4. Steve Austin vs. Jake Roberts (King Of The Ring 1996)
After signing with the WWE, Steve Austin was given a dead-on-arrival gimmick of the Ringmaster. The gimmick would not have suited any superstar well, let alone one with as much talent as Austin. He slowly started to break away from the gimmick and establish himself as Stone Cold Steve Austin. Although he had received a bit of heat, he was largely relegated to the middle of the card. That all changed in June of 1996. Following his King of the Ring victory over Jake Roberts, Austin would deride Roberts for his age and Christian beliefs. The promo would ultimately establish the Austin 3:16 catchphrase that would become nearly omnipresent during the Attitude Era. Austin became a main attraction almost overnight, and would go on to become the most profitable wrestler in the history of the country. The 1996 King of the Ring pay-per-view was truly the night Austin 3:16, and also the Attitude Era, were born.
Michael Hicks is a writer originally from Pittsburgh, PA. He has written for a number of websites about subjects ranging from professional wrestling to raw denim.
