After he stopped actively wrestling, Austin still continued making special appearances for WWE, something he still does to this day. An ambassador of sorts for the company, 'The Rattlesnake' has been a special guest referee on occasion, adding an intriguing element to any match he's involved in. Undoubtedly, one of the most controversial times Austin ever officiated was at WrestleMania XX, overseeing the bout between Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg. For years, fans had dreamed of seeing Austin and Goldberg lock horns, but by 2004, Austin simply wasn't in the physical shape to do so. Instead, one of the most bizarre scenarios ever transpired, with Stone Cold refereeing a match between two guys who were about to depart the promotion. It made for a strange visual, and the retired Austin was put over both men, hitting them with Stone Cold Stunners and drinking beer, as the live crowd went nuts. Controversially, the referee was the star of the show here, which almost certainly wouldn't have been the case had Lesnar and Goldberg not been about to quit.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
