Steve Austin got ill-advisedly fired by World Championship Wrestling in 1995. He showed up in World Wrestling Entertainment in 1996, and the rest is history. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin became pro wrestling's biggest-drawing superstar ever. Nobody was more popular.
But between WCW and WWE, Austin made a brief stop in Extreme Championship Wrestling. Watch these promos. You can make an argument that “Stone Cold” was born in ECW.
But the reality is that “Stone Cold” was born Dec. 18, 1964 in Victoria, Texas. All Austin ever needed to do was be himself.
ECW let Austin do that. WWE followed suit. Austin is a self-made legend. They’re the best kind.
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