- Career Highlights: WWE Champion; Intercontinental Champion; World Tag Team Champion; King of the Ring (1996); Royal Rumble winner (1997, 1998, 2001); WCW U.S. Champion; WCW Tag Team Champion; WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009
"Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass."
Those might be the most historic words ever uttered in WWE history. For that sentence was the start of Stone Cold Steve Austin's reign of dominance, and it struck a chord with fans like no one ever had before. Austin enjoyed success in WCW during the mid ‘90s, but he never really put forth his true personality. It took an unlikely series of events, starting with his termination from WCW by executive Eric Bischoff via courier, which brought Austin's take-no-prisoners attitude to the forefront.
Following a brief stint in ECW, where Austin began to show the first seeds of his tell-it-like-it-is style, he ventured to WWE. He debuted as the "Ringmaster," and was managed by the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. Week after week, Austin enjoyed success. But also week after week, Austin's frustration grew. He wasn't able to be his true self as the "Ringmaster," and he blamed many people, not the least of which was Vince McMahon.
McMahon's marketing vision is the stuff of legend, but in Austin's mind, he was being held back by his boss, much like he felt that Bischoff did to him in WCW. It finally boiled over at King of the Ring 1996, where Austin defeated a newly devout Jake "The Snake Roberts in the tournament final.
Austin's anger could not be contained any more. During a post-match interview, Austin said that Roberts' faith and psalms didn't help "The Snake" inside the ring, leading to his famous quote heard ‘round the world. Goodbye, Ringmaster. Hello, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Stone Cold made it his life's mission to overcome any obstacle in his path. And more often than not, the obstacle was McMahon. The two are natural enemies, predestined to clash. Austin is anti-establishment; McMahon accumulated his millions by "playing the game." Austin rebels against authority; McMahon is authority personified.
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mr. McMahon. A saga that redefined WWE and lifted the company to heights never before seen. It was a special time in WWE history, now the stuff of lore. Until now. In WWE '13, history comes alive. Stone Cold and Mr. McMahon clash once again, with the stakes sky higher than ever. The "Attitude Era" is back, and that's the bottom line, 'cause Stone Cold says so.
