Stone Cold Gave Us The True Meaning Of Impact In Pro Wrestling

Adrian StaehleSep 17, 2009

Impact- The power of making a strong, immediate impression or in other words, which acts only during a short time interval but which is sufficiently large to cause an appreciable change in the momentum of the system on which it acts.

The shirt to the right said it all.

Impact is a word that is used in wrestling a lot, if it short term or long term. We have seen everything from a sudden impact to a lasting impact. When I think of impact from any wrestler it has to come from one man, Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Sure Hogan had an impact, a strong impact but he was never crossed that line.

Thesz was a originator but didn‘t make that great impact.

Hardy was extreme, Taker was dominate, Styles and Cena have had a sudden impact that has carried for years.

Hart was great but did not make a great impact and Edge is a opportunist and that is making a sudden impact but only when the opportunity is there it was not costent.

Austin was making a impact inside and outside of the ring and he did one thing that those I talked about above didn’t, he crossed that line. He drank beer, gave everyone the finger, he was a foul mouth SOB and most important he did what he wanted when he wanted.

Austin was everything the fans wanted to be and could live through, when the glass broke the goose bumps came to the fans and me especially so fast.

It wasn’t until Austin put Stone Cold in front of his name until he became the man who was going to whoop ass and take names like he put so gingerly.

His impact that started that night where he would become King of the Ring in 1996 would turn heads and fans to his attention when he gave one of the greatest promos/segments in wrestling history.

Austin 3:16 Promo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT_3wUvPR5o

Stone Cold was changing the landscape of the WWE and he would have one of the greatest matches and rivalries in wrestling history in my eyes at WrestleMania 13 against Bret Hart in a match that favored one man but would turn out to change the fans feeling to another.

Bret Hart and Austin Rivalry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiqbzrNtdCc

WrestleMania 13 Highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCIIWY5T0l8

Austin had made a sudden impact but he had to make it last and would with one of the greatest feuds in wrestling history and it wasn’t with any wrestler, but with his boss Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

The countless moments of Austin making McMahon’s life a living hell and always one step ahead of Vince and doing everything to destroy Vince.

Austin vs. Vince Promo 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajvDEH17fCg

Austin vs. Vince Promo 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7v19r3SJQE

Austin vs. Vince Promo 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iiv1mCMlLEA

Austin had become champion, beat down every single person that crossed his path, he beat down his boss and made his life a living hell. Austin did it all with in a few years and is the greatest wrestler in the WWE.

Austin would make a catchphrase that was so simple but still popular even since the day he left….What?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh6XCP2j8oI

The catchphrase would piss off someone very unhappy.

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRbSanrzwPE

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmfputDqM7c

Stone Cold…What?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1YyWRKVzaw

Austin had been in countless matches with some of the greats like The Rock, Triple H, Bret Hart, Owen Hart and the Undertaker had still are talked about today. The one rivalry that is said that is the best would be the matches with The Rock.

Austin and The Rock at WrestleMania

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W46XQfePbIM

The Rock vs. Stone Cold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5K7YWCppi4

Austin has done it all and got into the Hall of Fame this past year and it was one of the greatest moments of my young life to watch him take his rightful place in history.

Hall of Fame Promo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SZnUtPf3YM

Austin HOF speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDuBKlEX824

If you still think Austin still didn’t make a impact well here are a few things he has done in his career.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated:

Feud of the Year: Vince McMahon 1998 & 1999

Match of the Year: Bret Hart WrestleMania 13

Most Hated Wrestler: 2001