10 shocking moments from WWF (WWE) 2001

#4 Kurt Angle threatens to drown Stone Cold

Austin Vs. Angle

The Attitude Era is known as one of, if not the most successful periods of the WWF's history. A major contributing factor to that was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Just as Vince was staring straight at the possibility being wiped out by a richer, more star-studded competitor, the Texan would emerge as the most exciting Superstar the fans had seen since Hulk Hogan.

The WWF rode the wave of the McMahon vs. Austin rivalry for the better part of four years which enabled the company to bring much-needed viewers back to RAW and helped other Superstars swell the ranks of Vince's impressive main-event and mid-card division.

However, once the war had been won and the dust had settled, Stone Cold went through a dramatic character change, first turning heel at Wrestlemania X-7 and later joining the Alliance. In his absence from the babyface side of the ranks, in stepped Kurt Angle who would effectively become the leader of WWF's fight back against WCW and ECW.

Austin and Angle feuded over the WWF Championship throughout much of the summer, leading to a handful of shocking moments. Stone Cold initiated the heat between the two when he threw Angle's medals into a river on an episode of Smackdown. On the following episode of RAW, the former Olympian would get his revenge 100-times over.

As Stephanie was presenting her ally with a new pick-up truck, Angle ambushed Austin from behind, driving off with him in the back along with rope and a cinderblock. Footage later cut to the pair at a riverside with Austin blindfolded and tied to the block. Angle threatened to throw Austin in the river, an act that would cause the death of the former WWF top babyface.

After a period of time in which fans witnessed a complete reversal of the previous Austin character, the Texan cried and begged for his life, offering to give Angle a shot at his title at Unforgiven. The situation was resolved but not before Angle threw his nemesis into a kiddie pool and drove off leaving Austin stranded at the roadside.