#2 Stone Cold Steve Austin
No wrestler impacted WWE like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin was the WWE’s biggest star during its most successful period ever.
Fired from WCW, Austin reinvented his character in the '90s as an ass-kicking, beer-chugging, anti-authoritarian superstar who entered into a high-profile feud with Vince McMahon. Austin was the face of the WWE's "Attitude Era," the company’s most popular time.
Austin’s impact on pro wrestling can be seen not only in WWE’s business progress but also in how it impacted storylines and superstars for years to come.
His mic skills were extraordinary, Austin’s promos had a personal edge to them because of these kinds of promos the lines between reality and scripted was blurred. Austin also introduced the popular "What?" chant in professional wrestling.
His rivalries with Vince McMahon, The Rock, The Undertaker, Triple H, and Bret Hart were terrific. Particularly the rivalry between Austin and Vince McMahon was one of the most entertaining rivalries in pro wrestling.
Austin won 19 championships during his eminent career. He also won the Royal Rumble a record 3 times and also won the King of The Ring tournament in 1996, where the famous Austin 3:16 promo was cut by him. "Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass" according to me might be the most iconic mic drop in wrestling history.
The best match of his career was against Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 13, the match was a perfect technical masterpiece and had amazing storytelling.
Austin retired in 2003. He was inducted into WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 by Vince McMahon.