What do you think is the best Stone Cold Steve Austin match ever? In all his matches in WCW, WWE and ECW, which is the best Steve Austin match?
There are only a handful of names in the history of wrestling who can be compared to Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Texas Rattlesnake was one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the WWE. He was the biggest drawing champion in the companies history, and some of the best Steve Austin matches are still remembered as classics even to this day.
From his early days travelling the country as a rookie wrestler, Steve Austin was always destined for big things. He was plucked from obscurity by Paul Heyman, and was the future star in waiting in his “Dangerous Alliance” faction.
However, he never reached his potential in WCW. Backstage politics and troubles with top stars like Hulk Hogan meant that Steve Austin never got the main event run he deserved. Luckily, he still had some classic matches as part of the dangerous alliance, and in the “Hollywood Blondes” with tag team partner Brian Pillman.
Once he moved to the WWF in 1995 (via a short stint in ECW), Steve Austin finally broke out as a top star. However, not before a unsuccessful run as “The Ringmaster”, a protégé of the Million Dollar Man himself, Ted DiBiase.
Once he lost the character of the Ringmaster and developed as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, we finally got to the see the main event potential of the Texas Rattlesnake. Here is where we got to see some of the best matches of Steve Austin’s career, and some of the most iconic moments in wrestling history.
In this article, we will look at the best matches Stone Cole Steve Austin has ever competed in. We will look at the top 10 rated matches for Austin on Cagematch, and give our thoughts and opinions on the matches.
Steve Austin Best Matches
10. Vs Kurt Angle – WWF Summerslam 2001
Steve Austin tried to be the most viscous heel he could after Wrestlemania X7. However, fans just weren’t buying it. They wanted to cheer Stone Cold. They NEEDED to cheer for Stone Cold.
Enter Kurt Angle. The Olympic Hero. He had become the hero of the WWF after Steve Austin joined the WCW/ECW Alliance. Austin had taken the WWF Championship and taken it to the Alliance, while Kurt Angle was tasked with bringing it back to the WWF.
Kurt Angle did win the match, but unfortunately it a title change was not to be. While it was one of the best Steve Austin matches of all time in the ring, the ending affected the rating, sending it down to number 10 on this list.
Austin attacked the referee once it looked like Angle had him beat. This caused the refs to call for a DQ, awarding Angle the victory but not the WWF Championship.
9. Vs Hart Foundation (with Goldust, Ken Shamrock & the Road Warriors) – WWF In Your House: Canadian Stampede
The main event of Canadian Stampede was a fantastic ten man tag match that continued the Bret Hart vs Steve Austin feud.
The Bret Hart led Hart Foundation took on Steve Austin’s team in a 10 man tag team match. Austin was joined by Goldust, Ken Shamrock and the Road Warriors in a star-studded match that fans couldn’t turn away from.
Austin had lost to Hart at Wrestlemania 13, however turning face in the process. Meanwhile, in the same match Bret Hart had turned heel, executing one of the best double turns in WWE history.
However, this match took place in Canada, Hart’s home country where he was a huge star. Thus, in this match the crowd were firmly behind Hart and totally against Team Austin.
Austin would on the losing side in this match. He lost via roll-up to Bret’s younger brother, Owen Hart. Hart had broken the neck on Austin the year prior, so the loss really stung for Steve Austin.
However, it was a brilliant match that went nearly thirty minutes, and was definitely one of the best Steve Austin matches in his time in the WWF.
8. Vs Sting’s Squadron (with the Dangerous Alliance) – WCW Wrestlewar 1992
Another multi-man match on the list of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s best matches. Austin, teaming with the Paul Heyman-led Dangerous Alliance took on “Sting’s Squadron” in a fantastic War Games match.
This match took place at WrestleWar 1992. Sting’s Squadron was led by Sting, and included Barry Windham, Nikita Koloff, Ricky Steamboat and Dusty Rhodes. It was a star studded team, comprising some of the biggest legends in wrestling history.
On the flip side, Paul Heyman, then known as Paul E. Dangeorus, led his Dangerous Alliance. The match included Steve Austin, Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton and Larry Zbyszko.
It was another classic War Games match, which WCW were pulling out regularly in the earlier 1990s. The match went nearly 25 minutes, and ended when Sting tapped out Eaton with an armbar.
7. vs Chris Benoit – WWF Smackdown 31/5/21
Number 7 on the list of Steve Austin’s best matches is his Smackdown bout against Chris Benoit.
Austin was firmly in his role as the top heel in WWE, which was the cause for a huge hit of the entire companies popularity in 2001. Fans wanted to cheer Austin, not boo him, so they simply stopped watching if their favourite wasn’t doing what they wanted.
However, he still managed to pull out some great matches during this time. He faced off with former WCW Champion Chris Benoit, with the Canadian contending for Austin’s WWF Championship.
Vince McMahon, who Austin joined forces with at Wrestlemania X7, constantly interfered on Austin’s behalf in this match. Benoit battled and battled, but couldn’t put the Texas Rattlesnake away.
The match was brilliant, but the ending severely lowered the rating for me. Austin got clocked with the title belt, but the referee was knocked out, so Benoit failed to claim the title.
Austin would escape from the Rabid Wolverine’s Crippler Crossface submission move, and lock in one of his own. Then, Mr McMahon would do another screw job, announcing Austin as the winner without Benoit ever submitting.
6. vs Team WWF (with The Alliance) – WWF Survivor Series 2001
The culmination of the awfully handled Alliance mercilessly came at Survivor Series 2001. Team WWF faced off against The Alliance, which was comprised of a number of wrestlers, most of which weren’t from WCW or ECW.
Stone Cold Steve Austin was the leader of The Alliance. Whilst he did have spells in WCW and ECW, he was clearly at home in the WWF, and had no business in the Alliance. On his team, he was joined by Kurt Angle (WWF), Rob Van Dam (ECW), Booker T (WCW) and Shane McMahon (Literally Vince McMahon’s son).
They faced off with Team WWF, which was a star-studded amalgamation of the biggest and best stars the WWF had to offer. Led by The Rock, the team included Chris Jericho, Kane, The Undertaker and the Big Show.
It was one of the most star-studded matches in WWE history, with an uncountable number of world championship between each of the men in the match.
After some brilliant action, Team WWF would win the day, when Kurt Angle turned on the Alliance, and the Rock pinned Steve Austin for the victory.
5. vs Bret Hart – WWF Survivor Series 1996
Bret Hart has been a consistent force on this list of Steve Austin’s best matches. He was one of Austin’s greatest rivals, and the pair created magic every time they set foot in the ring together.
It wasn’t their best match together. That accolade goes to a match that we will mention later on. However, it was still a brilliant match at Survivor Series 1996 which built to their later encounter at Wrestlemania 13.
4. vs Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (with Triple H) – WWF Monday Night Raw 21/5/2001
While this match has gained infamy due to a gruesome injury suffered by The Game, Steve Austin & Triple H vs Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho is one of Stone Cold’s best matches. It has also been called one of the best Monday Night Raw matches in history.
Triple H & Stone Cold Steve Austin were the biggest heels on the WWE roster. As the “Two-man Power Trip” they had held the WWF, Intercontinental and Tag Team Championship, and seemed unstoppable.
Their opponents, Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho, were two of the hottest faces on the roster. Fans were begging to see the pair win the WWE Tag Team Titles, and this match seemed the perfect moment to.
The match was incredible. All four men worked incredibly well together, and they produced many magical moments on Monday Night Raw. The only drawback to this match was the horrific injury suffered by Triple H. However, he finished the match despite his leg being completely ruined, showing his commitment to his craft.
3. vs Triple H -Three Stages of Hell Match – WWF No Way Out 2001
Triple H has received criticism from the fan over the years. From allegations of holding talent down, to his infamous reign of terror and his accusation of “sleeping his way to the top”.
However, few can deny that he was one of the best in-ring talents in WWE during his time on top, especially in 2001. He faced Stone Cold Steve Austin at the Royal Rumble in one of the best matches of either man’s career.
Austin had just won the Royal Rumble, and was on the road to Wrestlemania 19 to face The Rock in what would be his final match. However, he faced a speedbump, at No Way Out 2001 in the form of Triple H in a Three Stages of Hell Match.
The match was your classic “Best Two out of Three Falls” match, but with a twist. Each fall was a different stipulation, each more extreme than the last.
The first fall was a normal singles match, which Austin won. Triple H evened the score by winning the second fall. This was in a street fight, where weapons and barbed wire were utilised to their highest standard.
The final fall began when a steel cage descended down from above to cover the ring. The last fall was a steel cage match, and would not end until one man could no longer go.
Triple H won the match, which seemed odd after Austin won the Royal Rumble. However it was a great match and one of the best in history.
2. vs The Rock – Wrestlemania X7
While Steve Austin had a trilogy of matches against The Rock at Wrestlemania, their battle at Wrestlemania X7 is certainly their best.
It was the peak of the most exciting time in WWE history – the Attitude Era. It was WWE’s hottest period in their history, with Steve Austin the biggest draw in their history. Austin and the Rock had dominated wrestling in this period, and their match for the WWF Championship was a perfect culmination of their story.
Austin had missed a year, including the previous Wrestlemania, with a neck injury. In this time, the Rock had become the main man in WWE, and the only man to rival Stone Cold for popularity. It was two of the biggest stars in wrestling, and they somehow matched the incredibly hype with an incredible match.
The ending has become a contentious point in WWE history. Steve Austin was desperate to become the WWF Champion, and would do anything to achieve that dream.
However, fans did not expect him to align with long-time rival Mr McMahon to do so. He shook hands with the boss after he helped Stone Cold defeat the Rock to win the WWF Championship. It was the mark of the end of the attitude era, and something that Steve Austin has admitted he regrets doing.
1. vs Bret Hart – WWF Wrestlemania 13
Steve Austin’s best match is considered to be one of the best matches in WWE history. Bret Hart and Steve Austin had been feuding for the past year, and Austin’s popularity had been growing immensely.
The second Bret Hart vs Steve Austin matches on this, and by the best of the matches between the pair.
Austin vs Bret Hart was made a submission match. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice how this match favours the Hitman, who’s signature Sharpshooter manoeuvre was one of the most deadly in WWE history. Meanwhile Austin was not known as a submission wrestler, but more as a brawler.
The match featured some fantastic wrestling, some of the best in WWE history. They also performed one of the greatest double turns in the companies history, as well as one of the best Steve Austin matches.
After a long and bloody affair, Austin was locked in the Sharpshooter by Bret Hart. With blood pouring down his face, his cries of agony shook around the arena. However, Austin was defiant ’til the last, refusing to tap out, instead passing out in the Sharpshooter and collapsing in a pool of his own blood.
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