WWE Has Failed To Replicate Steve Austin’s Success 18 Years Later – Here’s Why

It’s been 18 years since “Stone Cold” Steve Austin retired from in-ring competition, and while a lot of big stars have come and gone in that time, WWE has never been able to replicate The Rattlesnake’s success. A lot of factors led to Austin’s rise to becoming one of the biggest draws in the business and one of the most popular Superstars of all time.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why nobody has come close to the level of success Austin had during his WWE career. Before coming to WWE, Austin had been wrestling for years  Most fans knew him as one half of The Hollywood Blonds alongside Brian Pillman. When he arrived on the scene in WWE, things were beginning to change. The company was no longer focused on pushing colorful characters like Doink the Clown and Men on a Mission. It wanted to push the envelope.

The fierce competition with WCW led to WWE losing in the ratings for 83 weeks in a row, but during that time, WWE was rebuilding its roster. After losing Hulk Hogan in the early ’90s and the duo of Kevin Nash and Scott Hall a few years later, CEO Vince McMahon had to think on his feet to fill those top spots. After he won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament and delivered the famous Austin 3:16 speech, McMahon knew he had a megastar on his hands.

With the product becoming edgier with each passing week, Austin was able to say a lot of things Superstars would be punished for repeating in today’s PG environment.  Being able to perform without many restrictions allowed Stone Cold to win over the crowd, even if it meant parents stopped letting their kids watch the show. Being in the right era is often the key to getting a character over with the crowd. Had Austin debuted today, he might not have fared as well under the current content restrictions.

Austin had been wrestling for years before coming to WWE. Most fans knew him as one half of The Hollywood Blonds alongside Brian Pillman. When he arrived on the scene in WWE, things were beginning to change. The company was no longer focused on pushing colorful characters like Doink the Clown and Men on a Mission. It wanted to push the envelope.

The fierce competition with WCW led to WWE losing in the ratings for 83 weeks in a row, but during that time, WWE was rebuilding its roster. After losing Hulk Hogan in the early ’90s and the duo of Kevin Nash and Scott Hall a few years later, CEO Vince McMahon had to think on his feet to fill those top spots. After he won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament and delivered the famous Austin 3:16 speech, McMahon knew he had a megastar on his hands.

With the product becoming edgier with each passing week, Austin was able to say a lot of things Superstars would be punished for repeating in today’s PG environment. Being able to perform without many restrictions allowed Stone Cold to win over the crowd, even if it meant parents stopped letting their kids watch the show. Being in the right era is often the key to getting a character over with the crowd. Had Austin debuted today, he might not have fared as well under the current content restrictions.

It takes a minimum of two people to put on a great match. No matter how good somebody is, they will never be able to put on a five-star performance against someone who doesn’t have a similar level of skill.

Austin had the luxury of being in the company at the same time as some of the greatest performers to ever lace up a pair of boots.

The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, The Rock, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, Goldust and many more all had memorable matches against The Rattlesnake.

A Superstar is only as good as the person standing across the ring from them. With so many current and future Hall of Fame inductees as his rivals, it’s not surprising Austin succeeded in the way he did.