10 Worst Things Stone Cold Steve Austin Has Ever Done

Crossing The Bottom Line...

Stone Cold Steve Austin Stephanie McMahon
WWE

As the 1996 King Of The Ring, Stone Cold Steve Austin served notice to every one of the WWE Superstars. He didn't give a damn what they were, hey were all on the list - and that was Stone Cold's list - and he was fixing to start running through all of them.

Indeed, 'The Rattlesnake' didn't mince his words in his iconic address that came in place of a gimmicky coronation. Ludicrous crowns and capes didn't make good content by the mid-1990s, but Austin had kicked around long enough by then to know that he had to be the change to see the change. Walking dry every mudhole he stomped from that point onwards, Stone Cold's legacy was that of t*ts getting popped and opponents getting dropped.

WWE's business was rebuilt on his back, with few of his actions ever held up to serious scrutiny thanks to the (literal, in his case) breakneck pace the industry moved at during his pomp. Not least because he was reinventing the wheel - 1996's Austin still sought boos before steering into the antihero sentiment that had engulfed the entire organisation. Kayfabe wasn't totally dead, but Stone Cold's character was virtually incapable of doing wrong. Others followed suit, further enhancing his impeccable influence.

Total pieces of sh*t were suddenly, as Vince McMahon would say, "sh*tting ice cream", but what sludge was left behind after the sweet treats melted away?

10. He Cheated To Win The Royal Rumble

Stone Cold Steve Austin Stephanie McMahon
WWE

Small change in comparison to the acts of violence and viciousness still to come, but 'The Rattlesnake's vindictive Royal Rumble victory in 1997 yet again triggered Bret Hart into another turn-foreshadowing tantrum.

Delivering on promises to ruin Bret Hart's life after losing an outstanding Survivor Series singles match the prior November, Austin sent himself to WrestleMania at 'The Hitman's expense after the 'Excellence Of Execution' thought he'd at last eliminated him from the Royal Rumble match and his life.

Clocking that the outside officials were tied up with warring frenemies Mankind and Terry Funk, Austin simply slid back in and dumped the remain Hart and the other remaining competitors to steal the win.

It was shan, but very smart. And it was getting him over. Over over.

WWE's product was magnificently booked for the bulk of that year, but pay-per-views and television tapings were full of happy accidents such as these - the company couldn't have made Austin look any more of a pr*ck for how he'd won the match, but had at least given him a 45:07 stint to plant a seed that he had at least been partially deserving of his ill-gotten gain.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett