5 Stone Cold Moments That Have Aged Well (& 5 That Haven't)
No one exemplified the Attitude Era like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Already an excellent wrestler, Austin took off in 1997 with his trash-talking, beer-drinking ways. He was a heel in behavior, attacking guys when they were down, cheating, insulting the fans...and the worse he acted, the more they cheered him. The big turn was when Austin started facing Vince McMahon, and fans loved seeing the tough redneck taking on his arrogant wealthy boss.
Related: 10 Wrestlers You Never Knew Teamed With Stone Cold Steve Austin
Austin’s fame was incredible, one of the biggest mainstream stars wrestling has known. So much of his time still stands up well but, like much in the Attitude era, some moments aren’t as good to watch again. Some are crossing a line while others are uncomfortable due to later events.
10 DOESN’T: Pillman Got A Gun
This was one of the first major “pushing the envelope” moments of the Attitude Era, and it almost backfired. Once good friends, Austin and Brian Pillman had a falling out with Austin brutally attacking Pillman. It built to a live RAW where Pillman was worried Austin was coming after him in his home and shockingly brandished a pistol for defense.
Austin was soon breaking in with Pillman pointing the gun and a shot ringing out as the screen went to black. This nearly got RAW canceled by the USA Network, and Pillman’s dark end makes it harder to watch today.
9 DOES: Facing Tyson
Back in 1998, Mike Tyson was still known as “the Baddest Man on the Planet” and a wrecking machine in the ring. WWE got major press by having Tyson enter with talk of him playing a part at WrestleMania XIV. Austin came out to get in Tyson’s face, tensions raced until Austin flipped him off and Tyson pushed back.
Related: 10 Backstage Stories About The Attitude Era We Can't Believe
It didn’t come to much more, but the media blitz got WWE mainstream attention on sports shows. That led to Mania being a huge hit with Tyson making the count on Austin’s title win and solidifying his greatness to help WWE turn the tide of the War.
8 DOESN’T: Getting Crucified
Wrestling and religion rarely mix well. That includes darker stuff, such as when the Undertaker went around as a more sinister leader of a “Ministry.” The feud between them was good, yet WWE had to throw in kidnappings, druids, and other nonsense.
The “highlight” was when Taker had Austin put on a huge symbol resembling a cross and levitated over the TitanTron. The symbolism was hard to miss and didn’t win over fans as the entire angle was a dark time from WWE and Austin’s career.
7 DOES: The Mania 13 Double Turn
It’s probably the most effective double-turn in wrestling history. After months of feuding, Austin and Bret Hart faced off in an “I Quit” match at WrestleMania 13. Austin went in as the heel and Bret the respected face, but Stone Cold was cheered by the Chicago crowd.
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As the match went on, the crowd switched even more to Austin’s side and booed Bret. The image of Austin in the Sharpshooter, blood covering his face but refusing to quit, instantly made him a hero. Bret won the match, but Austin got the crowd to become a beloved antihero.
6 DOESN’T: Rescuing Stephanie
Believe it or not, there was a time when Stephanie McMahon was an innocent woman who looked barely more than a teenager. In early 1999, she was targeted by the Undertaker during his bizarre “Ministry of Darkness” phase. This led to Vince actually asking Austin for help rescuing her from Taker, which Austin did.
This is weaker today given not just Stephanie turning into a heel but how Vince ended up being the “Higher Power” in a poorly received turn, so this moment doesn’t come off as heroic as it once did.
5 DOES: The Beer Bath
Austin’s love of beer was central to his character, but this was classic. In the build to WrestleMania XV, Austin drove a beer truck to the ring to confront Rock, Vince, and Shane.
Related: Every Stone Cold vs Vince McMahon Match Ranked From Worst To Best
After cutting a promo, Austin got the truck’s hose to spray the trio with beer with Vince flopping around like he was swimming in it. It’s been replicated a few times but never topped as Austin gave the fans an excellent beer night to enjoy at Vince’s expense.
4 DOESN’T: Hunting McMahon
Some moments of the Attitude Era would never play today, and this is a prime case. In late 1998, McMahon fired Austin for refusing to call a title match between Undertaker and Kane fairly. Austin responded by announcing he would “hunt” Vince and showed up at the arena in full hunting gear.
He got Vince into the ring with a pistol to his head...which fired a “Bang 3:16” flag to make Vince soil himself. Today, there's no way would WWE allow this on the air as it did cross a few rough lines.
3 DOES: The First Stunner On Vince
After breaking his neck in a botched piledriver by Owen Hart, Austin was forced not to wrestle. That didn’t stop him from interfering in matches and attacking various wrestlers and authority figures. It built up to the Madison Square Garden RAW show as Austin and Vince had a showdown, one of the first times Vince was acknowledged as more than an announcer.
Related: 10 Greatest Moments Of The Stone Cold/Vince McMahon Feud Ranked
Vince tried to play peacemaker, but Austin wasn’t having it and hit Vince with the first of many, MANY Stunners. It was shocking to see Vince attacked on-air while solidifying Austin’s rise to mega-star status.
2 DOESN’T: The Mania 17 Heel Turn
It oddly fits the last moment of the Attitude Era was one of the worst. On paper, it wasn’t too bad as Austin was so desperate to win the WWE title from the Rock that he was willing to join with hated enemy Vince McMahon. But the moment fell flat as it was just out of left field and didn’t resonate.
It didn’t help that the show was in Texas, and so Austin was still majorly cheered by the fans. The failure of his following heel run adds to it as even Austin has admitted he wished he could redo it to stun Vince and still leave the hero.
1 DOES: Austin 3:16
It’s the promo that changed the business. Austin had been rising, having dropped both Ted DiBiase and the ] “Ringmaster” gimmick. He lucked out when HHH was busted by the “Curtain Call” and became the winner of King of the Ring.
Inspired by opponent Jake Roberts doing a religious-themed promo, Austin cut his now infamous speech, invoking Austin 3:16 and his own fantastic power. The result was a tremendous moment that changed WWE's course and still holds up as a terrific “a star is born” moment in wrestling.
