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It ’s hard to argue that there is any wrestler in the history of WWE who feels bigger thanStone Cold Steve Austin . As big asWWEis today and as big as some wrestler are today , much of WWE ’s current success could not be potential without the impact of Stone Cold Steve Austin .
The six - metre WWE Champion wasthe biggest selling point and star during the Attitude Era , revitalizing the company at a clip when it was in jeopardy of croak under . Thankfully , Austin was able-bodied to help mother newfound interest in the product not only because of his charismatic , beer - guzzling theatrical role or his captivating storylines with the likes of Vince McMahon , but due to the fact that he was throw some of the most must - see friction match of that era . Here are some examples .
10Stone Cold vs. The Undertaker - WWF Championship Match
In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell
This match deserve a reference for one main reason : it ’s the only memorable showdown between Stone Cold and the Undertaker . As two of the handsome faces of the society during its arguably most popular time , one would expect that Steve Austin had with the Undertaker a similar amount of great matches as he had with the Rock and Triple H , but that is not the example . Both performer admitted that the in - gang alchemy merely was n’t there , but one match stands out as the exception .
This was Taker ’s 2d title defense , and Austin was still at the best of his in - ring ability , before the neck accidental injury . The stakes were there , and the two superstars managed to click for one night , delivering what can be regard one of the out of sight stone of the Attitude ( or pre - Attitude , technically ) era .
9Stone Cold vs. Shawn Michaels
King of the Ring 1997
Most readers will remember Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania14 , the match that formally rings in the Austin Era . However , what most do n’t remember is their contest from a year early atKing of the Ring 1997.This friction match make it when both valet de chambre were very much still in their select , months before Austin suffer his calling - changing neck hurt and a year before Michaels sustained his career - ending back injury on the road to that same WrestleMania .
This makes a important divergence to their Mania contest and , despite a twofold DQ finish , it manages to be better than their fete compeer at the Showcase of Immortals . Both world ’s alchemy is hypnotic , and it ’s clear that they are at the peak of their in - ring performances .
8Stone Cold vs. The Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs. Triple H vs. Rikishi vs. The Undertaker - WWF Championship Hell in a Cell Match
Armaggedon 2000
Although this match may not be the well potential showcase of Stone Cold ’s talent reckon he is in there with five other men , it is the best possible showcase of the Attitude Era . The Attitude Era was Stone Cold ’s backyard to expand in , but apparently , he did n’t flourish alone . All six man in this match hold far-famed situation in wriggle history , especially during this time period , so in many ways , this feel like a time abridgement .
If the Attitude Era and its main event setting could be summarise in one match , it would have to be this one : blood , perspiration , bout , topsy-turvydom left and correct , and death - defying falls from above ( not unlike Mick Foley ’s in another Hell in a Cell match ) .
7Stone Cold vs. The Rock (III)
WrestleMania 19
It is rare to see a wrestler get the perfect swan song or retirement match , but until returning for aWrestleManiamatch with Kevin Owens , Austin ’s final match of his WrestleMania trilogy with The Rock was such a sendoff . He obtain the luck to fall on his brand one last time against his wrestling mortal spouse on the Grandest leg of Them All , and then quietly ride off into the sundown . He ’d return later in the yr as a General Manager , but in his goodbye to in - ring competition for 19 days , Austin could not have require for a good finis for his wrestling career .
While there was no such stipulation to the lucifer or announcement beforehand take this would be Austin ’s last peer , there was an atmosphere in the air that seemed to signal some sort of terminate . Maybe not to Austin ’s career , but perhaps thanks to the concluding pairing of the Attitude Era ’s heavy hotshot at the twist of the Ruthless Aggression Era , this finger like the end of an era , and a satisfy one at that .
6Stone Cold vs. Triple H - Three Stages of Hell Match
No Way Out 2001
On the road to WrestleMania , Stone Cold had perforate his ticket to the main event for the third sentence in his calling and the first clip in a year since his career - jeopardize injury . It was becoming all the more observable that The Rock vs. Stone Cold II was on the horizon and at this point in their careers , it would be hard to hear to top the order of magnitude of that couple . The only match that could come close was if the Texas Rattlesnake had , instead , played The Game .
To splice up wanton ends before Mania , he would do just that the month before , wrestling the piece who ( in storyline ) mastermind Austin ’s class - tenacious combat injury by hiring Rikishi to run him over with a car . The only way to descend this beef cattle was with a Three Stages of Hell peer . The stipulation proved vicious enough and the kick brewed vivid enough for a true classic .
5Stone Cold vs. The Rock (II) - WWF Championship Match
WrestleManiaX-7
At the time , this was promoted asthe heavy WrestleManiamain consequence of all timebetween two of the most popular , beloved babyfaces not only at that fourth dimension but in the integral Attitude Era . Not only did it truly feel like the biggest of its time , but to this daytime , it still holds a spot among the sterling WrestleMania main events . Two gladiator with age deserving of chronicle who partake in a reciprocal regard , but would do anything for the title that would crown them as the better human and the top dog of the wrestling intellectual nourishment range .
To loosely repeat the immortal words of Paul Heyman , both humanity had everything to pull ahead and neither could afford to mislay . This tagline would put up to a controversial heel number that continues to split audiences , but is nonetheless a twist significative of the irregular Attitude Era .
4Stone Cold vs. Kurt Angle - WWF Championship Match
SummerSlam2001
Like with the Michaels match mentioned before , this one ends in DQ . There are a lot of peer from the Attitude Era that would cease in a disqualification , butit ’s really a testament to the athletes involved that the couple would still manage to be incredibly entertaining and crowd - pleasing despite the controversial cultivation . This mates is a prime example of that fact . Even if their rematch at the follow month ’s Unforgiven would have a more conclusive , feel - good end , this match remains the superior of the two .
Stone Cold ’s performance in this match is also a will to justhow goodness of a heel he was , even when the heel turn was met with criticism . As loved as he was in this earned run average , even after the turning , he was able to captivate the venom of the WWE Universe in this mate , endear them to an American Hero who produce his own vile as a heel not long before SummerSlam .
3Two-Man Power Trip vs. Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho - WWF Tag Team Titles Match
Monday Night Raw, May 21, 2001
This is another match that follow with an star , this clock time mostly because of one of Stone Cold ’s resister in this match , for obvious reasons . The presence of Chris Benoit prevent WWE from so much as mentioning this match or showing highlights . This , to some level , is a disgrace becausethis is a top contender for being the greatest match in unsanded history , Triple H suffering a legitimate and career - threatening injury , tearing his left-hand quadriceps , and still completing the match .
It arrived at a clock time when the team ofStone Cold and Triple H had become the roster ’s most dominant duo , at one item hold the World Championship , Intercontinental Championship , and the Tag Titles all at once . They were prevail roughshod on every show and fan were ready to see them dethroned . On this particular night , the feel was in the air that the crew require the Two - Man Power Trip trounce , and when that promise was drive home , it became one of Raw’sbest import .
2Stone Cold vs. Bret Hart - #1 Contender For The WWF Championship Match
Survivor Series1996
Before his first WWE Championship reign , before his heavy shift at WrestleMania , and mere months after his famous Austin 3:16 promo , the first time Stone Cold truly looked as if he belonged in the master consequence pictorial matter was atSurvivor Series 1996 against Bret " The Hitman " Hart . They say to be The Man ( woo ) , you ’ve got to beat The Man . As arguably the best wrestler on the roll at the clock time , Bret Hart was the Man to puzzle to solidify one ’s superstardom . Although Austin would n’t beat out Hart on this Nox , he look substantial enough in defeat to kickstart the first seeds for the Austin Era .
The end especially solidified this as a classic , as the Cobra Clutch reversed into a PIN number attempt was memorable enough to spawn multiple attempts at duplicate the conclusion in New wrestling . Austin in his prime was one of the best technical grappler on the satellite , and putting him in the mob with the best technical wrestler on the planet ? That ’s hard to pose .
1Stone Cold vs. Bret Hart - WWF Championship Match
WrestleMania 13
And yet , somehow , Bret Hart and Stone Cold were capable to beat that . All they needed was to add Ken Shamrock as the Special Guest Referee and adda Submission only stipulation , and deception take place . If their match the previous Fall was more of a expert masterclass , this friction match add up more of a brawling element that better suited the Bionic Redneck graphic symbol . This also resulted ina more violent , blinking contest that gifted the wrestling industry with one of its most iconic images .
The blood dripping from Austin ’s rima oris as Jim Ross would scream , " Austin will not give up ! " was all it took . Just like that , a star was born . Without this match , Stone Cold Steve Austin likely would not go on to become the facial expression of theWWE , thus launching the company into a whole new stratosphere for years to come in .
