To this day, Steve Austin maintains that he should have "called an audible" and hit Vince McMahon with a patented Stunner to end WrestleMania X-Seven. History would dictate that he didn't, 'Stone Cold' instead shook hands with his greatest rival and buried the hatchet. Few watching could quite believe what they were seeing. Austin's match with The Rock in the main event of the pay-per-view was still in progress when McMahon entered the fray. Unthinkably, Vince aided the man he had been warring with for years in winning the WWF Heavyweight Title, and Jim Ross went ballistic at ringside. Stating that Austin was shaking hands "with the devil himself", Ross was apoplectic. The heel turn wouldn't end up being creatively satisfying for Austin, who clearly wishes he had stayed on the babyface side of the fence. Still, it was a historic moment and one which shook the entire company to the core. Austin vs. McMahon had been such a huge success that nobody could see a union coming.
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.
