Original subtitles

THROUGHOUT THE 1990S, MONDAY

NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIME TIME

BATTLEFIELD THAT TRANSFORMED

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING INTO

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE

MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING

SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF

EXTINCTION, AS INNOVATION AND

EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A

KING TO BE CROWNED.

STEVE AUSTIN: NUMB, TALENTED,

DISREGARDED.

WHEN I WAS A US CHAMPION, THE

NUMBER ONE CONTENDER, I NEVER

GOT A DAMN THING.

HE WOULD CHANNEL HIS ANGER

INTO A STONE COLD ICON.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR --.

THE WWE NEEDED A SAVIOR IN

THEIR WAR WITH WCW.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN WOULD

PUT THE COMPANY ON HIS BACK AND

REWRITE HISTORY ON HIS OWN

TERMS.

AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE,

'CAUSE STONE COLD SAID SO.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW!

WHAT IN THE HELL IS HE DOING

HERE?

WELCOME TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW!

MONDAY NITRO!

GOD AS MY WITNESS!

HE HAS BROKE IT IN HALF!

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR --.

BRET SCREWED BRET.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER!

IT'S GONNA BE ...

WE ARE AT WAR!

YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE

IN THIS BUSINESS.

YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME FAILURES.

HEY, IT'S GREAT.

THERE'S BEEN SOME PEOPLE THAT

HAVE CINDERELLA STORIES AND THEY

GET IN THE BUSINESS AND THEY

JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE TOP, AND

HAVE A HUNKY-DORY CAREER.

THAT JUST WASN'T MY CASE.

MAN, I HAD TO KICK, SCRATCH,

CLAW AND FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING I

GOT.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

EMERGED AS A POP CULTURE ICON

DURING THE 1990S, HELPING VINCE

MCMAHON DEFEAT TED TURNER FOR

THE TOP SPOT IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

THE TOP MAN IN THE INDUSTRY,

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

BUT HIS JOURNEY WAS ONE

RIDDLED WITH OBSTACLES, AND

WOULD BEGIN OVER A DECADE

EARLIER AS THE INDUSTRY EMBARKED

ON AN EVOLUTION.

AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FOR

CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF

BRINGING ACTION-PACKED WRESTLING

EXCITEMENT TO TBS.

BY 1991, MEDIA MOGUL TED

TURNER HAD PURCHASED WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, THE

SECOND LARGEST PROMOTION BEHIND

INDUSTRY LEADER WWE, VINCE

MCMAHON'S RENOWNED HEAVYWEIGHT.

IT'S A VERY SPECIAL NIGHT FOR

TBS, TURNER BROADCASTING AND

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

GAVE US SOME FRESH, VAGUELY

MARQUIS [?]

PROGRAMMING TO GET PEOPLE TO

WATCH THE STATION, AND I'VE MADE

IT CLEAR THAT WE WERE IN THE

WRESTLING BUSINESS TO STAY.

WCW'S ATLANTA ROSTER WAS

HEADLINED BY RECOGNIZED NAMES

AND BUILT ON TRADITIONAL

SOUTHERN ROOTS.

NATURE BOY RIC FLAIR!

BUT THE GROWING COMPANY ALSO

WELCOMED A YOUNG INFLUX OF

NEWCOMERS, INCLUDING A HUNGRY

TEXAN JUST BEGINNING TO BLOSSOM.

I WAS THE 1990 ROOKIE OF THE

YEAR.

I WAS A DAMNED GOOD MECHANIC IN

THE RING.

I'D COME A LONG WAY IN THE SHORT

TIME I'D BEEN IN THE BUSINESS,

GO DOWN TO WCW AND I'M STUNNING

STEVE AUSTIN.

INTRODUCING FIRST,

ACCOMPANIED BY VIVACIOUS

VERONICA, FROM HOLLYWOOD,

CALIFORNIA ...

AND I HEAR THE GUY IN THE

BACKGROUND GOING, "FROM

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA" ...

AND I'M THINKING, "WHO THIS --

TALKIN' ABOUT?

I AIN'T FROM HOLLYWOOD!"

"STUNNING STEVE AUSTIN!"

I WAS THINKING, "WHO IN THE HELL

SAID I WAS FROM HOLLYWOOD,

CALIFORNIA?"

I'VE GOT A TEXAS ACCENT AND I'M

FROM HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA,

STUNNING STEVE.

NICE MOVE.

GOOD WRESTLING MANEUVER.

I WAS A FAN OF STEVE AUSTIN

IN WCW.

STUNNING STEVE!

HE WAS STUNNING STEVE AUSTIN.

THIS GUY HUSTLED LIKE NOBODY

ELSE.

HARDEST WORKING MAN IN THE

BUSINESS, AND THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT

MY EYE.

HE HAS ONLY BEEN WRESTLING

PROFESSIONALLY FOR ABOUT TWO

YEARS, BUT HE'S BEEN ONE OF THE

QUICKEST STARTERS EVER IN THE

SPORT.

OH, WHO'S THE BEST?

AUSTIN WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS

THAT GOT IT, HAD IT.

HE WAS JUST SUCH A NATURAL.

AND NOW, YOU CAN SEE

STEAMBOAT, TRYING TO GO FOR THE

COUNTER, BUT HE IS GETTING

PUMMELED.

ALREADY HOLDING HIS OWN

AGAINST THE CONVENTIONAL,

ESTABLISHED TALENT, IT SEEMED

NOTHING COULD DERAIL AUSTIN'S

MOMENTUM TOWARDS THE TOP OF WCW.

I'LL GET HIM AGAIN.

YOU REST ASSURED I'LL GET HIM

AGAIN, AND WHEN I DO, I'LL BE

THE CHAMP AGAIN.

MY PROMOS AS STUNNING STEVE,

THEY WEREN'T GREAT, BUT AS A

MECHANIC, I HAD THAT PART OF IT

DOWN AND KEPT WORKING, WORKING,

WORKING.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, I GET A CALL

FROM DUSTY RHODES.

DUSTY PROMISED ME A BIG SINGLES

PUSH, UNITED STATES CHAMPION,

AND THIS IS REALLY GONNA PUT ME

ON THE MAP.

STUNNING STEVE AUSTIN, RANKED

NO.

4 IN THE WCW TOP 10.

STUNNING STEVE AUSTIN, EARLY

IN HIS CAREER, YOU NEVER

BELIEVED THAT HE WOULD BECOME

THE STEVE AUSTIN WE KNOW.

I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA REALLY BE

GOOD AT THE BLONDE HAIR, COMBED

IT OVER, HAD A DIFFERENT LOOK.

GONNA MAKE A NICE NICHE FOR

HIMSELF IN THE BUSINESS.

BUT WE NEEDED A BUNCH OF TAG

TEAMS.

STEVE AUSTIN WASN'T THE

COMPANY'S ONLY RISING STAR.

BRIAN PILLMAN'S ATHLETIC ABILITY

AND CHARISMATIC PERSONA HAD ALSO

CAUGHT THE EYE OF WCW OFFICIALS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE

FOLLOWING TAG TEAM EVENT IS SET

FOR ONE FALL.

STEVE AUSTIN'S SOLO ACT WAS

ABOUT TO BECOME A DUET.

FLYIN' BRIAN AND STUNNING

STEVE AUSTIN!

SURE ENOUGH, ME AND BRIAN ARE

GONNA BE A TAG TEAM.

WELL, I SAID, "THAT'S BULL

[BLEEP]

," YOU KNOW?

I KINDA GOT THE CARPET YANKED

OUT FROM UNDER ME, RIGHT?

I DON'T LIKE TAG TEAM WRESTLING.

I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO DEPEND ON

ANYBODY.

I LIKE BEING A SINGLES GUY.

ANYWAY, ME AND BRIAN ARE A TAG

TEAM.

EXCELLENT TEAMWORK SO FAR ON

THE PART OF AUSTIN AND PILLMAN.

WE'RE TWO JUST MISMATCHED

GUYS, BUT WE WERE GONNA MAKE THE

BEST OUT OF A BAD SITUATION.

WE STARTED CALLING OURSELVES THE

HOLLYWOOD BLONDES.

AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE

STARTED FEEDING OFF EACH OTHER,

OUR CHEMISTRY WAS STARTING TO

COME AROUND ...

YOU KNOW, AUSTIN AND PILLMAN,

I THINK THEY'RE THE MOST

COMPLEMENTARY TAG TEAM I'VE SEEN

SO FAR.

THEY HAD PHENOMENAL UPSIDE.

BRIAN PILLMAN HELPED STEVE FLESH

OUT HIS PERSONALITY A LITTLE BIT

MORE.

COME ON, TONY, DON'T YOU KNOW

WHO THE BIGGEST STARS IN

HOLLYWOOD ARE RIGHT NOW?

IT'S THE BLONDES!

AS STEVE AUSTIN'S CAREER WAS

CONTINUING TO DEVELOP, SO TOO

WAS WCW.

ANNOUNCER ERIC BISCHOFF WAS

PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

BUT, DESPITE MODERNIZING THE

APPEARANCE OF THE PRODUCT, THE

CREATIVE DIRECTION WAS STUCK IN

THE PAST.

THERE WAS FINALLY SOMETHING

FRESH, SOMETHING NEW TAKING

OVER, AND THEY MADE THE DECISION

TO TURN AUSTIN AND PILLMAN

AGAINST EACH OTHER TO STAY WITH

TRADITION.

FORMER DOMINANT WORLD TAG

TEAM CHAMPIONS GOING AT IT HERE.

THEY BUST UP THE HOLLYWOOD

BLONDES, NOW I'M GONNA GET THE

SINGLES RUN I WAS SUPPOSED TO

GET.

I WAS LIKE, WELL, NOW I DON'T

WANNA BREAK UP.

I WANNA BE ON A TAG TEAM WITH

BRIAN.

WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE IT BIG TIME

HERE.

ANYWAY, THEY DECIDED TO BUST US

UP.

ONCE AGAIN A SINGLES

COMPETITOR, STEVE AUSTIN'S

IMPRESSIVE RESUME HELPED HIM

ASCEND TOWARDS MAIN EVENT

STATUS.

I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING A MAN

WHO WAS TELEVISION CHAMPION,

WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPION, US

CHAMPION ...

DESERVES TO BE ON TOP OF THAT

LADDER, AND I'M SURE HE WANTS TO

CLIMB THE RUNG.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, HIS PROGRESS

WOULD BE POSTPONED.

WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

WE ARE LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY.

LAUNCHING THE INNOVATIVE

"MONDAY NIGHT RAW" LIVE IN PRIME

TIME SOLIDIFIED VINCE MCMAHON'S

WWE AS THE TOP COMPANY IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

BY JUNE OF 1994, IN AN ATTEMPT

TO KEEP PACE WITH THE INDUSTRY

LEADER, TED TURNER SIGNED THE

BIGGEST NAME IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY AND THE

FORMER FACE OF WWE.

HULK HOGAN!

TED TURNER WANTED ANYTHING

THAT HE DID, WHETHER IT WAS CNN

OR WCW OR THE BRAVES, OR

ANYTHING ELSE.

HE WANTED TO BE NO.

1.

HE'S A VERY COMPETITIVE GUY.

WE BROUGHT HULK HOGAN IN, AND I

KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE A TURNING

POINT FOR WCW.

I KNEW THAT THE MEDIA WOULD GO,

"YOU KNOW WHAT?

THESE GUYS ARE ACTUALLY

SERIOUS."

GET READY FOR THE RIDE OF

YOUR LIFE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

ALL OF SUDDEN, THERE'S HULK

HOGAN, AND I WAS KIND OF AN

AFTERTHOUGHT.

THE IMMORTAL HULK HOGAN HERE

AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

AGAINST THE UNIFIED WORLD

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP, THE NATURE

BOY RIC FLAIR.

CERTAINLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE

TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THE WEEKS

TO COME.

COME ON IN, UNITED STATES

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION STUNNING

STEVE AUSTIN ...

HULK HOGAN COMES IN AND STEVE

AUSTIN FEELS LIKE HE'S NOT BEING

APPRECIATED, AND YOU COULD

CERTAINLY TELL IT.

BEFORE WE GET TO RICKY

STEAMBOAT, LET'S JUST GO BACK TO

THIS HOGAN/FLAIR THING.

WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT 'EM ALL

WEEK, BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN TO

ME.

HE REALLY WITHDREW.

HE WAS -- HE BECAME REALLY

IRRITABLE.

HE WAS MISERABLE TO BE AROUND,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE CAME UP

HURT.

EVERY TIME WE NEEDED HIM, HE

CAME UP HURT.

I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, I

AIN'T WRESTLING NOBODY.

I FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN JERKED

AROUND.

I'M THE KIND OF PERSON, I'M

GONNA WORK MY -- OFF FOR YOU,

BUT WHEN I FEEL LIKE I'M

STARTING TO GET [BLEEP]

WITH, WHEN I FEEL LIKE

SOMEONE'S STARTING TO POKE ME

WITH A STICK, THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE

STARTING TO PISS ME OFF, AND I'M

GONNA BITE YOUR --.

I SAW STEVE AUSTIN A LOT OF

NIGHTS, UM, COMING OUT OF THAT

RING AND, UM, HE WAS VERY, VERY

FRUSTRATED.

UM, MAN, STOMPING, YOU KNOW,

BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE

HALLWAY.

A LOT OF CURSING AND A LOT OF

YELLING.

LOOK AT THE AGGRESSIVENESS OF

STUNNING STEVE.

I THINK THERE WERE, LIKE,

PARTIES IN WCW WHO REALLY

THOUGHT STEVE AUSTIN WAS

SOMETHING, AND OTHERS WHO JUST

THOUGHT HE COULD HAVE GREAT

MATCHES WITH ANYBODY, BUT HE

WASN'T SPECIFICALLY THE

SPOTLIGHT, THE FEATURE, THE NEXT

WAVE.

YOUR WINNER: US CHAMP HACKSAW

JIM DUGGAN.

WCW, THEIR SLANT WAS, "WELL,

THE GUY'S JUST NOT MARKETABLE.

WHAT'RE YOU GONNA DO?

HE'S A GREAT PERFORMER, BUT THAT

DOESN'T TRANSLATE INTO DOLLARS."

THE MACHO MAN CHASING

STUNNING STEVE ...

OH!

RIGHT INTO OUR SLIM JIM

RINGPOST.

WCW WAS JUST PUSHING THE SAME

GUYS THAT HAD BEEN ON TOP FOR

YEARS.

PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON

POPULARITY OVER POTENTIAL, WCW

HAD LITTLE USE FOR A DISGRUNTLED

SUPERSTAR WEARING OUT HIS

WELCOME.

WHEN STEVE WASN'T GETTING

WHAT STEVE WANTED, STEVE BECAME

VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH, AND

THERE'S A POINT WHERE YOU JUST

GOTTA SAY, "ENOUGH!

I'M TIRED OF IT."

I TORE MY TRICEP, AND ABOUT

HALFWAY THROUGH THE

REHABILITATION PROCESS, ERIC

BISCHOFF CALLED ME ON THE PHONE

AND HE GOES, "YEAH, STEVE, I

JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW,

BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY

WE'RE PAYING YOU AND ON THE

AMOUNT OF DAYS YOU'VE BEEN

INCAPACITATED, UH, WE'RE GOING

TO GO AHEAD AND EXERCISE OUR

RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE

AGREEMENT."

I SAID, "WELL, BASICALLY, YOU'RE

TELLING ME I'M FIRED, RIGHT?"

HE GOES, "YEAH, YOU'RE FIRED."

SO, NEXT DAY, I GOT A FEDEX IN

THE MAIL THAT SAID I WAS FIRED.

I WAS LIKE, "THAT KIND OF

SUCKED."

HE SAID, WASN'T LIKE I WAS A

DRAWING CARD FOR THE COMPANY,

THERE WAS A MILLION GUYS LIKE ME

THAT COULD DO WHAT I WAS DOING.

THEY JUST FIRED ME

UNCEREMONIOUSLY, AND I WAS

MADDER THAN A --!

INJURED AND UNEMPLOYED, STEVE

AUSTIN RECEIVED ANOTHER PHONE

CALL, THIS TIME FROM AN OLD

FRIEND WITH A NEW OPPORTUNITY.

DAMN NEAR AS SOON AS I GOT

FIRED, I DON'T KNOW HOW WORD HIT

THE STREET SO FAST, BUT MY PHONE

RINGS, AND THERE'S PAUL HEYMAN.

MAN, ME AND PAUL HAD KNOWN EACH

OTHER FOR YEARS DOWN IN WCW.

HE GOES, "COME UP AND WORK FOR

ME AT EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING."

I SAID, "I CAN'T, PAUL!

MY ARM'S BUSTED!"

HE GOES, "DON'T GOTTA WORK, CUT

PROMOS."

YOU'RE GONNA PAY ME ONCE A WEEK

TO COME UP THERE AND CUT PROMOS.

I SAID, "ALL RIGHT, I'M IN."

SUPERSTAR STEVE AUSTIN'S IN

THE RING.

WHAT'S HE DOING HERE, ANYWAY?

HERE'S A -- OFF STEVE AUSTIN.

DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS TO KNOW,

HAND HIM A MICROPHONE AND ROLL

TAPE!

I'VE BEEN CRAPPED ON FOR FOUR

YEARS.

I BELIEVE I DESERVE A BREAK.

FIRED FROM WCW, STEVE

AUSTIN'S FALL FROM GRACE WOULD

LEAVE HIM IN PHILADELPHIA

WORKING FOR EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING, A SMALL REGIONAL

PROMOTION.

[ CROWD CHANTING: ECW!

ECW!

ECW!

]

I THOUGHT I WAS BETTER THAN

THAT PLACE.

I THOUGHT I DESERVED TO BE IN

THE BIG LEAGUES.

IT -- ME OFF TO SEE A PIECE

OF CRAP LIKE YOU DEFENDING THE

DAMN WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT BELT!

AS AUSTIN WAS VENTING HIS

FRUSTRATIONS IN EXTREME

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, WCW WAS

PROGRESSING WITHOUT HIM.

[ BELL RINGING ]

AIRING THEIR OWN PRIME TIME

PROGRAM, "MONDAY NITRO," WCW WAS

NOW IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH

WWE AS THE TWO COMPANIES WENT

HEAD-TO-HEAD EVERY MONDAY NIGHT

BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER OF 1995.

WHERE THE BIG BOYS PLAY,

RIGHT HERE ON TNT ...

WHEN WE LAUNCHED NITRO,

EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE

THAT WORKED FOR ME, SAID,

"YOU'RE NUTS!

YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO

COMPETE."

NOT ONLY DID THEY COMPETE;

WCW MONDAY NITRO SCORED SEVERAL

WINS IN THE RATINGS BATTLE FOR

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT SUPREMACY.

ARMED WITH WEEKLY LIVE

PROGRAMMING AND A PROVEN TALENT

POOL, WCW WAS MAKING NOISE.

STEVE AUSTIN WOULD USE THE

SUCCESS OF MONDAY NITRO TO HELP

FUEL HIS CREATIVITY.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE ALL THE OLD

CODGERS HERE IN OUR ORGANIZATION

AND THEY'RE GONNA BE SCRAPPING

AROUND AND USING THEIR WALKERS

...

HE REALLY WASN'T THAT GOOD A

PROMO AT WCW.

GOING TO ECW WAS HUGE FOR HIM,

BECAUSE HE GOT TO VENT AT

BISCHOFF.

I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW,

I DON'T KNOW THE NAMES OF ANY OF

THE HOLDS, BUT I'M GONNA SIT

HERE AND FUMBLE AROUND AND

BUNDLE AROUND, AND IF I PUT YOU

TO SLEEP -- IF I DON'T PUT YOU

TO SLEEP -- THE MATCHES PROBABLY

WILL.

SO, BEAR WITH US.

THIS IS MONDAY NYQUIL AND WE'RE

LIVE!

NEVER KNOWN FOR HIS CHARISMA

ON THE MICROPHONE, AUSTIN'S

FRUSTRATION WOULD BECOME MORE

THAN JUST JOKES AND INSULTS.

A NEW SIDE TO THE PREVIOUSLY

ONE-DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR WAS

ABOUT TO BE REVEALED.

WE DID OUR INTERVIEWS WITH

STEVE AUSTIN AT 5:00 IN THE

MORNING, 'CAUSE I MADE HIM WAIT.

I WANTED TO -- STEVE OFF, SO

THAT YOU WOULD FEEL THIS MAN'S

AGGRESSION.

YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST SIX OR

SEVEN WEEKS, EVERYBODY'S HEARD

ME COME OUT HERE AND -- AND

COMPLAIN AND SING A SAD SONG

ABOUT GETTING TREATED LIKE A

PIECE OF CRAP IN WCW ...

I SAID, "[BLEEP]

PAUL," I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU

WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT?"

HE SAYS, UH, "TALK ABOUT WHAT

YOU'RE FEELING."

YOU PEOPLE GET UP EVERY

MORNING, YOU THROW A HAM AND

CHEESE SANDWICH IN A METAL

LUNCHBOX, YOU PUNCH A TIME

CLOCK, YOU LET SOME [BLEEP]

OFF YELL AT YOU FOR NINE HOURS,

THEN YOU PUNCH OUT AND GO BACK

HOME TO SOME HAG.

I'LL NEVER DO THAT, MAN.

I SAID, "I'M HERE.

I'M GONNA -- I'M GONNA BE THE

SUPERSTAR THAT I ALWAYS KNEW I

COULD BE, AND THERE'S NOBODY --

NOBODY HERE -- THAT CAN HOLD ME

DOWN."

BUT I'M GONNA GET MY ACT

TOGETHER, BECAUSE ALL THE

[BLEEP]

THAT'S GONE ON FOR THE LAST FEW

WEEKS AND FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS

OF MY LIFE ISN'T WHERE I'M

SUPPOSED TO BE.

STEVE AUSTIN WAS NOT KNOWN AS

A GUY WHO WAS A GREAT INTERVIEW

BEFORE HE GOT TO ECW, AND THAT

CHANGED VERY QUICKLY.

AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

AFTER THREE MONTHS IN EXTREME

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, AUSTIN

WAS ABOUT TO GET HIS WISH,

RECEIVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO

BACK TO THE BIG LEAGUES IN

JANUARY OF 1996.

WWE WAS SLIPPING IN THEIR WAR

WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING, BUT DESPITE AUSTIN'S

EVOLUTION IN ECW, VINCE MCMAHON

WAS MERELY LOOKING FOR IN-RING

TALENT TO FILL HIS ROSTER.

THE PHONE RINGS, AND IT'S MR.

MCMAHON.

SO, I SAY, "HELLO!"

"STEVE!

HOW YA DOIN', PAL?"

I SAID, "I'M DOING GOOD, VINCE.

HOW ARE YOU?"

"WELL, GOT SOME IDEAS FOR YOU.

WE'RE GONNA BRING YOU IN, CALL

YOU THE RINGMASTER.

TED DIBIASE'S YOUR MANAGER, MAKE

YOU THE MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPION.

YOU'LL COME IN A CHAMPION!"

AND I'M SITTING THERE THINKING,

"EH, THE RINGMASTER, THAT'S A

[BLEEP]

IDEA."

I KNEW HE DIDN'T HAVE BIG PLANS

FOR ME.

HE JUST BASICALLY THOUGHT I WAS

A MECHANIC.

BUT, IT'S A JOB, SO, I SAID,

"ALL RIGHT, MAN, SOUNDS LIKE A

GOOD IDEA TO ME."

WE WANNA DO SOMETHING WITH HIM

BUT WE WEREN'T TOO SURE, AND HE

WAS GIVEN THE NAME THE

RINGMASTER, BECAUSE OF THOSE

SKILLS, MUCH LIKE OF BRET HART,

YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF

WRESTLING SKILLS, UH, A

RINGMASTER.

AND ...

WAIT A MINUTE, HERE WE GO, NOW!

ACCOMPANIED BY TED DIBIASE,

THE MILLION DOLLAR MAN ...

HERE COMES TED DIBIASE ...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ...

AND HIS CROWN JEWEL!

THE MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPION

...

OH YEAH!

THE RINGMASTER!

BECAUSE OF WHO I WAS AT THE

TIME, THE COMPANY PUT ME WITH

HIM.

THE RUB WITH ME WOULD HELP

ELEVATE HIM AT THE BEGINNING.

I WANT TO OFFICIALLY CROWN

YOU MY MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT, WHEN HE

CAME TO WWE, THAT WE DIDN'T

REGRESS A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WE

GAVE HIM A MANAGER, MILLION

DOLLAR MAN, GREAT TALKER, BUT

STEVE DIDN'T NEED A MOUTHPIECE.

TO DISCOUNT MY LAST FIVE

YEARS OF WORK AND JUST START OFF

AS SOMETHING NEW AS THE

RINGMASTER, MAN, IT TOTALLY

SUCKED.

THIS IS MY RING!

AH!

YEAH, THIS IS MY RING!

NO ONE REMEMBERS THE

RINGMASTER.

WHAT THEY DO REMEMBER OF IT, IT

WAS LACKLUSTER AT BEST.

YOU JUST THINK, "IF YOU GO TO

WWE, AS SOON AS YOU WALK IN THE

DOOR, THEY'LL PUT A GIMMICK ON

YOU THAT'LL MAKE YOU A STAR."

NO, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

WHEN HE WAS THE RINGMASTER,

HE WASN'T COOL.

WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF THEM.

WHAT WE NEED IS A GOOD

CHARACTER.

AND, SOMETIMES YOUR BEST

CHARACTERS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO

GIVE THEM ANY MONIKERS OR ANY

TITLES.

YOU JUST LET 'EM BE THEMSELVES.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW WAS PUTTING

OUT A PRODUCT NOT FIT FOR PRIME

TIME, BUT ERIC BISCHOFF WAS

SIGNING FORMER WWE TALENT,

CASTING THEM AS MORE

TRUE-TO-LIFE CHARACTERS.

THE MEASURING STICK JUST

CHANGED AROUND HERE, BUDDY.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING'S CHANGE IN DIRECTION

WOULD BEGIN TO PAY OFF, BRINGING

MONDAY NITRO SEVERAL RATINGS

VICTORIES DURING THE SPRING OF

1996.

AS MOMENTUM HAD SHIFTED TO WCW,

TED DIBIASE WOULD DO THE SAME.

THE RINGMASTER'S MOUTHPIECE

WOULD LEAVE WWE, ENABLING STEVE

AUSTIN THE CHANCE TO MODIFY HIS

CHARACTER AND DEVELOP A MORE

ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF HIS

PERSONA.

STEVE CAME TO ME AND SAID,

"THAT'S IT.

I'M JUST NOT THE RINGMASTER."

AND, "WELL, OKAY.

WHO ARE YOU?

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A MASTER OF

WHAT YOU DO IN THE RING.

IT'S LOGICAL."

"YEAH, I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST NOT

FEELING IT, YOU KNOW?"

"WELL," I SAID, "WE'LL GIVE IT

SOME THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, AND

MAYBE WE'LL COME UP WITH

SOMETHING ELSE."

I WENT HOME AND I WAS

DRINKING A FEW BEERS AT THE

HOUSE AND I WAS WATCHING A

SPECIAL ON HBO ABOUT RICHARD

KUKLINSKI, AND IT WAS CALLED

"THE ICE MAN."

THE ICE MAN WAS A HIT MAN FOR

HIRE, HAD A BALD HEAD AND A

BEARD AND TOTALLY REMORSELESS.

I WAS A BAD GUY.

IT WAS MY JOB TO BE HATED.

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS

GUY THAT REALLY GOT MY GEARS

GOING.

PITCHED MY IDEA TO THE OFFICE,

AND THEY SAID, "OKAY, STEVE,

WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT," AND THEY

FAXED ME THREE PAGES OF THE

WORST NAMES I'D EVER SEEN IN THE

HISTORY OF MY LIFE, AND THE

THREE NAMES THAT I'LL NEVER

FORGET BASED ON THIS COLD

BLOODED, RUTHLESS INDIVIDUAL

WERE, OTTO VON RUTHLESS, ICE

DAGGER AND FANG MCFROST.

MAN, IT DON'T GET MORE SUCK --

THAN THAT.

I'M SITTING THERE, FRUSTRATED,

AND MY WIFE MAKES ME A CUP OF

HOT TEA AND SHE SITS THAT HOT

TEA ON THE TABLE AND SHE GOES,

"EH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

YOU'LL THINK OF SOMETHING."

SHE GOES, "GO AHEAD AND DRINK

YOUR TEA 'FORE IT GETS STONE

COLD."

THEN, SHE GOES, "THAT'S YOUR

NAME.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN."

THERE'S A STONE COLD STUNNER!

FED UP WITH THE DIRECTION OF

HIS CHARACTER AND HIS CAREER ...

LOOK AT THOSE EYES!

STONE COLD, THIS MAN IS!

STEVE AUSTIN HAD TRANSFORMED

FROM THE RINGMASTER AND BECOME

STONE COLD.

IT'S ONTO BIGGER AND BETTER

THINGS AFTER KING OF THE RING,

AFTER I WIN IT ALL, BECAUSE

THERE IS NO WAY, NO WAY, ANYONE

IN THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT CAN STOP STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

GIVEN THE CHANCE TO CREATE

AND DEVELOP HIS OWN CHARACTER,

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN USED HIS

VICTORY AT THE KING OF THE RING

PAY-PER-VIEW TO SHOWCASE HIS NEW

PERSONA.

OH, THERE IT IS!

THERE IT IS!

THERE IT IS!

IT'S OVER!

THAT'S IT.

AND THE STUNNER APPLIED

AGAIN!

ONE, TWO, AND HE GOT HIM!

[ CHEERING ]

[ BELL RINGING ]

THE FOURTH PRESTIGIOUS KING

OF THE RING, STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN, AN INCREDIBLE VICTORY.

THE FIRST THING I WANT TO BE

DONE IS TO GET THAT PIECE OF

CRAP OUT OF MY RING.

OH, COME ON!

YOU COULD NEVER WRITE A PROMO

FOR STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

IT'S JUST NOT WHAT YOU DO.

HE WOULD JUST ROLL, AND FROM

THERE, THE REST WAS HISTORY.

YOU SAID YOUR PRAYERS, AND IT

DIDN'T GET YOU ANYWHERE.

TALK ABOUT YOUR PSALMS, TALK

ABOUT JOHN 3:16.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS, I JUST WHIPPED

YOUR --!

"AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR --!"

AWESOME!

THAT'S WHEN STONE COLD BECAME

STONE COLD.

PEOPLE HAD SIGNS THE NEXT DAY

AND THEN WE MADE A T-SHIRT OUT

OF IT.

IT JUST GREW AT EACH MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

STONE COLD'S BRASH IDENTITY

WAS A DEPARTURE FROM THE WWE

NORM.

AUSTIN WAS CREATING A BUZZ,

UTILIZING HIS PAST FRUSTRATIONS

TO PROVIDE MONDAY NIGHT RAW WITH

AN EDGY NEW VILLAIN.

BUT I JUST HAD TO GET THAT

CHIP ON MY SHOULDER IN THIS

BUSINESS FOR ME TO REALLY

SUCCEED, GET KICKED DOWN ENOUGH

TIMES, THAT I SAID, "YOU KNOW

WHAT?

[BLEEP]

YOU!"

I SAID, "I'M GONNA DO IT MY WAY,

I CAN DO IT MY WAY AND IF YOU

GET IN MY WAY, I'M GONNA RUN

YOUR [BLEEP]

OVER!"

WELCOME BACK TO WCW MONDAY

NITRO LIVE!

WE HAVE GOT CHAOS GOING ON HERE.

IN THE LATE '90S, VIEWERS

DESIRED MORE REALISTIC

ANTAGONISTS, A FORMULA WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING HAD

INCORPORATED ON THE BACKS OF A

VILLAINOUS HULK HOGAN AND THE

NEW WORLD ORDER.

WELL, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

BROTHER, THE NEW WORLD ORDER IS

REAL IMPORTANT AROUND HERE!

WHEN HOGAN CAME OUT AND HE

BECAME A BAD GUY FOR THE FIRST

TIME EVER, IT WAS SO UNREAL.

I WAS LIKE, "OH, MAN, HE'S SO

COOL NOW!"

IS THERE ANY QUESTION NOW

WHAT THE MOST POWERFUL

ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING ...

WE CREATED A HUGE AMOUNT OF

POSITIVE MOMENTUM, AND ALL OF A

SUDDEN OUR NUMBERS TOOK OFF AND

WE REIGNED AND WE RULED THE

WRESTLING WORLD IN THE RATINGS.

LEADING WCW'S GROUP OF

REBELLIOUS ANTIHEROES, HOGAN AND

HIS NEW WORLD ORDER FACTION

CARRIED MONDAY NITRO TO WHAT

WOULD BECOME AN 84 WEEK HEAD TO

HEAD WINNING STREAK OVER RAW IN

THE TELEVISION RATINGS.

WWE WAS BEHIND THE CURVE, AND

VINCE MCMAHON WOULD NEED TO

EMBRACE A CHANGING CULTURE TO

KEEP PACE WITH WCW.

RIGHT THEN, IN THE THICK OF

THINGS, IT WAS THE MONDAY NIGHT

WARS.

IT WAS MONDAY NIGHT RAW VERSUS

MONDAY NITRO.

THEY WERE DOING SOME

OFF-THE-WALL, CRAZY,

FLY-BY-THE-SEAT-OF-THEIR-PANTS

STUFF, AND THEY WERE KICKING OUR

--.

BUT, STONE COLD WAS COMING AND I

WAS LEADING THE CHARGE ON THAT

GIG.

STEVE AUSTIN ...

OH!

OH MY GOD!

THE SICKENING THUD OF THE STEEL

CHAIR ON THE CRANIUM OF THE

UNDERTAKER.

[BLEEP]

LIKE THAT, YOU [BLEEP]

?

I WAS BREAKING OUT OF THE

PACK, BREAKING FROM THE MOLD.

I WAS GOING OUT ON THAT LIMB.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PUSH ME OUT

ON THAT LIMB.

I WAS GOING THERE.

I LOVED THIS GUY.

HE WAS TOUGH AND HE WAS MEAN AND

HE WAS COOL!

THE CULTURE HAD CHANGED.

IT BECAME THE AGE OF THE

ANTIHERO, AND NOBODY PERSONIFIED

AN ANTIHERO MORE THAN STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN.

WRESTLING FANS WOULDN'T CHEER

FOR THE GOOD GUYS ANYMORE.

STEVE WAS JUST SMART ENOUGH TO

UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME THAT HE

WAS ON TO SOMETIME.

IT ALL KIND OF CAME TO FRUITION

AT THE RIGHT TIME, AT

WRESTLEMANIA XIII.

WHOA!

STEVE AUSTIN IS 6'2", 252.

SAID THERE'S NOT A HUMAN BEING

WALKING THE FACE OF THE EARTH

THAT CAN MAKE HIM SAY, "I QUIT!"

HE WAS GAINING MOMENTUM, BUT

IT WAS THAT MATCH AT

WRESTLEMANIA XIII WITH BRET

HART, THE "I QUIT!"

MATCH THAT EVERYBODY WENT,

"WOW!"

PITTED AGAINST THE FACE OF

WWE, AUSTIN'S NEVER-SAY-DIE

ATTITUDE ...

OH!

WHAT A WAR!

WOULD SOLIDIFY HIM AS A FAN

FAVORITE.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN ...

HELLO!

LOOK AT THAT THERE.

HERE WE GO!

THE MATCH COULD BE THROUGH.

SHARPSHOOTER!!

SHARPSHOOTER ...

THE SHARPSHOOTER!

HE'S ALMOST GOT IT -- A

SHARPSHOOTER!

HE'S GOT IT ON!

AUSTIN CAN'T REACH THE ROPES!

AND HE'S PUSHING UP AND HE'S

SCREAMING, AND YOU CAN JUST SEE

THE PAIN ON HIS FACE.

AND THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY

COMES, THE BLOOD COMES THROUGH

MY EYES AND STARTS POURING

THROUGH MY TEETH.

STEVE!

WILL HE GIVE UP?

OH!

IT WENT FROM, "OH, COOL,

AUSTIN, HE'S THIS TOUGH GUY, I

HOPE HE DOESN'T TAP OUT," TO,

"DON'T!

DON'T TAP OUT!

YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS!"

STEVE!

DO YOU GIVE UP?

IF YOU DO NOT ANSWER ME, I WILL

STOP THE FIGHT.

THAT'S IT.

GET OFF.

THAT'S IT.

[ BELL RINGING ]

HIS BODY PASSED OUT FROM PAIN

BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT QUIT, AND

ANYBODY WATCHING THAT FELT THAT

MOMENT.

MAN, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE

SO GUTSY, BUT HE WOULDN'T

SUBMIT.

SO OBSTINATE, SO STUBBORN, SO

PROUD ...

MAN, THAT WAS A SPECIAL NIGHT

FOR ME.

IT WAS DAMN NEAR AN ORGASM TO

FEEL THAT GOOD AFTER A MATCH.

I MEAN, IF I'D HAVE A CIGARETTE,

I'D PROBABLY HAVE SMOKED IT.

[ CROWD CHEERING: AUSTIN!

AUSTIN!

]

THE MATCH REALLY KICKED OFF

THE AUSTIN ERA, BECAUSE STEVE

AUSTIN, IT WAS A TURNING POINT

FOR HIM.

IT WAS BASICALLY LIKE, "LOVE ME

OR HATE ME, BLOOD OR GUTS, WIN

OR LOSE, I'M NOT GOING

ANYWHERE."

STILL TRAILING IN THE

RATINGS, WWE HAD FOUND A

POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO WCW'S

SUCCESS.

I WAS GETTING HOTTER AND

HOTTER.

I WAS BECOMING SO BULLETPROOF

AND SO POWERFUL AND SO STRONG,

AND THE MOMENTUM WAS HAPPENING

SO FAST, AND GOD DANG IT, JUST

WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT COULDN'T GET

ANY HOTTER, WE ROLL INTO

SUMMERSLAM.

IT WAS AT SUMMERSLAM WHERE

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN'S CAREER

WOULD TAKE A DRAMATIC TURN.

AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

YES, WE'RE LIVE!

SUMMERSLAM FROM THE CONTINENTAL

AIRLINES ARENA.

ON AUGUST 3RD, 1997, STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN WAS COMPETING

TO BECOME THE WWE

INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION.

WHAT A TREMENDOUS MATCHUP!

BUT HIS METEORIC MOMENTUM

WOULD COME TO A SCREECHING HALT

IN ONE FRIGHTENING MOMENT.

LET'S SEE WHAT AUSTIN CAN DO

WHAT HE'D BEEN ...

NO!

HOW 'BOUT THAT?

A GUT-WRENCHING TOMBSTONE!

HEY, JUST STOP!

WHAT I FELT, IT SOUNDED LIKE

BIG GONGS.

IT WAS LIKE, "BAM!"

IT WAS MY HEAD HITTING THE MAT.

I'M AFRAID AUSTIN WAS HURT.

IF YOU LOOK AT MY EYES, THE

LIGHTS ARE THERE, BUT THERE

AIN'T NOBODY HOME.

I COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING FROM MY

NECK DOWN.

I WAS THINKING, OH, I WAS NEVER

GONNA WALK AGAIN.

ACCIDENTS OCCUR.

THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

SO, MY FIRST THOUGHT, REALLY,

WAS, OBVIOUSLY, STEVE'S SAFETY

AND WHAT SORT OF INJURY HE HAD

SUSTAINED.

AUSTIN DROPPED RIGHT ON HIS

HEAD!

MY ANTERIOR DELTS ARE BURNING

LIKE FIRE, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY

I WAS GONNA LAY THERE AND LET

SOME AMBULANCE OR A BUNCH OR

PARAMEDICS CARRY ME OUT OF THAT

RING.

SO, I STARTED TO BE ABLE TO MOVE

A LITTLE BIT, AND I FEEL LIKE

[BLEEP]

.

IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF STRENGTH I

HAD IN MY BODY TO HIT HIM WITH

THE WORST ROLL-UP IN THE HISTORY

OF THE BUSINESS.

AUSTIN DRIVING.

NO ...

A KICK OUT!

AND THOSE PEOPLE HAD PAID

THEIR MONEY TO SEE ME GET THE

BELT, AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I

WASN'T GONNA LEAVE THAT RING

UNTIL I HAD THAT BELT.

NARROWLY AVOIDING PARALYSIS,

STEVE AUSTIN HAD SUSTAINED A

BRUISED SPINAL CORD.

ON THE HEELS OF HIS GREATEST

SUCCESS TO DATE, THE FUTURE OF

BOTH WWE AND THEIR RISING STAR

WERE IN JEOPARDY.

WE ALL FELT FOR STEVE AND

WERE ALSO HOPING HE WAS GONNA BE

ABLE TO COME OUT OF THIS IN SOME

WAY.

HE IS TOUGH.

HE'S TOUGHER THAN A GOVERNMENT

MULE, BUT HE IS HURT.

I REMEMBER GOING TO THE BACK,

AND I WAS IN A WORLD OF HURT.

DO YOU NEED SOME ICE?

WHERE'S THE AMBULANCE PEOPLE?

WHERE ARE THE AMBULANCE PEOPLE?

I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF

TO BE A TOUGH SON OF A -- , AND

I AM.

BUT ON THAT NIGHT, I THINK I WAS

ONE PERCENT TOUGH, AND I WAS 99

PERCENT LUCKY.

YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

I ESCAPED WITH MY LIFE AND

THE ABILITY TO WALK AND DO

EVERYTHING ELSE, AND I HAD

MONDAY NIGHT RAW THE NEXT NIGHT.

HAVING ALREADY OVERCOME

ROADBLOCKS THROUGHOUT HIS

CAREER, AUSTIN'S RELIEF WOULD

MANIFEST ITSELF INTO

DETERMINATION.

HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE

TONIGHT!

AUSTIN SHOULD BE IN A HOSPITAL

BED.

I DON'T NEED NO DOCTOR'S

APPROVAL.

THE FACT THAT YOU DUMPED ME ON

MY HEAD LAST NIGHT DON'T MEAN A

DAMN THING TO ME.

MY NECK, YOUR NECK, HIS NECK, I

AIN'T STOPPING.

I LISTENED TO ALL THE DOCTORS,

MAYBE I WAS TAKING A CALCULATED

RISK, BUT I AIN'T NO DAMN

QUITTER.

NEVER HAVE BEEN, AND I WAS GONNA

KEEP GOING FARTHER AND FARTHER

DOWN THE DAMN ROAD.

DESPITE HIS DESIRE, STONE

COLD'S INJURY LEFT WWE OFFICIALS

NO CHOICE BUT TO FORCE STEVE

AUSTIN TO THE SIDELINES.

DON'T YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE

NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE TO COMPETE?

YOUR DOCTORS SAY YOU'RE NOT

READY.

IT CHANGED STEVE'S LIFE AND

ALSO, IN SOME WAY, HELPED

DEVELOP HIS CHARACTER, BECAUSE

IF STEVE COULD NOT PERFORM,

INITIALLY, BECAUSE OF THIS, THEN

WHAT COULD WE DO WITH STEVE?

YOU GOT TO WORK WITHIN THE

SYSTEM.

THAT'S ALL YOU GOT TO DO.

THE BARRIERS FORCED UPON HIM

BY VINCE MCMAHON WOULD ONLY

INTENSIFY HIS ANTI-AUTHORITY

PERSONA AND SET THE TABLE FOR

STEVE AUSTIN TO BECOME ONE OF

THE BIGGEST NAMES IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT

YOU AND THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT CARE, AND I ALSO

APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT ...

HELL, YOU CAN KISS MY --.

AND THE ROOF CAME OFF OF THAT

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

THE ROOF PROBABLY CAME OFF EVERY

SINGLE HOUSE THAT WAS WATCHING

MONDAY NIGHT RAW THAT NIGHT.

AUSTIN IS GOING DIRECTLY TO

JAIL, AND VINCE MCMAHON IS OUT.

THAT WAS A PRETTY

REVOLUTIONARY MOMENT THAT

SIGNIFIED KIND OF A CHANGE IN

DIRECTION IN WWE OVER THE LAST

15 YEARS, SINCE AUSTIN DID

STUNNER VINCE MCMAHON.

A LOT OF OUR SHOWS REVOLVE

AROUND AN AUTHORITY FIGURE

GETTING BEATEN UP BY ONE OF THE

BIG STARS.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WORKED SO

WELL BACK THEN THAT IT'S REALLY

HAD AN IMPACT ON THE SHOW EVER

SINCE.

IN ADDITION TO HIS ACTIONS,

IT WAS STONE COLD'S

WORKING-CLASS MENTALITY THAT

HELPED HIM CONNECT WITH THE

GROWING AUDIENCE.

GIVE ME A HELL YEAH!

[ CROWD CHANTING: HELL YEAH!

]

EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO

GOES TO WORK, PUNCHES A CLOCK,

GETS THE JOB DONE TO THE BEST OF

HIS ABILITY, AND GOES HOME AND

DRINKS BEER.

THAT WAS STEVE AUSTIN.

HE WAS VERY MIDDLE CLASS, BLUE

COLLAR, AND I THINK HE

REPRESENTED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

HE HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT

REFLECTED OUR COUNTRY AT THE

TIME, WHERE PEOPLE WERE SICK AND

TIRED OF BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO,

AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT

ANYMORE.

FOLLOWING STONE COLD'S LEAD,

THE WWE LOCKER ROOM HAD EMBRACED

A COMPANY-WIDE CHANGE IN

DIRECTION IN WHAT WOULD BECOME

KNOWN AS THE ATTITUDE ERA.

HOWEVER, DESPITE THE INCREASE IN

MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S RATINGS, THE

COMPANY WAS STILL TRAILING IN

ITS HEAD-TO-HEAD BATTLES WITH

MONDAY NITRO.

WCW HAD BEEN DEVELOPING A

RESPONSE TO STONE COLD IN BILL

GOLDBERG, AN AWE-INSPIRING

MONSTER, WHOSE INTENSITY HELPED

KEEP NITRO AHEAD IN THE RATINGS.

WHAT A FORCE!

WHAT A MAN!

I DON'T KNOW IF MAN'S THE

RIGHT WORD.

THIS GUY LOOKS MORE LIKE A

MACHINE TO ME.

HE'S A MONSTER.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN WAS

HOT.

OF COURSE, WCW NEEDED SOMETHING

THAT WAS JUST AS EXPLOSIVE, AND

GOLDBERG HAPPENED TO BE THE GUY

TO FILL THE BILL.

SO QUICK AND SO INTENSE!

IT WAS NO SMALL COINCIDENCE

THAT HE LOOKED LIKE STEVE AUSTIN

A LITTLE BIT.

AUSTIN WAS A BAD --; GOLDBERG

WAS A BAD --.

AND EVERYONE'S REALLY GETTING

BEHIND THIS GUY.

THEY LIKE HIS STYLE.

I'D GO INTO WORK, AND I'D

GRAB MY TIME CARD, AND I'D PUNCH

IT.

WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE RING, I'D

PUNCH IT, AND I'D GO HOME.

WELL, PUT ANOTHER MARK IN

THAT WIN COLUMN FOR THAT MAN

RIGHT THERE: GOLDBERG.

WAS IT SOMETHING TO WHERE I

ENVISIONED MYSELF BEING THE NEXT

STEVE AUSTIN?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

WITH WCW SUSTAINING THEIR

RATINGS LEAD, VINCE MCMAHON

WOULD INCORPORATE A POP CULTURE

ICON TO GAIN BOTH WWE AND THEIR

FASTEST-RISING STAR MAINSTREAM

NOTORIETY.

THE BADDEST MAN ON THE

PLANET, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

IRON MIKE TYSON!

VINCE GETS THE BIG IDEA TO

BRING IN MIKE TYSON INTO THE

PICTURE, AND I SAID, "GOD DANG."

I SAID, "THAT'S BAD --."

AT WRESTLEMANIA, IN THIS VERY

RING, IRON MIKE TYSON WILL ...

[ ROCK MUSIC ]

YES, INDEED.

MIKE TYSON IS STANDING IN STONE

COLD'S RING.

THERE'S 50 PEOPLE IN THE

RING.

THEY'RE SQUARED AWAY, THE

BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET

AGAINST THE BAD -- FROM WWE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOUR

HEARING IS, BUT IF YOU DON'T

UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, I

ALWAYS GOT A LITTLE BIT OF SIGN

LANGUAGE.

SO, HERE'S TO YA.

WHOA!

WHOA, HERE WE GO!

HERE WE GO!

HERE WE GO!

TYSON AND AUSTIN!

TYSON AND AUSTIN!

ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE!

I'M ADDICTED TO CHAOS, BACK

THEN, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS:

CHAOS.

AND IT WAS ON AND POPPIN'.

COME ON!

VINCE HIT A GRAND SLAM WITH

THAT IDEA.

MAN, THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL AND

HUGE IN CONTINUING TO SEPARATE

OURSELVES IN THE MONDAY NIGHT

WARS FROM WCW.

SCHEDULED TO APPEAR AT 1998'S

WRESTLEMANIA AS A SPECIAL GUEST

ENFORCER, MIKE TYSON

SUCCESSFULLY DREW NATIONAL

ATTENTION TO WWE, AND MONDAY

NIGHT RAW'S RATINGS CONTINUED TO

INCREASE.

THE GROWING NUMBER OF VIEWERS

WITNESSED AUSTIN'S MOMENTUM LIFT

HIM TO A CHAMPIONSHIP

OPPORTUNITY ON THE COMPANY'S

BIGGEST STAGE.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU

SHOULD KNOW: MY NAME IS STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN, AND I'VE BEEN

BUSTING MY -- FOR EIGHT YEARS TO

GET THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WRESTLE

FOR THE WWE TITLE AT A

WRESTLEMANIA.

THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS

SCHEDULED FOR ONE FALL, AND IT

IS FOR THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPIONSHIP!

IT WAS INEVITABLE.

THIS IS GONNA BE STONE COLD'S

MOMENT.

HE'S GONNA WIN.

HE'S GONNA BE THE CHAMP.

HE'S GONNA BE THE GUY.

THAT MATCH WAS A YEAR-LONG

BUILD OF STEVE AUSTIN BEING THE

MOST POPULAR CHARACTER ON WWE

TELEVISION, AND NOW, HE WAS

FINALLY WINNING THE WWE

CHAMPIONSHIP.

AUSTIN BACK UP SOMEHOW.

OH, AUSTIN DUMPED HIM.

AUSTIN GOING FOR THE STUNNER,

AND MICHAELS COUNTERS.

MICHAELS GOING FOR ANOTHER KICK.

AUSTIN ...

HE GOT IT!

THE STUNNER!

MIKE TYSON IN!

AUSTIN IS THE CHAMPION!

STONE COLD!

STONE COLD!

STONE COLD!

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

THE WINNER OF THIS BOUT AND

NEW WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPION: STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN!

I CAN'T EXPLAIN THE DAMN

FEELING THAT NIGHT, MAN, TO BE

THERE IN BOSTON AND TO WIN YOUR

FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

THAT WAS VERY SPECIAL TO ME --

FOR ME, FOR THAT COMPANY TO SAY,

"HERE'S OUR GUY, NOW.

WE'RE PUTTING THE LOAD ON HIS

BACK."

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT THERE

WAS JIM ROSS ON COMMENTARY

SAYING ...

STONE COLD'S EIGHT-YEAR

JOURNEY HAS BEEN CULMINATED WITH

WWE GOLD!

THE AUSTIN ERA HAS BEGUN!

STONE COLD'S UNFORGETTABLE

NIGHT AT WRESTLEMANIA HAD

LAUNCHED A NEW ERA IN WWE, AND

IT WOULDN'T BE LONG BEFORE THE

BALANCE OF POWER SHIFTED IN THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

AND IT REALLY WAS THE

BEGINNING OF THE AUSTIN ERA, AND

IT WAS SUCH A DEFINING MOMENT OF

SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE WWE

WAS.

NOW, HERE'S WHERE IT'S GOING.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE

THE NEW WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPION, WHO HAS

A -- AN ATTITUDE, NO DOUBT ABOUT

THAT, NOT ONE NECESSARILY THAT

ALL OF US HERE IN THE WWE

APPRECIATE: STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN.

[ CROWD CLAPPING ]

I REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT

VINCE MCMAHON SAYS, WHETHER HE

WANTS ME AS A CHAMP OR NOT.

NOW, VINCE MCMAHON ...

I SEE YOU WITH YOUR LITTLE LOOK

ON YOUR FACE.

YOU CAN SIT THERE AND YOU CAN

JERK THE CARPET OUT FROM UNDER

ME.

YOU CAN THROW AS MUCH

BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE, ANYTHING

YOU WANT AT STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN.

AS A CHAMPION, I AM NOT GONNA BE

MOLDED.

I AM NOT GONNA BE BROKEN.

AND IF THAT MEANS THAT I GOT TO

RAISE HELL EVERY SINGLE MONDAY

NIGHT, YOU CAN BET THAT'S WHAT

I'M GONNA DO.

YOUR NIGHTMARE HAS JUST

HAPPENED.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN'S

ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT PERSONA HAD

MADE HIM THE MOST POPULAR

SUPERSTAR IN WWE.

THE COMPANY POSITIONED HIM

AGAINST MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S

RECENTLY ESTABLISHED TOP

VILLAIN: MR. MCMAHON, THE

ONSCREEN PERSONA OF THE WWE

CHAIRMAN.

NOW, LISTEN TO THIS CROWD.

RECOGNIZING THAT STEVE

PERFECTLY FIT THE DEFIANCE OF

THE WORKING CLASS AND THE FACT

THAT THE WORKING CLASS, YOU

KNOW, WAS PUT DOWN.

THEY WERE DOMINATED BY THEIR

BOSS SOMETIMES OR, AT LEAST,

FELT SO.

HE WAS THAT CHARACTER.

AND THEN MINE STARTED TO

DEVELOP, AS WELL, IN TERMS OF

BEING MR. MCMAHON.

WELL, WE CAN EITHER DO THIS THE

EASY WAY, OR WE CAN DO THIS THE

HARD WAY, MR. AUSTIN.

SO, THE TWO OF THEM WERE A

NATURAL CLASH.

NOBODY, ESPECIALLY VINCE

MCMAHON, TELLS STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN WHAT TO DO, AND THAT'S

THE BOTTOM LINE.

STEVE WOULD'VE MADE IT TO

HEIGHTS WITHOUT MR. MCMAHON, BUT

WITH MR. MCMAHON, IT SEEMED TO

EMBELLISH HIS CHARACTER

CONSIDERABLY.

OH!

OH, MY GOD!

HE DID IT AGAIN!

STONE COLD JUST STUNNED THE

OWNER OF THE WWE.

A PERFECT STORM: AUSTIN

CREATED THE PERFECT REBEL.

VINCE HAD CREATED THE PERFECT

EVIL GENIUS

GET-RICH-AT-EVERYBODY'S-EXPENSE

BOSS.

WWE'S NEWEST RIVALRY

CONTINUED TO ATTRACT MORE

VIEWERS.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE

AUSTIN/MCMAHON, GIVE ME A HELL

YEAH!

[ CROWD CHEERING: HELL YEAH!

]

WHEN THE CHAMPION AND THE CEO

WERE SCHEDULED TO FACE OFF IN

THE RING ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW,

THE MAIN EVENT WOULD LEAD THE

COMPANY TO ITS FIRST RATINGS

VICTORY OVER MONDAY NITRO IN 84

HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCH UPS.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE

NECESSARILY THOUGHT WE WERE

GOING TO SURPASS WCW, ALTHOUGH

WE WERE CREEPING UP.

IT WAS GREAT THAT, THAT

PARTICULAR NIGHT, WE DEFEATED

WCW IN THE RATINGS.

HERE WE GO, BABY!

I KNEW THAT THE FUTURE OF OUR

BUSINESS WAS GONNA CHANGE.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

SOMEONE'S JUST DRIVING THROUGH.

WOO, HELL YEAH!

DON'T LET HIM IN HERE!

NITRO AND RAW WOULD CONTINUE

TO TRADE VICTORIES IN THE

RATINGS HEADING INTO THE SUMMER

OF 1998, AND THE ONGOING FEUD

BETWEEN STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

AND MR. MCMAHON WAS AT THE

FOREFRONT OF ALL WWE

PROGRAMMING.

I AIN'T THROUGH WITH YOU,

VINCE.

I AIN'T THROUGH WITH YA, NOT

YET, BY A LONG SHOT.

THERE WAS JUST ANTICS EVERY

WEEK THAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD

TO, AND YOU BASICALLY, LIKE,

TUNE IN AT ALL TO SEE WHAT STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN WOULD DO TO

MR. MCMAHON.

IT LOOKS JUST FINE TO ME.

HOW 'BOUT YOU, DOCTOR?

OH, I'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE,

NURSE.

OH, NO!

NO, NO!

GET HIM OFF!

AND HAVING THE WORLD KNOW:

THIS IS YOUR BOSS, AND YOU CAN

STICK IT TO HIM EVERY SINGLE

NIGHT.

YOU GOT THIS JUSTICE EVERY

SINGLE TIME HE WAS OUT THERE

PLAYING OFF OF MR. MCMAHON.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT,

HUH?

MR. MCMAHON PLAYED THE

PERFECT BAD GUY, YOU KNOW?

HE COULD SNEAK IN HIS VICTORIES.

STONE COLD, SCREW YOU!

YOU'RE FIRED!

THERE WAS NO LONG-RANGE PLAN

AS FAR AS WHERE WE WANTED TO GO.

WHERE WE WANTED TO GO WAS HIGHER

AND HIGHER BUT JUST TO KEEP THE

MOMENTUM.

JR!

OH, MY GOD!

OH, GOD!

AUSTIN IS LOADING MCMAHON'S CAR

WITH CEMENT.

YOU WANT MORE OF THAT?

STONE COLD GETS TO BEAT UP

HIS BOSS EVERY DAY.

PEOPLE IDENTIFIED WITH THAT, AND

THEY LOVED IT.

WHO DIDN'T WANT TO SHOOT

THEIR BOSS A BIRD AND KICK HIM

BETWEEN THE LEGS?

WHO DIDN'T WANT TO DRINK A BEER

AFTER THEY HAD A LONG, HARD DAY

AT WORK?

THEY HAD A GREAT STORY LINE.

IT FELT VERY REAL.

BOTH THOSE GUYS DID A GREAT JOB,

AND THEY WERE DOING SOME PRETTY

SPECTACULAR THINGS.

STEVE, TAKE IT EASY NOW.

OH, MY!

IT'S A TOY!

STONE COLD VERSUS MR. MCMAHON

WAS PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT, AS

FAR AS MAKING PEOPLE WANT TO

TUNE INTO MONDAY NIGHT RAW TO

SEE WHAT THE HELL THESE GUYS

WERE GONNA DO TO EACH OTHER

NEXT.

BUSINESS WAS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHERE WE WERE,

WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK, EVERYTHING

WAS SOLD OUT.

AND MAN, WHEN YOU LOOKED IN THAT

CROWD ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW, IT

WAS JUST NOTHING BUT STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN SIGNS, AND THINGS

KEPT GETTING HOTTER AND HOTTER.

I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, MONEY

WISE, PROBABLY THE TOP EVER IN

THE HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY.

I MADE A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE OF

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S RATINGS

WERE REACHING AN ALL-TIME HIGH.

AS THE COMPANY WAS PROFITING

FROM ITS TWO MOST POPULAR

CHARACTERS, THE REST OF THE WWE

LOCKER ROOM WOULD BE INFLUENCED

BY THE AUSTIN/MCMAHON RIVALRY.

YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN

BUSINESS.

TO HELL WITH STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN.

HE WAS THE ATTITUDE, YOU

KNOW?

AND I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE IN

THE COMPANY AT THAT TIME JUST

FED OFF OF THAT ENERGY.

WHEN STEVEN AUSTIN'S STAR

TOOK OFF, THERE WERE A LOT OF

GUYS WHO WERE WONDERING HOW THEY

COULD TAKE A LITTLE PIECE OF

THAT AND USE IT IN THEIR OWN

CHARACTERS.

WHAT A MAN!

LOOK AT THE ROCK'S EYES!

DID YOU ...

LOOK AT THE EYES!

NO!

OH, LOOK!

MCMAHON'S GOING ...

HE'S HURTING HIM!

THEY WERE ALL PUSHING THE

ENVELOPE, AND IT GOT TO A POINT

WHAT CAN I DO TO TOP STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN?

AND SO, IT WAS A GREAT

COMPETITION BETWEEN THE

SUPERSTARS.

THAT'S WHY THE SHOWS WERE SO

COMPELLING.

THAT'S WHY THERE WERE SO FUN TO

WATCH.

EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO OUTDO

EVERYBODY ELSE.

ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS, THEY

ALL HAPPENED AT THE RIGHT TIME,

AT THE RIGHT PLACE, AND IT WAS A

VERY WELL-CRAFTED, WELL-DESIGNED

TEMPLATE, AND ONCE THE AUDIENCE

VOTES, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO

GET 'EM BACK.

THANKS TO THE SUCCESS OF

AUSTIN AND AN EVOLVING TALENT

POOL, MONDAY NIGHT RAW WAS

BEGINNING TO PULL AWAY FROM

MONDAY NITRO IN THE RATINGS BY

THE FALL OF 1998.

THE COMPANY'S BIGGEST STORYLINE

CONTINUED TO FUEL RAW AND TOOK

ON AN ADDED ELEMENT BY

INCORPORATING ANOTHER RISING

SUPERSTAR.

WOO!

WHAT THE HELL?

THEY WERE IN ON IT ALL ALONG!

ALL THREE OF THEM!

THEY SCREWED US ALL!

AT THAT TIME, I WAS ON THE

RISE AS BEING ONE OF THE TOP TWO

GOOD GUYS IN THE COMPANY.

THE OTHER ONE WAS STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN.

NOT ONLY DO YOU BECOME WORLD

CHAMPION, BUT NOW YOU ALIGN

YOURSELF WITH THE COMPANY'S TOP

HEEL: VINCE MCMAHON.

IT WAS A RECIPE FOR PHENOMENAL

SUCCESS.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN MY CHAMPION,

THE CORPORATE CHAMPION, LADIES

AND GENTLEMEN: THE ROCK!

[ CROWD BOOING ]

ROCK ALIGNS HIMSELF WITH

VINCE MCMAHON AND BECOMES A

CORPORATE CHAMPION, AND I KNEW

RIGHT THEN THAT OUR PATHS WERE

GONNA CROSS, AND IT WAS JUST

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

STEVE AUSTIN'S RIVALRY WITH

MR. MCMAHON EVOLVED INTO A

BATTLE WITH HIS CORPORATE

CHAMPION, THE ROCK.

BY POSITIONING THE COMPANY'S TWO

MOST CHARISMATIC SUPERSTARS

AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, WWE'S

POPULARITY CONTINUED TO GROW.

I'M GONNA BEAT YOUR CORPORATE

-- RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT

RING: ONE, TWO, THREE!

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NEXT

CHAMP, AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM

LINE 'CAUSE STONE COLD SAID SO.

THERE WERE TWO NAMES THAT

MOST EVERYBODY GRAVITATED

TOWARDS, AND THAT WAS THE ROCK

AND STEVE AUSTIN, AND AS A FAN

WATCHING, IT WAS FUN, BECAUSE

THEIR PERFORMANCES WERE SECOND

TO NONE.

YOU CAN JUST WALK YOUR CANDY

-- DOWN KNOW YOUR ROAD

BOULEVARD.

THE ONLY THING YOU WILL BE DOING

IS CHECKING YOUR -- INTO THE

SMACKDOWN HOTEL.

THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN MYSELF

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN WAS AND

IS VERY, VERY SPECIAL.

I COME OUT HERE AND I SIT

HERE AND LISTEN TO YOU SPIT YOUR

LITTLE NURSERY RHYMES ABOUT

JABRONI AVENUE OR KNOW YOUR ROAD

BOULEVARD, YOU [BLEEP]

.

YOU BETTER GET YOUR -- SERIOUS,

BECAUSE STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

IS GONNA TAKE HIS -- TO

PHILADELPHIA, CHECK RIGHT INTO

THE SMACKDOWN HOTEL, AND ROLL

RIGHT IN TO ROUTE 3:16 AND BURN

THAT SON OF A -- TO THE GROUND!

WOO!

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

VERSUS THE ROCK: I'M BUYING A

TICKET.

THE BRAHMA BULL AND THE

RATTLESNAKE HOOKING IT UP HERE.

I BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN THE

ROCK, AND HE BROUGHT OUT THE

BEST IN ME.

AND ANYTIME WE STEPPED IN THE

RING, IT WAS ON.

AUSTIN WITH THE ELBOWS.

THE STUNNER!

THE STUNNER!

[ CROWD CHANTING: ONE, TWO,

THREE!

]

[ BELL RINGING ]

AUSTIN WINS!

AUSTIN WINS!

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN AND

THE ROCK WERE AT THE FOREFRONT

OF WWE PROGRAMMING, AND MONDAY

NIGHT RAW WAS ROUTINELY

OUTDRAWING NITRO BY THREE

MILLION VIEWERS A WEEK BY THE

SUMMER OF 1999.

BUT AFTER BEING SO

INSTRUMENTAL TO WWE'S

RENAISSANCE, AUSTIN WOULD BE

FORCED TO WALK AWAY FROM ACTIVE

COMPETITION AT THE INDUSTRY'S

PEAK.

GOING INTO THE BACK END OF

'99, I WAS ON FIRE.

I WAS HAULING --.

THE BUSINESS WAS CRAZY, AND I

STARTED TO HAVE SOME SIDE

EFFECTS FROM GETTING DROPPED ON

MY HEAD IN '97.

STONE COLD'S NECK INJURY WAS

A LOT MORE SEVERE THAN ME WE HAD

THOUGHT.

IT WAS GETTING STEADILY WORSE,

TO THE POINT WHERE WE WEREN'T

GONNA HAVE STONE COLD AS A

WRESTLER.

I WENT TO A DOCTOR, AND THEY

STARTED DOING SOME TESTS ON ME.

SO, I HAD A BONE SPUR GROWING

DIRECTLY INTO MY SPINAL CORD.

DR. LLOYD YOUNGBLOOD, A

NEUROSURGEON HERE IN SAN

ANTONIO, TOOK A LOOK AT ME, TOLD

ME WHAT HE WAS GONNA DO.

HE WENT IN THERE AND DID THE

JOB.

HE TOOK A BONE OUT OF MY HIP AND

PUT IT IN THERE.

DOCTORS ESTIMATED AUSTIN

WOULD BE OUT OF ACTION FOR A

YEAR OR MORE, BUT DESPITE WWE

LOSING THEIR FRANCHISE

SUPERSTAR, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING WAS UNABLE TO BUILD

MOMENTUM, AS GOLDBERG'S RISE TO

PROMINENCE HAD DERAILED WITH HIS

OWN INJURY.

MONDAY NITRO WOULD CONTINUE TO

FEATURE OLDER TALENT AND STORY

LINES IN HOPES OF REIGNITING

PAST SUCCESS.

THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING

FRESH.

GUYS THAT STARTED TO GET STEAM

BEHIND THEM, THEY WOULD CUT THEM

OFF AT THE KNEES.

THOSE GUYS WERE PRETTY MUCH,

LIKE, BURIED.

HE'S THROWING HIM IN THE

DUMPSTER!

THE ROCK IS HERE!

THERE HE IS!

THE WWE CHAMPION.

WWE WAS WITHOUT THEIR TOP

DRAW, BUT OTHER SUPERSTARS

STEPPED INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, AND

RATINGS CONTINUED TO SOAR.

HOLY COW, LIKE, OUR TOP GUY

IS DOWN.

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?

WELL, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS,

WE'RE ALL GONNA STEP UP AND TRY

TO NOT LET IT FALTER AT ALL.

AND WITH ME GONE, ROCK AND

TRIPLE H WERE HAVING THEIR BEST

YEARS, AND THOSE GUYS BOTH

CARRIED THE COMPANY.

THEY BOTH STEPPED UP AND KNOCKED

IT OUT OF THE PARK.

IT'S A PEOPLE'S ELBOW FROM

THE ROCK.

THANKS TO THE DEPTH OF VINCE

MCMAHON'S TALENTED ROSTER, RAW

HAD BEATEN NITRO EVERY WEEK FOR

NEARLY TWO YEARS BY THE FALL OF

2000.

EVERYBODY WAS DOING WHATEVER

THEY WANTED.

THEY DID THEIR OWN THING.

THEY CROSSED LINES.

OH, MY GOD ALMIGHTY!

THE ENTIRE ROSTER TOP TO

BOTTOM, YOU WERE EXCITED FOR.

WWE WAS SHOWING NO SIGNS OF

SLOWING DOWN WHEN STEVE AUSTIN

RETURNED.

THE RATTLESNAKE IS BACK!

IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE

AUSTIN WAS BACK IN THE RING.

THE BOYS ALL WELCOMED ME BACK

WITH OPEN ARMS.

I FIT RIGHT BACK INTO THE STORY

LINE.

WITH STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

BACK ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW, THE

COMPANY'S DOMINANCE CONTINUED

INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WOULD SOON CLOSE ITS DOORS IN

MARCH OF 2001, AS VINCE MCMAHON

DECLARED HIMSELF VICTORIOUS IN

THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

YOU HAVE TO GRAB YOUR

COMPETITION BY THE THROAT, AND

YOU'VE GOT TO SQUEEZE THE LIFE

OUT OF YOUR COMPETITION, JUST

LIKE I DID TO WCW.

HAVING LED WWE TO THE TOP OF

THE INDUSTRY, STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN CONTINUED TO HEADLINE

MONDAY NIGHT RAW UNTIL HIS

RETIREMENT IN 2003.

ONCE REGARDED AS AN UNMARKETABLE

AFTERTHOUGHT, STEVE AUSTIN HAS

REVOLUTIONIZED SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT AND WALKED AWAY AS

PERHAPS THE GREATEST SUPERSTAR

OF ALL TIME.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN, IT

CAN BE ARGUED, SAVE THE WWE FROM

GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.

STEVE AUSTIN IS THE ONE WHO

BROUGHT THE WWE OUT OF THE DARK

AGES OF THE 1990S AND REALLY

BROUGHT US INTO THE ATTITUDE

ERA.

HE REPRESENTED A LOT A LOT OF

THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WATCHING.

HE CERTAINLY REPRESENTED HOW

THEY FELT ABOUT THEIR BOSSES,

ABOUT THEIR JOBS, ABOUT THEIR

SITUATIONS.

HE BROUGHT UP THE ENTIRE

COMPANY.

TO ME, HE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT

MEMBER OF THE ATTITUDE ERA.

WHEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU LOOK

AT THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR, AND YOU

REALIZE NOW JUST HOW MANY GREAT

STARS WERE A PART OF THAT

ATTITUDE ERA, BUT THE MINUTE YOU

SAY THE WORD ATTITUDE, THERE'S

ONE PERSON YOU THINK OF.

I DON'T NEED YOU TO DO THIS

DAMN JOB.

THIS IS STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

KEVIN KELLY AIN'T WORTH A DAMN,

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M JUST A

LITTLE PISSED OFF.

STEVE AUSTIN GAVE ATTITUDE TO

THE ATTITUDE ERA, AND FOR A

DECADE, HE CHANGED THE BUSINESS.

AND AT THE TIME, YOU COULD

PUT STEVE'S NAME ON ANY ARENA IN

THE WORLD, AND WE SOLD OUT

IMMEDIATELY.

I MEAN, HE GOT THAT HOT.

IT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE TIME.

HE GAVE US TREMENDOUS

TELEVISION RATINGS, HAD PEOPLE

ALL OVER THE GLOBE TALKING ABOUT

WWE AGAIN, AT THAT LEVEL, FOR

THE FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS.

WE HAD HULK HOGAN, AND THEN

WE SAY, THERE'S NEVER GONNA BE

ANOTHER HULK HOGAN.

AND THEN, ALONG COMES STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN.

STONE COLD WOULD BECOME THE

GREATEST SINGLE STAR IN THE

HISTORY OF OUR BUSINESS, BY FAR.

STEVE SOLD OUT MORE ARENAS,

SET MORE PAY-PER-VIEW RECORDS,

MORE MERCHANDISING RECORDS, YOU

NAME IT.

WHATEVER THE RECORD WAS TO BE

BROKEN, HE SHATTERED IT.

HE WAS, AND STILL IS, THE

GREATEST SUPERSTAR THAT THE

WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

MY DAD ALWAYS TOLD US, "DON'T

EVER DO ANYTHING HALF- -- ED."

ANYTIME I'VE EVER DONE

SOMETHING, I WANT TO BE THE BEST

AT IT.

I WAS NEVER THE BIGGEST, THE

BEST LOOKING, THE BEST BUILT,

HAD THE BEST GENETICS.

I WAS NEVER THE BEST WRESTLER.

I WAS NEVER THE BEST OF

ANYTHING, BUT GOD DANG, I BUSTED

MY -- TO BE AS GOOD AS I COULD

BE.

THERE IS NO ONE THAT HAS EVER

LACED THEIR BOOTS ANY MORE

INTENSE, ANY MORE WITH A WILL TO

WIN, THAN STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN.

I HAD TO RIDE OFF INTO THE

SUNSET A LITTLE BIT SOONER THAN

EVERY BIT OF IT.

I HAD A HELL OF A RIDE.

THERE'S ONLY ONE TEXAS

RATTLESNAKE, AND THERE'LL NEVER

BE ANOTHER LIKE HIM.