Ring Legends - The Greatest Of All Time Pt 2

Regarding wrestling legends, very few have hit their peak like Ston Cold Steve Austin. Not only was he one of the most popular wrestlers in his era, but he remains a huge draw whenever he gets on television.

Steve Austin was a legend in the ring for pissing off authority. His feuds with The McMahon were the stuff legends were made of. Specifically, any time he was on the screen with Vince, and to a lesser extent Stephanie McMahon was pure gold. He always was one of the top guys on the mic with signature catchphrases and promos. From “Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your a-s”, “Can I get a ‘hell yeah’?”, and ” .. that’s the bottom line ..” had fans chanting along on the ends of their seats and engaged like few other performers.

But it wasn’t just his mic work that made his promos and stunts so exciting. If it had wheels and could fit under the “TitanTron” Stone Cold Steve Austin was driving it to the ring to whoop someone’s a-s. Beer truck? Zamboni? It didn’t matter, when that glass broke and Austin had that look in his eyes everyone knew that all hell was breaking loose. To this day, die-hard fans will still always hear Jim Ross echo “Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Stone Cold!” any time the familiar sound of glass breaking hits. The energy in the room was cranked up to 11 whenever his music hit.

More Wrestling: Ring Legends – The Greatest of All Time Pt 1 – The Undertaker

Yet for Stone Cold Steve Austin, it wasn’t just all about the over-the-top show. While his on-camera antics might have had people tuning in, paired with great in-ring wrestling ability, Stone Cold could easily captivate an audience. Most people will remember Steve Austin as a brawler known for his “good ol’ fashioned slobber knockers”, but just as much as he could pummel his opponents to the delight of fans, he was underrated (by some fans) as a tactical old-school wrestler. He could be the guy that punches, kicks, and beats his opponent bloody, or he could be the guy who grapples and maneuvers his way around the ring. His ability to wrestle to the strength of his opponent made pairing him up with any headliner a perfect fit.

It takes a lot to be a fan favorite. Most guys in the WWE get to the top, stay there for a year or two, and then fade off into existence. Stone Cold Steve Austin cemented the “Attitude Era” with his anti-authority, mic work, showmanship, and ability that is rarely matched. It takes a lot to be on that level and to this day fans can’t wait to see what he’ll do next every time he hits their screen.