Stone Cold Steve Austin

"The first thing I want to be done, is to get that piece of crap outta my ring! I've proved, son, that, without a shadow of a doubt, you ain't got what it takes anymore! You sit there and you thump your bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you no where. Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16....Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!"

- Stone Cold Steve Austin after defeating Jake "The Snake" Roberts at King of the Ring 1996.

Stone Cold Steve Austin is a pro wrestler who helped kickstart the Attutide Era for the WWE back in the late 1990's. One of the best examples of an antihero, Austin was best known as a disrespectful, beer-drinking redneck who routinely defied his boss Vince McMahon. This defiance was often shown by Austin flipping off McMahon and incapacitating him with the Stone Cold Stunner, his finishing move. Austin's rivalry with McMahon is one of the best in WWE history.

Austin was arguably the most popular superstar of the Attitude Era, with possibly only The Rock to rival his popularity. He has held the WWE Championship 6 times, the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice, and also been a World Tag Team Champion four times. He is also the only 3-time winner of the Royal Rumble match. He has also won numerous awards from Pro Wrestling Illustrated, including, but not limited to, Rookie of the Year for 1990 (during his tenure with WCW as "Stunning" Steve Austin) the Wrestler of the Year for 1998, 1999, and 2001, the Feud of the Year in 1998 and 1999 (for his feud against McMahon), and Most Popular Wrestler of the Year for 1998; and numerous awards from the Wrestling Observer newsletter, including, but not limited to, Best Gimmick in 1997 and 1998, Best Heel (Villain) in 1996, 5 Star Match and Match of the Year for his match against Bret "The Hitman" Hart at WrestleMania 13, Best Box Office Draw in 1998 and 1999, Wrestler of the Year in 1998, and Most Charismatic in 1997 and 1998. In 2009, Austin was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.