Stone Common cold Steve Austin's heel turn at Wrestlemania 17 is viewed by many as one of the worst heel-turns in WWE history. People criticize the way it was done, the timing of it, and just what came after information technology.

Stone Cold would remain a heel for about a year after hisWrestlemaniaturn in what is i of the nigh forgotten periods of WWE. WWE itself very rarely acknowledges this period where fans saw Stone Cold as a "bad guy". For all the critics of a heel Rock Cold, some fans who deem this flow as underrated and underappreciated. With that in heed, information technology's time to breakdown the good and bad of Stone Cold as a heel.

10 Hated: Information technology Was As well Soon

Although Stone Common cold wasn't equally red hot as he was in 2001 compared to 1998, he was still the summit babyface in the visitor. It had only been a footling over iii years that Stone Cold was riding this magical babyface run, making there no signal to stop it in its tracks at the fourth dimension. Stars like John Cena and Blob Hogan were babyfaces for over a decade before going stale. WWE should take ridden the Rock Cold train a few years longer.

9 Loved: The One-act

While the best version of Stone Cold was the angry, anti-authority version, it was refreshing to see his full capabilities as an entertainer during his time as a heel in WWE. Austin was placed in numerous comedic backstage segments that highlighted just how funny he was. Segments betwixt Austin and Angle during this time were unforgettable, extremely entertaining, and express joy-out-loud funny. This is the 1 aspect of Austin'south heel run that WWE doesn't try to hide from fans.

8 Hated: Hugging Vince McMahon

While the indicate of turning Austin heel was to change his character to make fans dislike him, some tactics made no sense and were flat-out awful. In particular, the idea to magically transform Austin every bit a lunatic with a sudden love for Vince McMahon who constantly hugged him was not merely dizzy but also made no sense.

This character aligning aggravated fans towards WWE and not the Austin character, leaving many to wonder how such an atrocious idea fabricated it on television set at all.

seven Loved: Helping Other Stars

Stone Common cold every bit a babyface left very little room to put-over the other wrestlers he was working with. The original Stone Common cold grapheme was loved for his ability to crush everyone with his toughness. On the other hand, the heel Stone Cold graphic symbol was able to show some weakness and highlight the talents of new stars like Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho, and Booker T to name a few. This was not just entertaining simply helped these characters become major stars for years to come.

6 Hated: Having To Boo A Hero

Like to the topic of Stone Cold's heel turn coming besides soon, a major flaw of his heel run was that WWE was having a hard time getting fans to detest him. Ane of the master reasons for this stemmed from the fact that fans simply did non want to boo Austin all the same. They had become so endeared with his time every bit a babyface character that they weren't ready to permit that go. This was non merely credible by crowd reactions but also an overall sentiment from fans at the fourth dimension.

5 Loved: The Matches

Many people forget that Stone Cold's heel run was filled with some of his best piece of work every bit far as an in-ring performer. While Austin was helping to make new stars, he was too putting on corking matches with them. Most notable is Austin'due south match with Kurt Bending at Summerslam, every bit well as his diverse matches with Jericho, Van Dam, and Benoit. Some believe that it is Austin's in-band fashion that makes him better suited as a heel performer in regards to developing a groovy lucifer.

4 Hated: Awful Writing

Unfortunately, Austin'south heel-run coincided with the abysmal invasion angle that everyone wishes never happened. Even worse, WWE had Austin completely intertwined in this mess as the leader of the brotherhood. It made no sense why a top WWE star was siding with a company that he previously had problems with, not to mention the confusing flipping dorsum-and-along that occurred equally well.

This along with other poor writing decisions certainly hurt Austin's endeavour at existence a successful heel character.

3 Loved: Milk-O-Mania

Without Rock Cold existence a heel nosotros likely would have never gotten milk-o-mania with Kurt Angle. Stone Cold spraying Vince McMahon with beer from a beer truck is 1 ofRaw's near iconic moments. Fast frontwards a few years later on, Austin would be on the receiving end of the aforementioned treatment, except it was delivered by Kurt Bending with milk from a milk truck. This segment couldn't take worked with anyone merely these two characters and became another iconic moment on WWE idiot box.

2 Hated: Burning Stone Common cold Out

All of the negatives listed in this article contributed to Austin walking out of WWE in 2002 due to frustration and feeling burnt out. Starting with this heel run, Austin felt his character was being written and booked poorly for a long menstruum. Additionally, Austin has stated turning heel during this fourth dimension is ane of the biggest regrets of his career. Had this heel run never occurred, it'due south entirely possible that Austin never gets burnt out and doesn't leave WWE in 2002.

1 Loved: The "What?" Dirge

One of the longest-lasting WWE crowd chants was born through Stone Cold'south run as a heel. Austin'due south graphic symbol would repeatedly ask an antagonist "What?" in response to anything they would say to get under their peel. Despite beingness a heel, WWE crowds latched onto the catchphrase and started shouting it on their ain during Austin'southward promos. Years afterward with Austin out of WWE, fans still chant this catchphrase during other wrestler's fourth dimension on the microphone.

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