Stone Cold Steve Austin

Steven James Williams, better known as Stone Cold Steve Austin, was born on December 18, 1964, in Victoria, Texas. After playing college football at the University of North Texas, he began his professional wrestling career in 1989. He signed with World Championship Wrestling in 1991, adopting the persona of "Stunning" Steve Austin, where he won the WCW World Television Championship and the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship twice each, as well as a reign with the WCW World Tag Team Championship and NWA World Tag Team Championship alongside Brian Pillman as the Hollywood Blondes. Following a brief stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling, Austin joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1995.

In the WWF, Austin initially debuted as The Ringmaster before being repackaged as the anti-establishment antihero "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. His feud with chairman Vince McMahon made him the defining figure of the Attitude Era. He won the WWF Championship six times, the WWF Intercontinental Championship twice, and the WWF Tag Team Championship four times, becoming the fifth WWF Triple Crown Champion. A record three-time Royal Rumble winner, he also won the 1996 King of the Ring and headlined WrestleMania four times. Recurring knee injuries and a serious neck injury sustained at SummerSlam 1997 forced his retirement in 2003. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 and returned for a final match at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.