“Stunning” Steve Austin
"Stunning" Steve Austin was the WCW identity of the future Stone Cold — a blond, arrogant technician who became one of WCW's best in-ring workers. He held the World Television and United States titles twice each, won the World Tag Team titles with Brian Pillman as The Hollywood Blonds, and had a career-making feud with Ricky Steamboat — before Eric Bischoff fired him via FedEx in 1995.
- Real name Steven James Williams
- Promotion WCW (1991–1995)
- Tag team The Hollywood Blonds (w/ Brian Pillman)
- Titles WCW TV ×2, US ×2, World Tag
- Key feud Ricky Steamboat
- Exit Fired by Bischoff via FedEx, 1995
WCW's best-kept secret
Weeks into his WCW run in 1991, "Stunning" Steve Austin beat Bobby Eaton for the World Television Championship. Over the next four years he became one of the company's most reliable in-ring hands: a two-time TV champion, a two-time United States champion (first won from Dustin Rhodes at Starrcade '93), and one half of The Hollywood Blonds with Brian Pillman — a cocky, hugely entertaining tag team that won the World Tag Team titles and feuded with Ric Flair and Arn Anderson.
His feud with Ricky Steamboat produced a run of excellent matches and remains the in-ring highlight of the era. But a triceps tear on a 1995 tour changed everything: while he rehabbed, Eric Bischoff fired him via FedEx, calling him not marketable. It was the spark. Austin reinvented himself in ECW and then WWF — and became the biggest star the business had ever seen.
Notable WCW matches
| Result | Opponent | Event | Date | Stipulation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Bobby Eaton | WCW TV | 1991 | WCW TV Title (first singles title) |
| Win | Steamboat & Shane Douglas | WCW TV | 1993 | World Tag Titles (Hollywood Blonds) |
| Win | Dustin Rhodes | Starrcade | 1993 | US Title (2-of-3 falls) |
| Loss | Ricky Steamboat | Clash of the Champions XX | 1992 | WCW TV Title |
Full split-by-promotion record on the main Stone Cold profile.