Stone Cold Steve Austin

* WrestleMania 13
* WrestleMania 14
* WrestleMania 15
* WrestleMania 19
* Survivor Series '96

**Steve Austin** (born **Steven James Anderson** on December 18, 1964, later **Steven James Williams**), better known by the ring name "**Stone Cold**" **Steve Austin**, is an American wrestler.

## Background

### Pre-WrestleMania

Austin debuted in WWE on the January 8, 1996 edition of *Raw*, as a newest member of the Million Dollar Corporation and was awarded the Million Dollar Championship by Ted DiBiase.

### WrestleMania XII (1996)

Austin competes in a match against Savio Vega on the March 11 episode of *Raw*, only for the match to be ended in double countout.

### WrestleMania 13 (1997)

Hart and Austin's rivalry began after Austin won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament and began taunting Hart, who was inactive at the time.

### WrestleMania XIV (1998)

In January, Stone Cold Steve Austin won the Royal Rumble while Shawn Michaels retained his WWF World Heavyweight Championship, both under the auspices of Mike Tyson from the director's box. The following week on *Raw Is War*, Vince McMahon revealed that Tyson would be the special guest referee for WrestleMania's main event until Austin appeared and gave the finger to Tyson, offering him a fight and proclaiming the wrestling ring to be his, not Tyson's. At the ensuing press conference, McMahon announced that due to the explosive situation Tyson's role was being changed to that of ring enforcer. With WrestleMania drawing closer, on the March 2 episode of *Raw Is War*, Tyson appeared once again to be interviewed only for Michaels to interrupt and challenge Tyson to a fight. After both entourages left the ring, the two grabbed at each other until Michaels ripped Tyson's shirt revealing a DX T-shirt showing the enforcer's degenerate alliance; later in the evening Austin came out to take place in a match against Kane he saw Triple H on the ramp and walked over to him, only to turn round into Sweet Chin Music which knocked him out, something that occurred again the following week.

### WrestleMania X-Seven (2001)

Stone Cold Steve Austin earned his opportunity to compete for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania X-Seven by winning the 2001 Royal Rumble match when he last eliminated Kane, while The Rock became the first ever six-time WWE Champion when he defeated Kurt Angle at No Way Out.

During their feud, Austin's wife Debra, who was trying to get back into managing, was ordered by WWE chairman, Vince McMahon, to be The Rock's manager against her wishes as well as both Rock and Austin's. As a result, Austin would hold The Rock and McMahon responsible if any harm came to her. On the March 12 episode of Raw is War, The Rock was placed in an overlong Ankle Lock hold during his rematch with Kurt Angle. When Debra went to check on The Rock, Angle also placed her into an Ankle Lock hold. Austin soon ran in to save her and knocked Angle out of the ring. Keeping to his word, he immediately gave The Rock a Stone Cold Stunner as punishment.

The following week on *Raw is War*, during a handicap tag team match involving The Rock, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, and William Regal, Austin made his way down to the ring and ended up getting a Rock Bottom from The Rock as a result of the stunner the previous week. On the March 29 episode of *SmackDown!*, Debra was relieved from her managerial role by Mr. McMahon after failing to prevent a brawl between Rock and Austin.

### WrestleMania X8 (2002)

At No Way Out 2002, Scott Hall, of the nWo, attacks Austin, costing him an opportunity to win the undisputed WWE championship.

Austin finally got his revenge on the February 21 episode of *SmackDown!* when he chased the nWo out of the ring with a tire iron. Austin manages to catch Hall and attack him with the tire iron, but Hogan and Nash saved Hall from being run over by Austin's pickup truck.

### Off wrestling appearances

Stone Cold Steve Austin serves as a special guest referee for a match between Brock Lesnar and Goldberg at WrestleMania XX. After the match, he stunned both Goldberg and Lesnar.

At WrestleMania 21, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper confronted "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in Piper's Pit until Carlito interrupted and insulted them. Carlito received a Stone Cold Stunner from Austin and Piper threw him out of the ring. Both ended the segment celebrating with beer until Austin gave Piper a Stone Cold Stunner.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ **As "Stone Cold" Steve Austin**
		- *Stone Cold Stunner* (Stunner, preceded by a midsection kick)
	+ **As The Ringmaster**
		- *Million Dollar Dream* (Cobra clutch) – adopted from Ted DiBiase

* **Signature moves**
	+ **As "Stone Cold" Steve Austin**
		- Back body drop
		- Knife-edged chop
		- Leapfrog body guillotine
		- *Mudhole Stomp* (Multiple stomps to the chest of an opponent seated in the corner or downed on the mat, with theatrics)
		- Piledriver
		- Pointed elbow drop, sometimes from the second rope
		- Running lariat
		- Sleeper hold
		- Spinebuster
		- Stomp to the opponent's groin
		- Thesz press followed by multiple punches
		- Superplex

* **Tag teams and stables**
	+ The Dangerous Alliance
	+ The Hollywood Blonds
	+ The Stud Stable
	+ The Million Dollar Corporation
	+ The Alliance
	+ The Power Trip

* **Managers**
	+ Paul E. Dangerously
	+ Col. Robert Parker
	+ Ted DiBiase
	+ Paul Bearer
	+ Debra
	+ Lady Blossom
	+ Vivacious Veronica

* **Nicknames**
	+ "The Bionic Redneck"
	+ **"Stone Cold"**
	+ "Dragon Slayer"
	+ "Stunning"
	+ "Superstar"
	+ **"The (Texas) Rattlesnake"**
	+ **"The Hellraiser"**
	+ "The Paranoid Rattlesnake"
	+ "The Toughest Son of a Bitch in the WWF/E"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment/WWE**
		- **As The Ringmaster**
			* "Circle of Doom" by Jim Johnston (1996)
		- **As Stone Cold Steve Austin**
			* "Hell Frozen Over" by Jim Johnston (October 20, 1996 – October 11, 1998)
			* **"I Won't Do What You Tell Me"** by Jim Johnston (October 12, 1998 – September 7, 2000, December 3, 2001–present)
			* "Glass Shatters" by Disturbed (September 24, 2000 – July 22, 2001)
			* "Rattlesnake" by Jim Johnston (July 23, 2001)
			* "Hell on Earth" by Jim Johnston (July 26, 2001)
			* "Paranoid" by Jim Johnston (July 30, 2001 – August 2, 2001)
			* "Venomous" by Jim Johnston (August 6, 2001 – November 29, 2001)

## Championships and accomplishments

* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Feud of the Year (1998, 1999) vs. Vince McMahon
	+ Match of the Year (1997) vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 in a Submission match
	+ Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (2001)
	+ Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1998)
	+ Rookie of the Year (1990)
	+ Wrestler of the Year (1998, 1999, 2001)
	+ PWI ranked **#1** of the Top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1998 and 1999
	+ PWI ranked **#19** of the Top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI Years in 2003

* **Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame**
	+ Class of 2016

* **Texas Wrestling Federation**
	+ TWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The California Stud

* **World Championship Wrestling**
	+ WCW World Television Championship (2 times)
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Brian Pillman
	+ WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
	+ WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Brian Pillman
	+ WCW World Television Championship (2 times)

* **World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE**
	+ Million Dollar Championship (1 time)
	+ 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)
	+ King of the Ring (1996)
	+ Royal Rumble (1997, 1998, 2001)
	+ Undisputed WWF Championship #1 Contender's Tournament (2002)
	+ WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)
	+ Fifth Triple Crown Champion
	+ Slammy Award (2 times)
		- Freedom of Speech (1997)
		- Best Original WWE Network Show – Stone Cold Podcast (2015)

* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ 5 Star Match (1992) with Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, and Larry Zbyszko vs. Dustin Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Sting, Ricky Steamboat, and Barry Windham in a WarGames match at WrestleWar
	+ 5 Star Match (1997) vs. Bret Hart in a submission match at WrestleMania 13
	+ Best Box Office Draw (1998-1999)
	+ Best Gimmick (1997-1998)
	+ Best Heel (1996)
	+ Best on Interviews (1996–1998, 2001)
	+ Best Non-Wrestler (2003)
	+ Feud of the Year (1997) vs. The Hart Foundation
	+ Feud of the Year (1998-1999) vs. Vince McMahon
	+ Match of the Year (1997) vs. Bret Hart in a submission match at WrestleMania 13
	+ Most Charismatic (1997-1998)
	+ Rookie of the Year (1990)
	+ Tag Team of the Year (1993) with Brian Pillman as The Hollywood Blonds
	+ Wrestler of the Year (1998)
	+ Best Brawler (2001)
	+ Worst Worked Match of the Year (1991) with Terrance Taylor vs. Bobby Eaton and P.N. News in a Scaffold match at The Great American Bash
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2000)

## Trivia

* Stone Cold's 2003 attire has two different versions in *WWE 2K17*: His *WrestleMania 15* attire for PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One (XB1) and Steam and his *WrestleMania 19* attire for PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Xbox 360 (X360).
* Stone Cold has a total of 16 attires out of three different versions of him.