#5.) ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin – 1997
‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin was anyway on a big rise to the top, but this situation is something that only accelerated his rise and made it that much more impactful. It was WrestleMania 13 and Steve Austin faced Bret Hart in a submission match, which was also a rematch from Survivor Series the previous year.
It would turn out to be one of the greatest matches in WWE history and the finish saw Austin passed out in a pool of blood after refusing to tap out to The Sharpshooter. Austin’s resilience and Hart’s post-match attack cemented an incredible double turn and walking out of it, the roles were completely reversed.
This would kickstart a year-long run for Austin that would see him become increasingly popular by the week. A year later, he was coronated as WWF Champion and was the face of the franchise.
Next Page: 5 Losses That Kickstarted Incredible WWE Runs
