5 traits that propelled the Stone Cold character to superstardom

The beer guzzling badassNobody, and I repeat nobody, has generated the kind of money in their time in the WWE as much as Stone Cold Steve Austin.John Cena comes close, but he has had a longer career than Steve Austin – whose injuries took away many a years from his career.There's The Rock, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, John Cena and the likes, but they were never Stone Cold. The kind of phenomenon that surrounded the WWE during his time as the face is yet to be matched. There are several reasons why he is such an unforgettable and much-missed character.Here are the 5 traits that propelled the Stone Cold character to superstardom-

#5 The look

Simple yet effective

Steve Austin wasn’t glamorous at all; not even a single bit.

But Bret Hart described his look aptly in his book by saying, "He had such a great look for a heel, with a bald head and menacing eyes that burned a hole through you. He wore simple black trunks with black boots and came across like a real bad-a** son of a bitch. His promos were intense: His Texas talk and ornery look gave him a unique magnetism."

He was never glamorous and yet managed to exude this larger-than-life charisma. Nobody has ever come close to emulate that.

#4 The promos

Steve Austin wasn't just a man with a badass look, he was quite extraordinary on the microphone, His promos, combined with his Texas accent, were something that you just did not want to miss.

Austin 3:16 left an indelible mark in the history of sports entertainment – that wasn't even scripted. He made that up on the go after winning the match and consequentially the King of The Ring Tournament against Jake The Snake Roberts who was playing a religious gimmick.

That hit the bullseye and the rest is history.

#3 Anti- Hero

As mentioned before, there was nothing glamorous about Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was a man with unrefined manners.

He did not shake hands of the fans or hug babies or smile while he made his way to the ring. Like his name, he had a cold look in his eyes that only meant bad news for his opponents. He is the best example of an anti- heroic character.

The fans loved him despite him not being so virtuous. He accentuated the mean look better than anybody during his time and made it all look so cool.

#2 That Wrestlemania match

That match at Wrestlemania 13 is what defined Wrestlemania 13 for years to come.

It wasn't the main event, but it stole the show nonetheless. The unique instance of some classic storytelling and theatrical display of wrestling was what made the bout an instant classic.

Austin walked in as the heel and Bret Hart was the babyface, but nothing remained the same after the match. The classic made Austin seem like a legit badass at the end of it all as despite being locked in the sharpshooter in a pool of blood, Austin refused to tap out.

He refused to let Hart get the satisfaction of making him give up. Instead he fought till the end, getting unconscious and passing out in the process.

#1 Feud with Vince McMahon

This feud made Austin relatable to many fans out there and arguably turned him into a global phenomenon.

Vince McMahon was the epitome of evil. The capitalistic, atrocious, dictatorial boss who wasted no moment in abusing his power. And Steve Austin, the beer drinking, bald headed man was the one to rise up and raise his voice and hands against McMahon.

The entire situation represented the social and individual struggles of the audience in their everyday life wherein they feel exploited by their bosses at work and underappreciated.

It was a populist theme which worked wonders given the tough guy gimmick of Stone Cold.