20 WTF Moments In Stone Cold Steve Austin's WWE Career

20. Changing His Legal Name

Before the 2000s, WWE didn't really think much about name copyrights for its Superstars and Divas. If someone left WWE and went to WCW (think Hulk Hogan), they could still be called by the same in-ring moniker. However, the company eventually changed its tune once it realized that some wrestlers who had quit the business were making money off of a name that didn't really belong to them. This is why every indie star that comes to WWE has a brand new name bestowed upon them, except in the very rare case of Samoa Joe. This has also led some former WWE stars to take some pretty drastic measures to keep their name in their post-wrestling life. Chyna, who was born as Joanie Laurer, had to call herself Chynna Doll for promotions. She eventually caved and is now legally named Chyna. Stone Cold actually did something similar, although probably not for the same reasons. After all, the man is as recognizable for his wrestling name as he is for being Steve Austin. However, that wasn't his name at birth. His mother's surname is Anderson, but she got remarried, so for a while Austin's legal name was Steve Williams. However, he's since changed it legally to Steve Austin. Living the gimmick.