The Many Faces Of Steve Austin - Ranked From Worst To Best
2. Austin 3:16
Announcers had taken to calling Austin “Stone Cold” just a few months into his WWE return, but things didn’t really take flight until King of the Ring ‘96. Ted DiBiase’s departure for WCW allowed Austin to spread his wings as a performer, and grow into the cold-blooded villain he always wanted to be.
Having defeated Jake Roberts in the final, Stone Cold cut his famous “Austin 3:16” promo, and his rise to stardom was officially underway. Austin 3:16 became an incredibly popular catchphrase, birthed one of the best-selling t-shirts in WWE history, and helped kick-off WWE’s most successful period - the Attitude Era.
This stage saw Austin famously feud with Bret Hart, who he screwed out of the 1997 Royal Rumble. He failed to capture the WWE Championship at In Your House 13, but wrestled Hart in the classic double-turn match at WrestleMania 13, and became a babyface for the first time in his WWE career. It wasn’t all good, however: Austin broke his neck on a botched Owen Hart piledriver at SummerSlam ‘97, and the injury would haunt him for the rest of his days.
Austin became an Intercontinental and two-time Tag Team Champion during this time, and his popularity was soaring. Finally, Austin was becoming the no-nonsense badass he was born to play, and his peak was just around the corner...