumour and innuendo at large in wrestler yarns), but Steve Austin's side of his 1995 WCW exit is substantially more entertaining than Eric Bischoff's rational assessment.
Considered a persistent injury concern. difficult to work with (due, subversively to his dedication) and most importantly not a proven draw, 'Stunning' Steve Austin was an easy cut for 'Easy E' during his rapid reinvention of a near-dead brand in the mid-1990s.
As the wronged man in his own story (a side he has every right to uphold), 'The Rattlesnake' himself was less than sympathetic towards his former boss. Revealing at the height of his WWE pomp that Bischoff had callously fired over FedEx (later considered something of a hallmark) after suggesting that the future number one merchandise seller in the industry "wasn't marketable enough". Ahead of a Monday Night War, Austin was completely invisible in either major organisation.
Entering his prime years (despite the prior knocks acknowledged by Bischoff), an infuriated Austin refused to sit quiet on the sidelines. ECW wasn't just an offer of work, but a place to exploit his situation in a way that would ultimately lead him back to wrestling's mainstream.