10 Most Under-Rated Steve Austin Matches Nobody Talks About

9. Vs. Chris Jericho And Chris Benoit (WWF King Of The Ring 2001)

The main event of the penultimate King Of The Ring Pay-Per-View was a unique affair. Perhaps due to the fact that Triple H went down with a nasty quadriceps injury on the May 21st, 2001 edition of Raw, Steve Austin faced both Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho. Austin's WWF Title was on the line, making the situation more akin to a 2-on-1 handicap effort. All in all, the match went close to 30 minutes. The epic length is of course no indication of match quality, but all 3 men involved were eager to put on a cracker. This period of Steve Austin's career is often glossed over, because his heel run remains some of his least popular work with long time fans. It's important to note that this is a worthwhile collision, and one of the better matches on the card. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x18fdwm_king-of-the-ring-2001-stone-cold-steve-austin-vs-chris-jericho-vs-chris-benoit-wwf-title-match_sport In fairness to the overall show, this main event struggled to top the brutal Street Fight between Kurt Angle and Shane McMahon which preceded it. Nonetheless, watching Jericho and Benoit - partners at the time - vie to snatch away Austin's title is compelling. It's rare people mention this one as an excellent Austin match, which is a real shame. The ending may be a little sudden, but Benoit apparently injured his neck, and the rest of the action more than makes up for it.