How Good Was 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin Actually?
Presence/Look
Every pro wrestler should prioritise developing a look that sets them apart. In a world overstuffed with clones of AJ Styles, the onus should be getting people to rip you off. Nobody could ever borrow Steve Austin’s look, because they’d look like a pale imitation of Steve Austin.
And that’s the point.
Austin was basically the antithesis of Seth Rollins, who seems too desperate to prove he’s a star by dressing like one. Austin got an unforgettable character over by wearing black trunks and boots. That is a reflection of pure substance.
The knee braces, oddly, helped. He looked battle-worn, conveying that he’d seen and fended off many a worthy opponent. It was like the pro wrestling equivalent of the eye patch or grisly scar far easier to pull off in action movies and video games, in that regard. His leather waist coat wrapped around a bare chest was a big swing - you just don’t think about it in those terms because he pulled it off with no question. Austin was bald, which made him look meaner, unpretentious, like he didn’t care about impressing you. That element of his look also allowed well over half of the male population to relate to him as a working class avatar. The goatee beard is the one aspect of his look you could argue has aged, but it suited him. It was manly.
None of it would have worked without his fixed, intense eyes. Austin’s range of facial expressions was incredible, but nobody was better at conveying the all-important sense of “You f*cked up” than Austin. He was frightening.
Austin’s physique was perfect for his character. You were meant to believe in him. You were meant to think he could kick anybody’s ass - but it was also crucial that he wasn’t ridiculously proportioned. It was always a daft, fun fantasy, but Austin getting one over on Mr. McMahon every week wouldn’t work if he looked like the Ultimate Warrior. You were meant to put yourself in his mudhole-stomping boots.
Austin was a brick sh*thouse, with traps big enough to carry the company, but if he was too defined and tanned, nobody would have bought him putting so many beers away.