10 Ways Stone Cold Steve Austin Changed WWE FOREVER

The submissions match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13 needs little introduction. It can make a strong case for being one of the five greatest ‘Mania matches of all time, a bloody, hard hitting clash between two of the greatest ever.

The match is famous for its double turn, in which Austin, the heel, and Hart, the face, swapped roles between the first and last bell. The Hitman’s family friendly image had kept him a good guy for years, and playing the heel wasn’t his preference, but he made the most of it, embarking on an anti-American gimmick that would last until his WWE exit.

Now, of course, there were many factors behind his exit, primarily the finances of both the WWE and WCW, but you could speculate that, had Austin’s sheer force of charisma not turned him face and Hart heel, Vince might have fought harder to retain the Hitman’s services. If Hart’s selling power hadn’t come under scrutiny, then maybe the screwjob - and a whole lot more - would never have taken place.

It’s all what-ifs and maybes, of course, but had Austin not been so darned likeable even as a bad guy, we might be looking at a different industry right now.