8 Seriously Underrated Stone Cold Steve Austin WWE Matches

All killer, no filler. That's probably the best way to describe this early meeting between two performers who were very much on their way up the card. This match was originally advertised as Austin versus Vader, but big Leon White suffered an injury and the masochistic Mankind was inserted into the fray.

The result was one of the hottest Raw opening matches ever, as the two immediately started brawling around the ringside area. That ended with Mankind sending Austin into the stairs as the referees pleaded with them to keep it in the ring. They acquiesced and made their way back to the ring to start the match officially...

... but Austin just went after him again on the outside, with Foley taking his requisite sick bump, this time into the guardrail. A Mandible Claw attempt was countered with a low blow as they traded moves and counters, invariably making their way back to the floor for more brawling. Eventually, The Executioner (Terry Gordy) ambled out and attacked Austin, prompting The Undertaker to make the save.

Stone Cold, feeling like he didn't want to be saved by anyone that day, actually laid out 'Taker before wisely backing off. It was a great hook to end on and the match itself foreshadowed the brawling-based WWE main event style that was to come. Not quite on the level of their '98 classics, but then everyone knows just how good those were anyway (and if you don't, I strongly urge you to check out the 1998 Over the Edge main event).