10 Wrestling Legends WCW Buried
2. Steve Austin
The biggest star of his generation got off to a cracking start in WCW. Presented as a star of the future, the prodigious Austin engaged in top-notch tussles with the likes of Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes. His earlier tag team work with Brian Pillman as the Hollywood Blondes (a bizarre gimmick to see these two with in hindsight) also proved successful. A natural heel, Stunning Steve's stock was on the slow burn, gradually rising year to year until Hulkamania invaded Atlanta.
From hot prospect to cold turkey, Austin's acclaimed work with the US title came to an abrupt end at Fall Brawl 1995. Old Hogan pal and Cartoon Era fan favourite Jim Duggan decimated Austin in a credibility-destroying 35 seconds. A laughable defeat, Austin never regained the title or a decent spot on the card. Dealing with a grim triceps injury later that year, Austin was heartlessly given the sack via fax. When asked why, Eric Bischoff claimed he saw zero marketability in Austin and disliked working with the future Rattlesnake.
Understandably furious, a silver lining in this one can be found in Austin's hilarious lampooning of the company in ECW. Finding his voice and forging a new attitude, Austin's setback wound up propelling him to superstardom.