10 Wrestlers Who Completely Changed To Become Main Event Stars

4. Steve Austin

Steve Austin Stunning Stone Cold
WWE

The Change: Something switched in Steve Austin's head when he was callously tossed aside by WCW in 1995. Seeking refuge in Paul Heyman's ECW, he tore through his old employer and showed a new side to his promo chops. 'Stunning' was dead, and the foundations for what would become 'Stone Cold' were built right then and there.

Soon, Austin was ready to explode as wrestling's next megastar.

How It Helped: Austin had a newfound level of confidence in himself as Stone Cold. It wasn't a smooth road to the top though. Early WWF days as The Ringmaster threatened to ruin his potential, but Austin, through a rebellious spirit fans loved and his own hard-headedness, pushed through the creative crap that was being heaped on him.

Come 1997, he was on a tear, and his 'Austin 3:16: t-shirt was a top seller. Shaving his head, bulking up on some muscle and harnessing a powerfully straightforward promo style, he became the box office attraction his company needed.

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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.