Analyzing A Major Storyline Or Event In Professional Wrestling History

Analyzing a Major Storyline in Professional Wrestling History: Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon
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Analyzing a Major Storyline in Professional Wrestling History: Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon
Professional wrestling has a very critical fanbase. Fans of wrestling usually appear to enjoy voicing their complaints as regards a terribly poor match or a horrifying angle just as much as they are pleased about good matches. Nowadays, the positives appear to be greatly outweighed by the negatives, with Impact Wrestling lurching from disaster to disaster and the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) sleepwalking through all storylines (Dey). Even so, the outcome could really be great when the wrestling industry gets something right, reminding the people why they, in fact, became fans of wrestling in the first place. This could come in the form of an iconic promotion or an outstanding wrestling match, although the most gripping moments often occur owing to a brilliant storytelling (Maguire 54). For such a simple concept, Eric (1) mentioned that wrestling could be utilized in telling a wide range of tales, from complex stories to simple ones, rousing emotions of excitement, sorrow, anger, and even elation. Just like any other creative medium, some storylines in the history of wrestling stand out than others. This paper critically analyzes one of the major storylines in profession wrestling’s history.
From WWE and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) to Total Nonstop Action (TNA) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the professional wrestling world has given its fans numerous storylines that remain imprinted in memories (Ross). From the past, the wrestling industry has given the fans fantastic storylines and events such as the Booker T versus Chris Benoit United States Title feud, Andre the Giant versus Hulk Hogan, Goldberg’s undefeated streak, The Iron Sheik versus Backlund, the Outsiders Invasion angle, and Owen Hart versus Bret Hart among others (Beaston 1). Over the recent past, wrestling fans have watched outstanding ones such as CM Punk versus Paul Heyman/Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan versus The Authority, and John Cena versus The Rock to name just a few.
Nevertheless, one storyline that stands out as one of the greatest of all is the one that involved Stone Cold Steve Austin versus Vincent McMahon in the WWE. Thanks largely to McMahon initiating a kayfabe war against a wrestler whom he considered as a discredit to the WWE Championship title, Austin was able to become the greatest antihero of all (Morton and O’Brien 43). The feud managed to revamp all symbolic struggles of the Establishment versus the Working Man (Eric 2). This was also probably Vince’s promotional masterpiece. At one point or another, Vince McMahon has been able to bring virtually every top wrestler in the WWE into the stable of the Authority. Steve Austin shed quarts of blood over almost five years at the company and held onto the WWE Championship belt before thousands of wrestling fans in various nations worldwide (Konuwa 11).
When Stone Cold became WWE Heavyweight Champion in the year 1998, Konuwa (12) pointed out that sky appeared to be the limit for this promising antihero. However, Steve Austin needed to have a villain who could match his great popularity with shear evil. That villain happened to be Vince McMahon, who had been able to evolve gradually into a maniacal boss at the company, arising from the events of the Montreal Screwjob of 1997 in which there was no reverting to his straight laced announcer image (Austin, Ross and Brent 19).
The moment Vincent McMahon became simply Mr. McMahon, he and Stone Cold easily captivated the sentiments and emotions of any regular wrestling fan who felt nothing more than attacking their bosses and authority figures. This storyline effectively carried the company to heights that had never been seen earlier as Vincent McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin were able to keep their feud fresh through various stunts, angles, and wrestling matches (Austin, Ross and Brent 20).
The feud between Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin was a never planned feud. It fell into place as a result of several dissimilar circumstances within the wrestling company. Business was beginning to thrive when all things halted at the summer of the year 1996 (Beaston 2). Stone cold was beginning to pick up steam when he suffered a career-threatening injury at the Summer Slam event of 1997 that resulted in him being sidelined. This injury, which he suffered in a match against Owen Hart, stopped the momentum of Stone Cold right in its tracks. His wrestling career was in a serious danger (Dey 7).
Vincent was also not having any luck as he found himself in a very strange and difficult situation in which the WWE Champion had signed with the company’s biggest competitor at the time, namely WCW, whilst still holding the WWE championship belt. This competitor was crushing Vince McMahon’s company the WWE (Ross). McMahon was several steps behind a new era in Attitude within the professional wrestling business. At this time, Vince was under massive amount of stress (Austin, Ross and Brent 22).
The initial seed was planted when Vince stripped Dude Love and Stone Cold off their tag team championship titles. Stone Cold then threatened Vince. That seed was watered on 22nd September 1997. On this day, the WWE was having its biggest RAW show of 1997 which was being held at the Madison Square Garden (Austin, Ross and Brent 23). Still not yet cleared by the medical professionals to wrestle, Stone Cold attacked Owen Hart. In so doing, he violated a restraining order. McMahon intervened by trying to talk some sense into Stone Cold but he instead received a Stone Cold Stunner from Steve Austin. The spectators went insane and one could begin envisaging a likely feud between the two (Eric).
Towards of end of 1997, Vince turned the Survivor Series/Bret Hart fiasco into a positive and gradually started transforming into the heel maniacal Chief Executive Officer that wrestling fans all over the globe would see sooner or later. Fans were able to see glimpses of it when Stone Cold ruined the appearance of Mike Tyson on a RAW ...