10 WWE Betrayals That Were Totally Justified

4. Steve Austin (2001)

Austin Vince McMahon WrestleMania X-Seven
WWE

The build towards Steve Austin vs. The Rock at WrestleMania X-Seven was blinding. That Limp Bizkit-backed promo vid, those sit-down interviews and the notion that two of the WWF's biggest stars would collide amidst Vince McMahon's purchase of WCW. The future promised so much, but nobody expected what they got in Houston.

Home-state boy Austin made a deal with the devil and sided with old enemy McMahon to ensure he'd become WWF Champion. The kicker? Stone Cold had subtly told everyone his plan during those sit-downs with Rock and Jim Ross when he remarked he'd do "anything" to become the champ. He "needed" to beat Rocky, he needed it more than "anything in the world". To Austin, it was win or bust.

He'd been struggling with injuries since 1999, and this might be his one last true shot at the big time. Therefore, old wounds between he and Vince were sown up and meant nothing when the promise of riches was so great.

The heel run ended up sucking, but what a basis for a story this was.

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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.