9 Wrestlers Who Refused To Lose

There are three moments that define the early WWE career of Stone Cold Steve Austin. There's the 1996 King of the Ring victory and 'Austin 3:16' promo, his downing of Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV and his compelling Submission Match with Bret Hart at 'Mania 13, specifically the finish of it.

Hart and Austin had been going at it hell for leather, brawling all over the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, contesting one of the most realistic bouts that WWE rings have ever housed. During the match, Bret began acting more heelish than he had previously, smashing Austin's knee with a chair and generally unleashing a vicious side hitherto unseen from him.

The tide was clearly turning. All you had to do was listen to the fans in arena as they went gaga for The Texas Rattlesnake, blood streaming down his face but dogged in his determination to fight back. Eventually, Bret locked Austin in his patented Sharpshooter as Austin writhed in pain, unable to surrender. The visual of Austin, wearing a crimson mask and trapped in the hold with nowhere to go, is now iconic and signifies the ultimate in babyface heroics.

Austin passed out rather than tap out and The Excellence of Execution was called the winner. Austin was no loser, though, his profile raised tenfold due to the awesome match he'd just been a part of along with his refusal to lose.