The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines
June 23, 1996 - A New King Is Crowned
Austin drops the solid hand Ringmaster gimmick at his own behest and, inspired by the serial killer Richard Kuklinski, adopts a new persona. His nickname is unwittingly bestowed upon him by his then-wife Jeannie, who urges him to finish his tea lest it turn ‘Stone Cold’. He avoids the suggestions of the WWF’s creative services team: ‘Chilly McFreeze’ and ‘Fang McFrost’.
The WWF really does need him.
Portraying a highly motivated and unhinged psycho, Austin is crowned King Of The Ring when the originally planned winner, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, is punished for his role in the Curtain Call incident of May 19, 1996. Helmsley isn’t the only wrestler to break kayfabe when the faces and heels warmly hug it out, but the outgoing Diesel and Razor Ramon are no longer under WWF control, and Shawn Michaels is the WWF champion. Helmsley’s punishment doesn’t last long, and the Call isn’t considered a huge deal by WWF owner Vince McMahon, but Austin nonetheless benefits from a soft decision designed to appease certain old school backstage figures.
Austin defeats born-again Christian Jake Roberts in the final, after which he is interviewed live in the arena by Dok Hendrix. The resulting promo is one of the best in the history of the medium.
Austin demands that Roberts, his head bowed in embarrassment to signal a generational changing of the guard, is ejected from “his” ring.
“Don’t just get him out of the ring; get him out of the WWF,” Austin says, drenched in belief and glowing with cruelty. “Because I’ve proved, son, without a shadow of a doubt, you ain’t got what it takes anymore!”
Austin is transforming from alternate choice to the only man for the job in a matter of seconds.
“You sit there and you thump your bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn’t get you anywhere. Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16 - well, Austin 3:16 says “I just whipped your ass!””
The crowd boos him in unison when he insults Roberts. When he coins that catchphrase, a small pocket of fans erupt, almost involuntarily.
His Texas accent is thick, nasty. His traps seem to grow before your eyes. Austin is a mean son of a bitch. He is utterly captivating: a cult leader who doesn’t want any followers.
Austin, cloaked in sweat, is saying that he’s a force above God himself - and you can believe it. He’s “fixin’” to run through everybody in the WWF. He challenges the winner of the main event, but it doesn’t matter to him if it’s Shawn Michaels or Davey Boy Smith. He will be WWF champion.
“And that’s the bottom line,” he says, for the first time ever. “Because ‘Stone Cold’ said so!”
One day, the only man who can scale these heights also drops an iconic catchphrase off the cuff, inspired by the same demon of creativity.
Austin is not an overnight household name. The nWo has not even formed yet.