10 Wrestlers Who Brought WWE Careers Back From The DEAD
4. Steve Austin
Celebrated technician Steve Austin wasn't even using the move as a finish yet, but he must've felt like giving Vince McMahon a Stunner when the boss decreed that Austin shouldn't cut promos on WWF television. Instead, "The Ringmaster" would stand silent as Ted DiBiase did the sweet talking for him.
Bummer, and not cool considering Austin was majestic on the mic and had shown that in both WCW and (most importantly) ECW. Between 1995-1996, Steve's Ringmaster gimmick trundled along without much fanfare, but he seized opportunity at the '96 King Of The Ring and the rest is history.
'Stone Cold' was born.
It wasn't all plain sailing from there though. McMahon didn't go all in on the character overnight, but even a fool could see all those "Austin 3:16" t-shirts popping up at live events. They were flying off the shelves, and Austin became the biggest star in the industry by 1998.
He'd been dead in the water before.