Stone Cold Steve Austin Becomes Bloody Babyface (1997)
The fabled “double turn” gained its fame thanks to two WWE Hall of Famers: Bret Hart and Steve Austin.
Leading up to their match at WrestleMania 13, a heel(ish) Stone Cold was developing into a rebellious, foul-mouthed anti-hero. His promo at the 1996 King of the Ring pay-per-view gave rise to “Austin 3:16” and his most famous catchphrase: “And that’s the bottom line cuz Stone Cold said so.”
Meanwhile, the WWF audience was growing tired of Bret Hart’s stale babyface character. He carried himself with a nauseating self-importance, often whining about the injustices he faced in the ring. Austin called him out for it, and the stage was set for a role reversal.
The commentators, ironically led by Vince McMahon, championed Stone Cold’s badassery and bemoaned Bret Hart’s sour attitude. Austin’s tough S.O.B. status was solidified when he, bleeding profusely from his head, refused to tap out to the Sharpshooter (making good on his promise) until he passed out.
The Hitman earned the victory, but Austin won respect from the fans for not giving up and for walking out on his own power. On a macro level, the performance set him up to become the most overwhelmingly beloved WWE superstar of all time.
