by Chad Morgan

Created on: February 15, 2009

If there ever was a wrestler that personified 'hardcore' it was none other than the Texas Rattlesnake himself, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. After 20+ years in the game, Steve Austin made himself into one of the most revered grapplers to ever step into the squared circle. As a matter of fact, at Wrestlemania XXV, the World Wrestling Entertainment will induct Austin into its Hall of Fame. Stone Cold was no doubt an enduring charchter. Just why he isn't the wrestling game anymore seems to baffle the critics. I guess it comes down to whose opinion you seem to agree with.

Steve Austin's wrestling career started in the Dallas, Texas based World Class Championship Wrestling. He was mainly known in the wrestling business there as a jobber. He wrestled alot but basically did not have anything to show for it. Though he got to challenge folks like the Von Erichs and 'Gentleman' Chris Adams, Austin just didn't get the shot that he wanted. Then came the WCW.

It was in the WCW that wrestling fans first got to see the best of Steve Austin. Then he was known as the cocky and arrogant (go figure!) 'Stunning' Steve Austin. His finishing move was a varitation of the cobra clutch made so famous by Sgt. Slaughter. In 1991, Austin defeated Bobby Eaton for the WCW Television title. In March of 1993, Austin and the late 'Flying' Brian Pillman captured the WCW World Tag titles over Rickey Steamboat and Shane Douglas. His last WCW title came at Starcade '93 when he beat Dustin Rhodes in a two out of three falls match for the United States title. His last title match in WCW came in the Summer of 1994 when scheduled to wrestle Steamboat at Fall Brawl and Steamboat did not show. Austin got the title by forefit but lost the belt that night in an impromptu match against 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan.

Austin toiled around in Extreme Championship Wrestling for a while until he made his historic jump to the WWE. In the fall of 1995, Austin made his debut as The Ringmaster. Then came his infamous slogan "Austin 3:16" and the rest is history. It was Austin's rules that mattered and no one elses. Nobody since the days of Hulkamania and Rock N Roll Wrestling had professional wrestling meant so much to the American fabric. Stone Cold didn't care because 'Stone Cold says so...'. The beer swigging and cussing Austin took the wrestling world by storm and there has been none like him since and there will be none other in the future.

If you look at Austin's career, you see that he no doubtedly has been through the full gamet as far as paying his dues in a wrestling ring. The bottom line is that the reason that we do not see Steve Austin competing any more is the fact that his body has paid the price. The numerous neck injuries that he has suffered has done its toll. Too many DDT's and Stone Cold Stunners have put the end to a priceless career. He has still made some appearances over the past couple of years but we have not seen him in the ring as a competetor in a long tme. Matter of factly, Austin is supposed to make some appearances of RAW in the next couple of weeks leading up to Wrestlemania.

The reason that we do not see Steve Austin (he officially changed his real last name to Austin- for his native state of Texas) wrestling as much as we would like to is that his body is just too fragile. He has just had to many neck and knee injuries. There have been plenty of stories of him competing in pain. Stone Cold might not be able to compete any more but you can damn well bet that he will be on future WWE broadcasts. The reason: 'Cause Stone Cold says so.....'

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