5 moments that cemented Stone Cold Steve Austin's place in WWE history

Stone Cold Steve Austin is expected to return to WWE and interact with Kevin Owens this year at WrestleMania. The former Universal Champion has been taking digs at the Attitude Era legend's home state of Texas on television.

There were even reports indicating that WWE had approached Austin about returning to in-ring action for the first time in 19 years. However, those reports have dissipated. Although he won't wrestle in a match at The Grandest Stage of Them All, The Texas Rattlesnake is still expected to have a confrontation with Owens.

In anticipation of Austin's return to WWE, here are five moments that cemented his place in history:

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#1 The iconic Austin 3:16 promo

The fate of WWE might have been very different had the promotion chosen to follow its original plans and crown Triple H the 1996 King of the Ring. However, the DX member was taken to task for breaching kayfabe during the famous curtain call incident.

Steve Austin emerged as the winner instead, defeating Jake Roberts in the final. Mocking Roberts, who was playing a preacher character at the time, the irreverant Texas Rattlesnake unleashed the Austin 3:16 promo. This post-match interview propelled the future Hall of Famer towards superstardom and birthed the greatest catchphrase in wrestling history.

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#2 The classic at WWE WrestleMania 13

Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 was a classic

Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart had their first major clash at Survivor Series 1996. The Excellence of Execution had been off TV and accepted a match against the upstart after being taunted for several weeks. The Texas Rattlesnake pushed Hart to the limit but ultimately fell short.

The two stars faced off at WrestleMania 13 in a submission match with UFC legend Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee. This was arguably the greatest bout in WrestleMania history and is famous for the visual of a bloody Austin refusing to surrender despite being locked in the sharpshooter.

The match resulted in a double-turn and set the stage for Austin's momentous run as a babyface.

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#3 The first stunner to Vince McMahon

Madison Square Garden is one of the most famous arenas in the world and the home of WWE. During the first episode of RAW broadcast from the iconic venue on September 22, 1997, the audience got their first glimpse of the magic Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon would create together.

The iconoclastic Texan suffered a broken neck and temporary paralysis during his match with Owen Hart at SummerSlam, an injury that would take years off his career. After McMahon attempted to stop Austin from competing, the WWE Chairman received a stunner for his troubles. The audience went ballistic.

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#4 Confronting Mike Tyson

The confrontation with Tyson elevated Austin tremendously

In January 1998, Mike Tyson was on a break from boxing following the famous incident where he bit Evander Holyfield's ear. There was a mystique surrounding the legendary boxer at the time and Vince McMahon decided to capitalize on his popularity

Steve Austin took umbrage when McMahon introduced Tyson as the "baddest man on the planet" and confronted the former WBA Heavyweight Champion. The Texas Rattlesnake flipped off Tyson, resulting in a shoving match between the two.

This was not only one of the most iconic moments in RAW history but also sowed the seeds for the Austin-McMahon feud.

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#5 Giving The Corporation a beer shower

Steve Austin challenged The Rock for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 15. The Austin-McMahon feud was in full flow and WWE was at the peak of its popularity. The promotion needed a big angle on the go-home show to drive up anticipation for the blockbuster clash.

Austin interrupted The Rock and The Corporation by driving a Coors Light truck down the entrance ramp. The Texas Rattlesnake proceeded to cut an iconic promo, mocking The Great One's catchphrases before drowning The Corporation in beer.

The visual of Vince McMahon swimming in a puddle of beer had even the most jaded wrestling fans crying with laughter.