10 Wrestlers Who Couldn't Survive Without WWE's Attitude Era

2. Steve Austin

In the eyes of some, putting Steve Austin on a list such as this may be viewed as sacrilege. This is because 'Stone Cold' was the babyface glue that held the entire 'Attitude' Era together. Going further, his anti-hero character was so successful that it's considered the very definition of 'Attitude'. When fans look back to that particular time period, no conversation is complete without a mention of 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. Things weren't always so earth-shattering for Austin, and his start in the WWF was truly an auspicious one. Upon signing for the promotion in 1995, Austin was known as 'The Ringmaster'. This was designed to capitalise on his ability as an in-ring technician, but told Austin exactly what Vince McMahon thought about him. The boss viewed his new wrestler as solid, yet completely unspectacular, essentially a 'mechanic' that could go out and work a match and nothing more. That didn't sit well with the performer himself, who knew he was capable of giving so much more. Morphing into 'Stone Cold' following a King Of The Ring win in 1996, it wasn't until 1997 that Austin really started gaining some serious momentum, flipping people off, dishing out Stunners left and right and generally doing whatever the hell he wanted. The 'Attitude' Era made Austin a millionaire, which may not have happened had the WWF not allowed him to push the envelope and embrace the different creative direction they were going for.