10 Times Wrestlers Took Their Careers Into Their Own Hands
1. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin
Steve Austin was haunted by the ghosts of the 1980s in his early career, and propelled himself to superstardom by exorcising them.
Austin delivered one of the all-time great promos at King Of The Ring 1996. This was all his own doing. Over the course of a mere minute and a half, Austin cast himself as the future of professional wrestling (and banished 80s superstar Jake Roberts to irrelevance), casually created a merchandise revolution of a catchphrase, and changed the very language of the WWF. Austin was intense and foul-mouthed - but retained enough folksy wit to become universally adored. Austin then channelled this searing confidence and creativity to develop his own sh*t-kicker persona in a series of riotous backstage segments and hilarious guest commentary gigs.
When he established himself as The Man, he was no company guy. He didn't politely job to DOA midcard acts under the request of eternal rival Vince McMahon. Marc Mero took a powerbomb from his wife on national TV. Eh-eh! Jeff Jarrett was over, but not Attitude Era headliner over. Eh-eh!
Austin held his character to a higher standard - and, as a result, elevated the WWF into the stratosphere.