Perhaps the biggest wrestling star of all time, Stone Cold Steve Austin took wrestling fans on an incredible journey at the end of the 1990s.
Here, DAZN takes a look at some of the accomplishments of The Texas Rattlesnake.
Who is Steve Austin?
A territorial wrestler in his early days, Steve Austin, real name Steve Anderson, arrived in WCW in 1991 and found instant success as a member of The Dangerous Alliance.
Later paired with Brian Pillman as one half of the Suicide Blondes tag team, Austin was widely respected in the industry but couldn’t seek the approval of Eric Bischoff, his boss at WCW.
Following a short stint in ECW where Austin was allowed to express himself more freely than he had done in WCW, Austin arrived in WWE where he was repackaged as The Ringmaster.
This gimmick didn’t last long and after winning King of the Ring in 1996, Austin’s victory speech included the use of ‘3:16,’ a biblical term that would become a big part of Austin’s rise.
Feuding with the returning Bret Hart, Austin’s promos contained a vicious realism that hadn’t been seen in the oft-cartoonish WWE.
With the company moving towards a more edgy product, Austin was the perfect candidate to lead WWE’s war against WCW and he was soon the face of the company after defeating Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 14.
For the next three years, Austin would partake in many memorable feuds, but it was his rivalries with Vince McMahon and The Rock that would standout most.
After turning heel in 2001, Austin’s character moved towards a more comedic personal alongside Kurt Angle, but despite playing a role intended to make the crowd go against him, Austin was always meant to be a fan favourite.
A match against The Rock at Wrestlemania 19, his third Mania event against his great nemesis, seemingly brought an end to Austin’s in-ring career.
A regular feature for WWE in various positions over the next few years always generated a huge nostalgia pop, but Austin shocked the world in 2022 when he returned to action to face Kevin Owens at Wrestlemania 38 in what was a fitting farewell for one of WWE’s greatest ever superstars.
What championships has Steve Austin held in wrestling?
Texas Wrestling Federation
TWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rod Price
World Championship Wrestling
WCW World Television Championship (2 times)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brian Pillman
NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brian Pillman
World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
WWF Championship (6 times)
WWF Intercontinental Championship (2 times)
WWF Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Shawn Michaels (1), Dude Love (1), The Undertaker (1), and Triple H (1)
Million Dollar Championship (1 time)
King of the Ring (1996)
Royal Rumble (1997, 1998, 2001)