While today might just be March 16 for some people, for wrestling fans it's 3:16, the signature trademark for WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin. That makes it "Stone Cold" Steve Austin Appreciation Day!
The man is responsible for changing the WWE landscape and is the quintessential embodiment of the Attitude Era, the most successful and watched time in all of wrestling history. As the WWE (then-WWF) fought for its survival against WCW, there were no rules and more about who could provide the most unreal, unbelievable moments.
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It's was the perfect time for the Texas Rattlesnake, a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-you-see-it guy who stood up to his boss — in this case Vince McMahon — no matter what the consequences were. And he loved making life tough on McMahon which the audience ate up.
Time to celebrate the trash talking, beer swilling, Stone Cold Stunner hitting, toughest SOB in WWE history with some of the greatest moments in his iconic career.
7. Vince McMahon's first stunner
Just after winning his first world title at WrestleMania XIV, Mr. McMahon decided to have a few words with Steve Austin about their relationship. You see, the boss had a certain vision about how things should go and wanted to reign in the new champion a bit.
He made the mistake of giving Austin the ultimatum "you can do this the easy way or you can do this the hard way". As you can imagine, that didn't go over well with Austin who decided to do it his way and the boss was met with a Stone Cold Stunner, kickstarting one of the greatest rivalries in pro wrestling history.
6. Austin's Bedpan Assault
Back in October 1998, the Austin/McMahon rivalry was rolling with the Texas Rattlesnake hitting his boss anywhere and everywhere he could.Austin wasn't the only person going after the boss with The Undertaker and Kane crippling him with a broken ankle when he gave them a verbal bashing for not watching his back as they had been paid to do.
A week later, McMahon was laid up in the hospital when Mankind tried to make him feel better with some chocolates, Yurple the Clown and the introduction of a puppet named Mr. Socko. None of this lifted the spirits of McMahon who got more and more upset and made Mankind leave the room.
A few moments later, a nurse was tending to McMahon and there was also a doctor in the room ... or so she thought. Instead, it was Stone Cold in disguise. As you can expect, all hell broke loose as he put a beat down on the boss including a bedpan to the head and ended it by shoving a tube in an uncomfortable place.
5. Austin vs. Tyson
It was supposed to be an epic announcement on "Raw" as Vince McMahon was introducing Mike Tyson and what role the "baddest SOB on the planet" would play at WrestleMania XIV. Steve Austin decided to crash the party and explained that he had no respect for the boxing star once he got into his ring — that was Stone Cold territory. When Austin gave Tyson a middle finger salute, "Iron Mike" responded by shoving the Texas Rattlesnake and it hit the fan.
The moment helped bring mainstream attention to the WWF at a time when the company desperately needed some. It turned out to be a seminal moment in the WWF's resurgence to becoming the top pro wrestling promotion and overtaking WCW in the Monday Night Wars.
4. The Pop Heard 'Round the World
Heading into 1999, evil Vince McMahon had one thing on his mind: screwing over Steve Austin. Their feud had been going on for some time now and other players were introduced including The Rock — The Corporate Champion — and the lovable Mankind who were feuding for the WWF championship.
On this particular "Raw", Mankind was so upset about not qualifying for the Royal Rumble that he takes Shane McMahon hostage and threatens to throw out his shoulder unless Vince McMahon gives him a title shot against The Rock for the championship. Of course, daddy gives in but not before Mankind forces him to also make it a no-DQ match.
Both The Corporation and Degenation X were standing at ringside during the match and once they got into it, the crowd was at a fever pitch. When the glass broke and Stone Cold Steve Austin comes marching to the ring, the crowd let loose a deafening roar. A minute later, Austin smacks The Rock in the head with a chair and pulls Mankind on top of him for the three-count making him the new champion.
There was some more subtext to this as back then, Raw was live every other week with the others taped in advance. This show happened to be taped and WCW boss Eric Bischoff thought it would be a good idea to have announcer Tony Schiavone spoil what would happen on Raw that night with Mankind of all people becoming champion. The decision backfired with more tha 600,000 viewers switching from Nitro to Raw to see the historic win, a huge mistake smack in the middle of the Monday Night War.
3. Austin 3:16 is Born
The 1996 King of the Ring tournament was supposed to be a crowning achievement for Triple H. But that changed when he decided to be part of the infamous curtain call at Madison Square Garden, hugging it out with his buddies Scott Hall and Kevin Nash before they jumped to the enemy WCW.
So plans where changed to Steve Austin who had been such a solid hand as the Ringmaster but dying for an opportunity. He got it on this night, defeating the born again Christian Jake "The Snake" Roberts in the finals who had cut a religious-themed promo on his leading into the match.
Following the victory, Austin let loose a fiery promo of his own with now infamous line, "You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere. Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16...Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your a—"
The next night on Raw, the audience was filled with Austin 3:16 signs and the Stone Cold era began.
2. Austin's Zamboni Entrance
Steve Austin was in a particularly bad mood on a Monday night back on September 2008. The night before, he lost the WWF Championship to both Undertaker and Kane who pinned him simultaneously.
Vince McMahon was just happy their Stone Cold was no longer champ and chose to have a huge coronation for whoever he was going to award the title between the Brothers of Destruction. Austin decided to crash the party but not on foot or even in a monster truck.
Instead, he commandeers a Zamboni of all things and crashes through an outer gate, drives over lights as well as anything in his path to the ring. Then to add to the surreal scene, Austin runs down the top of the Zamboni and lands a flying clothesline on Mr. McMahon to a monster pop with Jim Ross happily screaming, "Austin got McMahon!" on commentary.
1. Steveweiser Beerbath
It was just six days from WrestleMania XV when The Rock and Steve Austin would square off for the WWE Championship. With "The Great One" in the ring with both Vince and Shane McMahon, Stone Cold saw the perfect opportunity to make his presence known. And what better to make a presence then drive to the ring in a full-fledged beer truck. After all, the man does love his beer.
Austin insulted The Rock and his little nursery rhymes about Jabroni Avenue and Know Your Role Boulevard. When he was done speaking his peace, The Rock fired back with some words of his own. Austin put an end to that fiery promo with a beer bath, spraying The Rock and the McMahon's (and everyone in the first few rows) with the adult beverage which left Vince swimming for higher ground.
