10 Best Stone Cold Steve Austin Matches In WWE History

Zack Heydorn | 2 Hours Ago

WWE.com

If you're ready for a ranking of the best Stone Cold Steve Austin matches ever in WWE, gimme a hell yeah!!

Austin had a career that spanned the USWA, WCW, ECW, and of course the WWE. He had classic matches everywhere, but the "Stone Cold" gimmick and run that he had in WWE made him on of the most popular pro wrestlers in history.

MORE: Exclusive: Stone Cold Steve Austin Reveals Untold Regret Of WWE WrestleMania 38 Return

Austin did a lot of things right during that run including promos, angles, and character work. The matches were the end game, though. The action in the 20x20 squared circle and his ability to deliver under bright lights set him apart from his peers and connected him with an audience waiting to lose their minds.

These are the 10 best Stone Cold Steve Austin matches in WWE history.

10. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels - King of the Ring 1997

This was a glimpse of what could have been possible between both Austin and Michaels at WrestleMania 14. A fast pace, counters, and swings in momentum led the way in this one -- three features that weren't in their WrestleMania match together.

The storyline dynamic in the match was that Michaels and Austin were oddball tag team partners -- a narrative that we've seen play out many times in WWE. The two men didn't like the other, but functioned at a high level as a team. Austin cheap-shotting Michaels at the end and both almost coming to blows with their own tag belts as weapons was a nice touch to finish the match.

9. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega - Strap Match - WWE In Your House: Beware of Dog

This highlighted the relentless nature of the Stone Cold gimmick. Austin was nearing the end of The Ringmaster schtick, but his offense very much aligned with what Stone Cold would become.

Austin has always been complimentary of Vega and noted that he helped him get in a shape after he joined WWE. Knowing that, this match takes on new meaning. It was stiff thanks to how Austin worked and the strap as a weapon, but it was fast too. Both guys moved constantly to tell their story.

8. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Chris Benoit - WWE Smackdown 5/31/2001

This is a hard match to watch in 2025. Heel Austin took on the hometown Benoit in Edmonton and the two had the audience on the edge of their seats the entire way. The near falls worked and like the Kurt Angle matches later in his heel run, he got true heat in this and that was essential to its success.

Austin took most of the match on offense and controlled the rhythm of everything. That part of the match droned on early, but helped lay a foundation for Benoit to overcome by the end. The near falls played into that psychology.

7. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock - Backlash 1999

The forgotten Austin vs The Rock match. It really shouldn't be, though. This was the world title rematch between both men with the first coming at WrestleMania 15 a month prior. The match was a lot of fun, but a microcosm of what main events were like in 1999. Audience brawling, walk and fights, and interference were utilized in abundance. It's action packed and was a part of the Corporate Ministry angle that would go on in WWE for most of the summer that year.

6. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart - Survivor Series 1996

Austin vs. Hart 1 took place prior to Austin injuring his neck at Summerslam in 1997 and featured Austin working his old style. He was a technician as Stunning Steve in WCW and this very much leaned that way. Hart and Austin were good dance partners in that regard, though Hart was a good dance partner for just about anyone.

This match was Hart's first one back after a short hiatus from WWE. Hart choosing Austin showed the trust that he had in him. Drama was abound in the match itself and though Hart took the win, Austin continued to elevate his stock with the performance he put in.

5. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle - Summerslam 2001

Peak heel Stone Cold work. This was a vicious match. Austin beat the tar out of Angle, but it got Angle more over as a babyface. The beating that Austin put on Angle pulled boos out of the crowd and that wasn't always a guarantee for Austin during this time. Because this is the peak of Austin's heel run, it's easy to gloss over just how over Kurt Angle was as a babyface.

The spot of the match is a flurry of German suplexes from Angle to Austin and highlights just how invested the crowd was in Angle dethroning the champion. The disqualification finish was a cheap way to get to another match between the two. While frustrating, it was a smart attempt at working yet another path for Austin to get booed.

MORE: Stone Cold Steve Austin Talks WWE, Pro Wrestling, Racing, Beer & More On 3:16 Day

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Dude Love - Over the Edge 1998

WWE.com

This match is worth watching because of the crowd reaction alone. Austin was on the rocket ride at this time and the Vince McMahon feud was in full bloom. McMahon stacked the deck against Austin in this and the entire thing revolved around him overcoming it all. This wasn't a mat classic, but it was incredibly high level audience manipulation due to good storytelling and clear good guys against bad guys. The crowd was heavily invested in Austin not only defying Dude Love, McMahon, and the other shenanigans of the match, but they wanted to see Austin physically get comeuppance as well.

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H - 3 Stages of Hell - No Way Out 2001

The culmination of a long-term feud, both Austin and Triple H peaked things at the exact right moment. The violence in this match was outrageous, but it fit the narrative and just how much hatred the two men had for one another.

The build to this match forced both guys to never touch physically and that story paid off huge when the audience exploded as they unloaded to start the match. It was a two out of three falls match and both guys had one fall heading into the final stanza. The last finish will be questioned, but with Austin heading to the main event of WrestleMania that year anyway, it made sense to give Triple H the W.

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock - WrestleMania 17

It was the main event of the premiere PPV during WWE's most popular era ever. Austin and The Rock were generational talents that collided head-on with the top prize on the line. The spectacle around this was uncanny -- Flash bulbs, huge pops, and strong action start to finish.

Both men worked a brawling style of match that spilled everywhere around the ring. Austin did anything to try and win, and to fully complete his return from injury. In the end, he turned heel and aligned with Vince McMahon to do it. The heel turn was a bad, bad choice, but in the moment didn't impact the match in a negative way.

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart - WrestleMania 13

An all-time classic. Not just in Stone Cold Steve Austin history, but in WWE history. This match is at or near the top of the list for best WrestleMania matches ever. The match is remembered for the artistic double-turn that saw Austin's momentum realized into a babyface to begin his road to wrestling superstardom. The match is a technical classic, too. The action is crisp, the storytelling is perfect, and it leaves the audience breathless. An epic masterpiece.

Exclusive: Stone Cold Steve Austin Reveals Untold Regret Of WWE WrestleMania 38 Return