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Stone Cold Steve Austin Ran Through the Forbidden Door Way Before Billionaire Tony Khan

Published 04/23/2022, 3:00 PM EDT

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Stone Cold Steve Austin began his wrestling career around the 1990s. Over the following 12-13 years, Stone Cold Steve Austin has wrestled with four major wrestling promotions. Nowadays, the term “Forbidden Door” is thrown away casually in professional wrestling.

However, Stone Cold Steve Austin kicked open an alternate version of his own forbidden door before it was fantastic. The Forbidden Door essentially means that when two historic wrestling promotions join forces for an ultimate showcase.

Recently, WWE’s rival promotion, AEW, announced its collaboration with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). For the wrestling fans of the modern generation, this will be an exciting showcase when two major wrestling promotions meet together.  

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But, back in the mid-90s, The Texas Rattlesnake shocked the wrestling fans. In 1995, WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin jumped ship to massive wrestling companies such as WWF (WWE), WCW, ECW, and NJPW.

Stone Cold Steve Austin from WCW to NJPW!

Before starting as “Stone Cold” in the WWE, Austin wrestled as “Stunning” Steve Austin for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Steve Austin stayed with WCW from 1991 to 1995. And after two years in WCW, Austin bagged the WCW World Television Championship.

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During Austin’s WCW days, Paul E. Dangerously, aka Paul Heyman, had his eyes on a young Texas wrestler. Austin had a successful run in WCW as World Televised Champion. He was also tag team champions with Brian Pillman as Hollywood Blonds.

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According to Cagematch, The Texas Rattlesnake, for two months in 1995, explored his wrestling moves in Japan. Steve Austin moved to NJPW and wrestled from May 1995 to June 1995 with the Japanese Westling promotion.

For those who don’t know, Steve Austin wrestled with NJPW because former WCW boss Eric Bischoff fired him over a phone call. Back then, it was rumored that Austin was fired from Bischoff’s company because he didn’t see any potential in the young Austin.

From “Superstar” in ECW to “Stone Cold” in WWE!

Paul Heyman contacted him when “Stunning” Steve Austin was fired from WWE’s rival company. Heyman eventually brought him up to ECW as “Superstar” Steve Austin. It was Austin’s ECW brief stint that echoed his character and persona to further make history in the WWE.

In addition, The Texas Rattlesnake has claimed that Paul Heyman, in his ECW stint, taught him to cut the best in-ring promos. ECW run of Austin foreshadowed the development of his future gimmick.

When Did Steve Austin Become “Stone Cold?”

It was about time for the young Texas Rattlesnake to rise in the wrestling industry when he stepped inside the WWE. After stepping into Vince McMahon’s company, there was no looking back for Steve Austin.

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In late 1995, Austin performed as The Ringmaster for the WWE. However, he officially debuted in WWE on January 8, 1996, and was introduced as The Ringmaster and awarded the Million Dollar Championship.

 

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When Austin had a meeting with Mr. McMahon, they both agreed that The Ringmaster gimmick was becoming weak. This incident gave birth to the WWE legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

The Texas Rattlesnake traveled through the so-called “Forbidden Door” before the Billionaire Tony Khan did.

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Written by:

Akash Dhakite

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Akash Dhakite is a WWE writer at EssentiallySports. Since he was three years old, Akash has been a fan of WWE, which gives him an ascendancy of knowledge about this sport. He grew up watching John Cena and to ‘Never Give Up’ is something that he has learned from him.
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Edited by:

Ajinkya Aswale