7 Wrestlers WCW Gave Up On
1. Steve Austin
Although he obviously never reached the heights of his industry re-defining run as 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in WWE, it's something of a misconception that previous employers WCW never got behind the Texan.
'Stunning' Steve was the most talented component of the early '90s' most threatening stable, Paul E. Dangerously's eponymous, hairy-chested Dangerous Alliance, a group regularly pushed to the main event picture. Even after he left the group, Austin's stock remained high: WCW's tag scene wasn't the shambles we see in WWE today, and his shift into the doubles division alongside Brian Pillman saw the pair enjoy similar high-profile matches against the likes of Ric Flair & Arn Anderson.
A knee injury sidelined Austin for the early part of 1995, but when he returned, he found any renewed push blocked by a barrier in the shape of Eric Bischoff. The recently promoted Executive VP simply didn't see 'Stunning' Steve as a star, and furthermore, found him fractious. A FedEx soon winged its way to the (considerably smaller) Broken Skull Ranch, informing a recuperating Austin of his dismissal. You could say it inspired him somewhat.