5 matches that cemented Stone Cold Steve Austin's legacy in WWE

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

The Rock and Stone Cold were two of the biggest superstars during the Attitude Era.

The two icons had some classic bouts at WrestleMania, going head-to-head on three occasions with The Rattlesnake prevailing on two. At WrestleMania 17, the two greats locked horns for the WWE Championship in one of the best Mania matches ever.

The superstars were the biggest babyfaces at the time but what happened in the contest left everyone surprised. Austin, for the first time since 1997, turned heel and sided with his arch nemesis, Vince McMahon, who helped The Rattlesnake secure the pinfall.

The match itself was incredible as both superstars dished out punishment to each other in an edge-of-the-seat affair. Seeing Austin shake hands with the boss after the contest is one of the most memorable in WrestleMania history.

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

Bret Hart and Stone Cold's rivalry has been well documented in WWE. This was the passing of the torch from one great of the past to another great of the present.

At Survivor Series 1996, The Rattlesnake showed The Excellence of Execution that he wasn't a superstar Bret could take lightly. Austin gave it his all in the bout which set this rivalry in motion.

At WrestleMania 13, Bret and Austin's feud reached boiling point with both superstars willing to go the distance to conquer the other. The match was simply awesome as both superstars didn't give an inch. Bret tried to dominate but every time he gained control Austin came back strong.

In the end, Hitman locked Stone Cold in the Sharpshooter, The Rattlesnake didn't tap out but passed out in defiance, giving Hart the victory. The resilience that Austin had shown made him a fan favorite, which also set his WWE domination into motion as The Attitude Era began to take effect.