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wrestler, born Steve Anderson, on December 18, 1964, in
Victoria, Texas. Raised by his mother and stepfather, Ken
Williams—he never knew his biological father—Steve grew
up in Edna, Texas, as part of a big family. In high school,
he was inducted into the National Honor Society before
winning a football scholarship to the University of North
Texas. In 1987, just a few credits shy of a degree in
physical education, Steve Williams dropped out of college
and began working on a loading dock near Houston, Texas.
In 1989, after developing a serious
interest in professional wrestling, Williams joined a new
wrestling school in Dallas. After graduation, he joined the
United States Wrestling Association and in 1990 had his
first professional match. During his first year on the tour,
Williams traveled around the southern United States, earning
$20 a fight and living in his car. In 1991, having dropped
his good guy persona and taken on a new
name—“Stunning” Steve Austin—he made his World
Championship Wrestling debut.
During his career with WCW, Austin formed
a partnership with “Flyin’” Brian Pillman; as the
“Hollywood Blonds,” they won the 1993 World Tag Team
Championship. Austin also won the 1993 WCW United States
Championship. In 1994, he tore his tricep while wrestling in
Japan and was subsequently fired by WCW, a rejection he
would not forget easily. After a stint in Extreme
Championship Wrestling, Austin signed with the World
Wrestling Federation in late 1995. Another revamping of his
image resulted in a new name—“Stone Cold”—a new
bald-headed look, and a new signature finishing move, the
“Stone Cold stunner.”
From 1995 to 1999, Austin won four
federation championships and numerous other tag team and
individual titles. His persistence became legendary: after
suffering a serious nerve injury to his neck in early 1997,
Austin came back to win the WWF championship that year. He
has a reputation among his fans as an aggressive rebel who
defies all authority, especially the infamous owner of the
WWF, Vince McMahon. Austin’s long-running feud with
McMahon, extending to several bouts within the ring, has
raised WWF television ratings and increased Austin’s
popularity. Also known as the “Texas Rattlesnake,”
Austin is widely considered one of the WWF’s most popular
wrestlers. In 1998 alone, he made an estimated $1.2 million
salary plus a huge sum in merchandising royalties.
In addition to his success in the WWF,
Austin has pursued an interest in acting. In 1998 and 1999,
he appeared on several episodes of the TV series Nash
Bridges as Jake Cage, a renegade policeman assisting the
show’s good guys.
Austin’s marriage to his first wife,
Kathy, was annulled. His second wife Jeannie, whom he
married in 1995, once served as his valet, Lady Blossom.
They have two children, Stephanie and Cassidy. They are now
divorced and Austin is engaged with another manager, Debrah.
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