5 Stone Cold Steve Austin matches to rewatch ahead of WrestleMania
Stone Cold Steve Austin will return to WWE this year to confront Kevin Owens at WrestleMania. The Texas Rattlesnake has promised to "open one last can of whoop-ass" on the KO Show, which is set to headline Night One of WrestleMania.
Reports have indicated that WWE wanted Austin to have a formal match at The Show of Shows, but his contribution looks like it will be an extended fight scene instead. The Hall of Famer's segment will be one of the highlights of the show regardless.
Austin is one of wrestling's greatest legends, and as such has taken part in many historic battles. With his return imminent, let's take a look at just five Steve Austin matches to get you ready for WrestleMania.
#5. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock at Backlash 1999
Stone Cold Steve Austin defended the WWE Championship against The Rock at Backlash 1999 in a No-holds-Barred match. The odds were stacked against The Texas Rattlesnake with Shane McMahon placed as the corrupt special guest referee.
The two brawled all over the arena and delivered a legendary spot where The Great One took a Stunner while holding a camera. With The Higher Power storyline around the corner, Vince McMahon assisted Austin in retaining the title. The show went off the air with The Undertaker kidnapping Stephanie McMahon.
#4. First Blood with The Undertaker at Fully Loaded 1999
The Austin-McMahon rivalry came to a head at Fully Loaded 1999 when The Texas Rattlesnake faced The Undertaker in a First Blood match.
If Steve Austin won, Vince McMahon could never appear on television again. Conversely, if the three-time Royal Rumble winner lost, he would be banned from challenging for the WWE Championship.
Austin and The Undertaker had an excellent brawl, with the fans on the edge of their seats due to the stakes involved. The Texas Rattlesnake prevailed after a wild finish that left both men soaked in blood.
While Austin and McMahon would cross paths again several time, the crux of their iconic rivalry culminated at Full Loaded 1999.
#3. Taking on Dude Love at Over the Edge 1998
Austin's first pay-per-view opponent after winning the WWE Championship was Dude Love. The duo clashed at Unforgiven 1998 and then had a rematch at Over the Edge after their first bout ended in a disqualification.
A common feature of the Attitude Era, the odds were stacked against Austin with Mr. McMahon as the special guest referee. Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco were also involved to make things more difficult.
The Texas Rattlesnake looked set to drop the title, but he managed to retain it following an assist from The Undertaker, who was the special guest enforcer.
#2. Three Stages of Hell with Triple H at No Way Out 2001
After it was revealed that Triple H paid for Austin to be run over by a car at Survivor Series 1999, the two stars had a heated Three Stages of Hell match at No Way Out 2001.
The Texas Rattlesnake won the first fall, a standard singles match, with a Stunner. However, The Game fought back to win the next two falls, a Street Fight and Steel Cage match, in a grueling encounter.
The victory was meant to set up a feud between Triple H and Austin after the Texas Rattlesnake won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 17. Instead, they joined forces to form the Two Man Power Trip.
#1. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart steal the show
Steve Austin and Bret Hart had one of the most iconic matches in WWE history at WrestleMania 13. The two legends clashed in a submission match after a heated build with Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee. The bout was executed perfectly and built tension in all the right moments.
The encounter is still remembered for the execution of a tremendous double turn that propelled The Texas Rattlesnake towards becoming a megastar. The visual of a bloodied Austin refusing to surrender and passing out from the pain is iconic to this very day.
The match received rave reviews, including five stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. If the "Austin 3:16" promo was the catalyst for Stone Cold's rise to fame, this match was the launching pad that shot him into the stratosphere.