10 WWE Wrestlers That Changed Everything
4. Stone Cold Steve Austin
There are multiple names that can be touted as the kick-starters for the Attitude Era. Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels or even Bret Hart are all such players, but Stone Cold Steve Austin was the man who truly brought the period to life and delivered a genuine resurgence for the company.
The Attitude Era was a real return to mainstream popularity for the company and would go on to lead it into an entirely new direction. Stone Cold winning the King of the Ring tournament and rising to stardom only to feud with the boss himself was a massive part of what brought fans in.
Audiences had seen the working class hero before with the likes of Dusty Rhodes, but Austin made it visceral and brought this literal sense of beating up your boss. This made him instantly enviable for fans and a classic hero despite his brash attitude.
In many ways, Steve Austin became the anti-hero of wrestling, as his actions were harsh and violent, but he was presented as the good guy. The wrestling Mount Rushmore can only fit four faces, and for many Austin would be an easy choice to be one of them.