Theres a reason that the Stone Cold character was the most popular WWF character of all time; Austin, the rebellious, anti-authority rebel taking on the evil corporate boss Mr. McMahon is one of the most relatable stories of all time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_y7ZMzK2Do Though Austin was certainly more physically-imposing than some of the other entries on this list, and despite the fact that he had the look of a Champion, Austin had to do like Zack Ryder and take his character in his own direction. The gimmick he was given upon his WWF debut, The Ringmaster, wouldnt have taken him anywhere. Had he stayed with that gimmick, he certainly wouldnt have been as popular as Stone Cold was. That rebellious, bird-flipping, beer-drinking, surly redneck was the instrumental force in helping WWF beat WCW in the Monday Night Wars. But the other catalyst was Mr. McMahon himself, playing the evil boss. Most people could relate to the story presented on WWF programming at the time. Most, if not all fans, had at some point had to deal with a difficult boss, and felt that the entire world was against them. This is how the Austin-McMahon rivalry was structured. Austin had to face numerous disadvantages in facing McMahon, from handicap matches, to backstage attacks, to double-crosses, to bounties being placed on his head. But through it all, Austin kept fighting, winning, and delivering Stone Cold Stunners. The reason Stone Cold isnt higher on this list is because he didnt have to deal with as many physical or political challenges as most of the other entries. He was big enough to fit the larger-than-life image that Vince wanted; he could cut promos and had a natural charisma. Moreover, he was so popular that he was bound to become Champion, no matter what backstage hijinks Shawn Michaels was trying to play.
Alexander Podgorski is a writer for WhatCulture that has been a fan of professional wrestling since he was 8 years old. He loves all kinds of wrestling, from WWE and sports entertainment, to puroresu in Japan.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in Political Studies and French, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. He speaks English, French, Polish, a bit of German, and knows some odd words and phrases in half a dozen other languages.
