Ranking Who Was Really The Man In Wrestling Every Year 1990-2020

23. 1998 - Stone Cold Steve Austin

Austin Jericho
WWE

RAW Is WAR will never occupy the same respected space as Breaking Bad and the Wire, but Steve Austin was as beloved an anti-hero as Walter White and Omar Little, and he predated and perfected the trope with which prestige television overtook cinema in many critical circles.

Steve Austin in 1998 was appointment television: a transcendent TV star so damn good at his wild brawling craft that his people paid to see him at the box office, too. His coronation as the man drove a sensational buy rate, at WrestleMania 14, and his wildly entertaining work in the legendary Austin Vs. McMahon feud convinced an entire generation to return to the clutches of the WWF, much less convince wrestling fans change the channel.

In the modern history of professional wrestling, nobody was more popular at their absolute peak than Steve Austin.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!