25 Most Important WWE Stars Of The 21st Century So Far

13. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Find any storyline of note in the Attitude Era, and "Stone Cold" no doubt played a colossal role in it. Whether it was his many matches against The Rock, or his incredibly iconic rivalry with Vince McMahon, Austin was the face of the company when the WWE was at the peak of its powers. And that dominance continued as we headed out of the Attitude Era, too. Austin played a pivotal role in the Alliance storyline, proving to be a high-profile defector from Team WWE in the weeks leading up to the eventual grudge match between the two factions. He still generates plenty of money for the company through merchandising, and he helped transform the company at a time when it was at somewhat of a crossroads. However, although many people would have liked to see him higher on this list, he was simply too inactive for the bulk of the 21st century to be busting into the top ten. However, he more than played his part in the changing landscape of the WWE heading out of the Attitude Era, and is a worthy addition to this list.