[Stanford]

I absolutely agree. I think 1996 to Pre-Mania '98 Austin is the greatest wrestling character ever. He was driven by the belief that he's been held down his entire career, and he doesn't care who he has to go through; he's getting the title and he's not letting go. You could feel how bad he needed to be Champion. That desire bled through the television screen and made people want to cheer for him, despite being an absolute dick head.

The beauty of the character was that he had no reason to believe Vince was holding him down; it was all a paranoid conspiracy theory, driven by everything he's dealt with in his career prior to the WWE. But it turned out to be true; Vince didn't want him as Champion, and did all he could to keep him from the belt.

Anyone who says Austin was just a ******* who got over because he swore and talked about beer is an idiot, and completely missed the point of the greatest superstar in WWE's history. Which is sad.

 

[jarvisowens]

I agree with everything you said

 

[EyebrowRaiser]

Agree to an extent. His incidents with Vince though we're some of the greatest moments of his career too.

 

[EyebrowRaiser]

Agree to an extent. His incidents with Vince though we're some of the greatest moments of his career too.

 

[EyebrowRaiser]

I'm sorry guys I accidentally mashed on my button on my iPad and it sent the message like 5 times. I apologize

 

[philip3831]

Loved this time period but 1998 is still the ultimate year of the rattlesnake for me.

 

[jacobdaniel]

I absolutely agree. I think 1996 to Pre-Mania '98 Austin is the greatest wrestling character ever. He was driven by the belief that he's been held down his entire career, and he doesn't care who he has to go through; he's getting the title and he's not letting go. You could feel how bad he needed to be Champion. That desire bled through the television screen and made people want to cheer for him, despite being an absolute dick head.

The beauty of the character was that he had no reason to believe Vince was holding him down; it was all a paranoid conspiracy theory, driven by everything he's dealt with in his career prior to the WWE. But it turned out to be true; Vince didn't want him as Champion, and did all he could to keep him from the belt.

Anyone who says Austin was just a ******* who got over because he swore and talked about beer is an idiot, and completely missed the point of the greatest superstar in WWE's history. Which is sad.

Agreed 100%. Excellent post my friend!

 

[Buffy The Vampire Slayer]

Yes Stone Cold would of been the same man in the up coming later 90's years. He would still be the good ole Stone Cold. In my honest opinion he still would of become the man that he is. At this point, I know that the WWE did need a new man to hold the title and why not give it to the most popular star of those years then the Texas Rattlesnake. He earned all of his dues in hard work. His Gimmick change at King of the Ring 1996 was a key to know on what the WWE would eventually sky rocket to the next decade in the company. He had great wars already with Savio Vega. But will have better and more epic feuds with Bret Hart, Hart Foundation, Owen Hart, HBK, Vince McMahon, and The Undertaker for years to come until the 90's concluded. My god his feud with The Rock, HHH, The Undertaker, and in the invasion is what put him on the top of the map. He didn't get over with the fans by talking trash or being a red neck, he got to the top because of all of his hard work and the fans just loved his no take shit attitude. And still today he is still one of the greats.

 

[Stuart82]

I would say Stone Cold was at his absolute best character wise 1997 & that momentum carried on to 1998. 1999 he wAs slightly watered down, he helped Vince against the ministry & tagged with the rock and said he was cool with the rock. He wasn't the don't trust anyone son of a bitch. When he came back in 2000 to his heel turn 2001 he was slightly watered down again from the 1997 character. The rocks popularity ment he needed to be more of a team player then a go at it alone, trust no one, give people stunners even if a face sob. His stone cold character was ruined by heel turn and was never the same stone cold again

 

[Austin & DX]

Austin dominated this before AE was born. Got his Hell Yeah DVD, loved the extras Austin says 2 cops "I'M NOT LEAVING YET CAUSE I'M A STAR, GOT A BIG MATCH, WHY DON'T U TIE MY SHOE, TIE MY SHOE RIGHT NOW" Also Livewire 96 segment was classic with Sunny/Pettingill

 

[RyanPelley]

Stone Cold during his feud with Bret Hart between 1996 and 1997 is just fucking incredible. He went from mid card to aiming at Bret Hart, and just unloading on the guy. Greatest feud ever.

 

[ChrisK]

Anyone who quotes 99 as being the only/best year of AE, I recommend to go back to at least '96.

'96 to '98 was golden!

 

[Guerrilla Press Slam]

Anyone who quotes 99 as being the only/best year of AE, I recommend to go back to at least '96.

'96 to '98 was golden!

Totally agree. The Attitude era for me started way before '99. The Bret v Austin feud is what kicked it off in my opinion. By late '97 and the formation of the original DX it was well and truely in full swing.

 

[blazegod99]

I absolutely agree. I think 1996 to Pre-Mania '98 Austin is the greatest wrestling character ever. He was driven by the belief that he's been held down his entire career, and he doesn't care who he has to go through; he's getting the title and he's not letting go. You could feel how bad he needed to be Champion. That desire bled through the television screen and made people want to cheer for him, despite being an absolute dick head.

The beauty of the character was that he had no reason to believe Vince was holding him down; it was all a paranoid conspiracy theory, driven by everything he's dealt with in his career prior to the WWE. But it turned out to be true; Vince didn't want him as Champion, and did all he could to keep him from the belt.

Anyone who says Austin was just a ******* who got over because he swore and talked about beer is an idiot, and completely missed the point of the greatest superstar in WWE's history. Which is sad.

Dead this thread. This sums it up perfectly.

 

[tducey]

He was coming into his own during these years for sure but 1998 was his better year.

 

[peachchaos]

Hard to argue that there was ever a better wrestling character than Stone Cold Steve Austin during 1996-98, but I think its impressive just how incredible his in-ring work was in 2001, despite such awful booking at the time.

Here are Meltzer's highest rated Steve Austin WWF matches, year-by-year. I have highlighted his most outstanding performances.

1996

5/28/96 Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega (Strap) ****
6/23/96 Steve Austin vs. Marc Mero ***3/4
7/21/96 Steve Austin vs. Marc Mero ***
10/20/96 Steve Austin vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley ***1/4
11/17/96 Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin ****1/2
12/16/96 Steve Austin vs. Vader ***1/4

1997

1/19/97 Royal Rumble ***
2/16/97 Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin vs. Vader vs. Undertaker ****1/4
3/23/97 Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (Submission) *****
4/20/97 Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart ***3/4
5/11/97 Undertaker vs. Steve Austin ***
5/26/97 Shawn Michaels/Steve Austin vs. Davey Boy Smith/Owen Hart ****1/4
6/2/97 Shawn Michaels/Steve Austin vs. Legion of Doom ***
6/9/97 Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin ****
7/6/97 Bret Hart/Owen Hart/Davey Boy Smith/Jim Neidhart/Brian Pillman vs. Steve Austin/Legion of Doom/Goldust/Ken Shamrock ****1/4
7/7/97 Steve Austin vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley ***1/4
7/14/97 Steve Austin/Dude Love vs. Davey Boy Smith/Owen Hart ***
8/3/97 Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart ***1/2

1998

2/15/98 Steve Austin/Terry Funk/Cactus Jack/Owen Hart vs. Triple H/New Age Outlaws/Savio Vega ***1/2
3/29/98 Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels ***1/4
4/26/98 Dude Love vs. Steve Austin ****
5/11/98 Steve Austin/Vince McMahon vs. Rock/D-Lo Brown ***
5/31/98 Steve Austin vs. Dude Love ****1/2
6/28/98 Kane vs. Steve Austin (First Blood) ***1/4
6/29/98 Steve Austin vs. Kane ***
7/27/98 Steve Austin/Undertaker vs. New Age Outlaws ***
8/30/98 Steve Austin vs. Undertaker ***1/2
10/12/98 Steve Austin/Rock vs. Undertaker/Kane ***1/4
11/15/98 Mankind vs. Steve Austin ***
12/6/98 Steve Austin vs. Rock vs. Kane vs. Undertaker ***

1999

3/15/99 Rock/Big Show vs. Steve Austin/Mankind ***3/4
3/28/99 Steve Austin vs. Rock ***1/2
4/25/99 Steve Austin vs. Rock ****1/4
7/25/99 Steve Austin vs. Undertaker (First Blood) ***3/4
10/17/99 Triple H vs. Steve Austin (No Holds Barred) ****
10/25/99 New Age Outlaws vs. Steve Austin/Rock ***

2000

11/19/00 Steve Austin vs. Triple H ***1/4
12/2/00 Kurt Angle vs. Rock vs. Rikishi vs. Steve Austin ***1/4
12/10/00 Kurt Angle vs. Triple H vs. Rock vs. Steve Austin vs. Undertaker vs. Rikishi (Hell in the Cell) ****1/2

2001

1/21/01 Royal Rumble ***1/4
2/25/01 Triple H vs. Steve Austin (2/3 falls � Straight wrestling, Street Fight, Cage) ****3/4
4/1/01 Steve Austin vs. Rock (No DQ) ****1/2
4/29/01 Steve Austin/Triple H vs. Undertaker/Kane ***
5/20/01 Steve Austin vs. Undertaker (No Holds Barred) ***1/4
5/21/01 Chris Benoit/Chris Jericho vs. Steve Austin/Triple H ****3/4
5/31/01 Steve Austin vs. Chris Benoit ****1/2
6/24/01 Steve Austin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit ***3/4
8/19/01 Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin ****1/2
9/23/01 Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin ****
10/8/01 Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle ***1/2
10/21/01 Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin vs. Rob Van Dam ****
11/3/01 Steve Austin vs. Rock ***3/4
11/15/01 Steve Austin/Kurt Angle vs. Rock/Chris Jericho ****1/4
11/18/01 Rock/Chris Jericho/Undertaker/Kane/Big Show vs. Steve Austin/Kurt Angle/Rob Van Dam/Booker T/Shane McMahon (Elimination) ****1/2
12/9/01 Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle ***1/2
12/9/01 Chris Jericho vs. Steve Austin ***1/4

2002

2/17/02 Chris Jericho vs. Steve Austin ***
5/19/02 Steve Austin vs. Ric Flair/Big Show ***1/4

Peak performance was clearly in 2001, where working with Jericho, Benoit and Angle really upped the ante. 1997 was really hot as well and probably would have been his best year if not for the neck injury halfway through the year. 1998 was a pretty weak year for workrate in the WWF, but Austin had a standout performance with Foley and a historic title changed with Michaels. 1996 was a strong year for workrate, but he didn't really get a chance to shine too often until the classic with Bret at Survivor Series. 1999 and 2000 were pretty abismal as he was plagued with injuries and finally took time off. By 2002 and 2003 you could see the character was completely stale and the man playing the role could not perform at the same level he once had. Thankfully he got out when it was appropriate rather than continue working and risk more serious injury.

 

[#Mark]

Austin was fucking red hot in 1997. I'd venture to say late 96 to 98 Austin is the greatest character of all time. It was kind of disheartening to see how hokey and comical Austin became, he always kept his edge but his character never had the same spark it did during the 1996-1998 period. From 1999 on-wards he became an almost completely different character.

His feuds with Hart and HBK were amazing.

 

[Hotdiggity11]

Even if he wasn't the top guy at the time, I still find 1997 to be Stone Cold's best year. A great wrestler up until his neck injury. Was never truly the same in the ring afterwards.

 

[ChrisK]

RIP '97 Stone Cold