A six-time world champion with a tough and rebellious charm, Stone Cold Steve Austin unarguably recorded numerous in-ring accomplishments, which saw his torrid rise to the top of the WWE pyramid. The WWE Hall of Famer may have stepped away from the ring, yet his records have continued to speak eloquently as one of the league’s greatest phenomenon ever. And instead of allowing himself to slide into oblivion upon retirement – as many other former pro athletes like him have done – Stone Cold transitioned into a maverick actor, TV, and podcast host who continues to entertain fans on-air.
Here, you will find out how the wrestling legend established himself as one of pro wrestling’s biggest icons in history. You will also get to know a lot more about him, including his career transition, as well as life outside the glitz and glamor of his career achievements.
What Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Childhood Looked Like
The Texas Rattlesnake was born as Steve James Anderson on December 18, 1964. While his birthplace is Austin, Texas, United States of America, it was in Edna – another Texas city – that he was raised alongside his siblings Scott, Kevin, Jeff, and Jennifer. His father James Anderson and his mother Beverly separated, while he was still a toddler. Stone Cold’s mom moved on and married Ken Williams, the man that eventually became his foster father.
Steve Austin’s athletic skills were evident from his days as a student at Edna High School, where he participated actively in various sports, especially football, baseball, and track events. He later won a football scholarship to study at Wharton County Junior College.
Steve would have earned a degree in physical education while eventually studying on a full scholarship at the University of North Texas but was short by a few credits. He later ditched college to pursue other interests. Before professional wrestling, Steve Austin had to do some odd jobs such as dock loading to earn a living.
This Is How The Wrestler-turned-actor Made His Wealth
After working for a while, Stone Cold Steve Austin caught the wrestling bug and decided to first hone his in-ring skills in Dallas in the year 1989. He later joined the United States Wrestling Association and made his wrestling debut in Texas in 1990. A year later, Austin joined WCW with the stage name “Stunning Steve Austin.”
Unfortunately, Austin encountered his first career shock when he was soon sacked from WCW due to an elbow injury. After his recovery, he moved on to ECW. The muscular wrestler quickly struck a chord in the hearts of many with his tough, trash-talking persona, and soon landed a deal with WWE in January 1996. Austin made his WWE debut as “The Ringmaster,” and after winning his first contest, his journey to superstardom in WWE was established, and “Stone Cold” was born.
The Texas Rattlesnake’s Stone Cold character was that of a villainous alcoholic who endeared himself even more to his audience for fighting his boss. In the course of his glittering eight-year WWE career, Steve Austin had some remarkable bouts with other wrestling superstars. More so, he went on to become one of the most profitable wrestlers in WWE history.
Steve Austin had a decorated in-ring career: As earlier hinted on, he is a six-time WWE world champion, a two-time Intercontinental champion, a three-time Royal Rumble winner, and a Triple Crown Champion. Moreover, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. After several memorable WWE appearances, Stone Cold retired from in-ring competition at WrestleMania 19 but didn’t go completely off the scene as he continued to entertain fans in a series of one-off appearances and also undertook some non-wrestling characters.
His Other Exploits Outside Wrestling
After retiring from the ring, the three-time Royal Rumble title holder transformed into an actor/TV host and now has several credits on the silver screen. The Texas Rattlesnake also ventured into business and launched his beer brand. Steve Austin made his acting debut in 2005 with the movie The Longest Yard. He has since followed up with other film credits, including The Condemned (2007), The Expendables (2010), Grown Ups 2 (2013), Finders Keepers (2014), and Smosh: The Movie (2015).
On TV, Steve has appeared in many series such as V.I.P, The Bernie Mac Show, Nash Bridges, and Chuck, among others. The WWE Hall Of Famer is also a TV host and can be recognized from shows like Tough Enough, Redneck Island, Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge, and more recently, USA Network’s new docuseries Straight Up Steve Austin. Steve also runs the Stone Cold Podcast, which began airing in 2014.
From a school dropout to a dock loader, down to a regular wrestler living out of his car, and then establishing himself as one of the world’s most lucrative wrestlers, Stone Cold Steve Austin has undeniably done well for himself. During his active in-ring years, the ex-WWE star reportedly once made an estimated $1.2 million salary plus a huge sum in merchandising royalties. While his current post-retirement earnings have not been disclosed, the WWE Hall of Famer enjoys a net worth that is currently estimated at $45 million.
How Has Stone Cold Steve Austin Fared In His Relationships And Family Life?
There is no doubt that Steve Austin has been super-successful in his career life. But it appears he has not quite been able to duplicate this success in his love life. Thus, he has made four marital attempts in his lifetime so far. His first marriage was with Kathryn Burrhus, his childhood sweetheart. They got hitched in November 1990, and two years later, in August 1992, they went their separate ways. Thereafter, Austin quickly moved on and married his second wife Jeannie Clark in December 1992, but their union was also short-lived as they officially parted ways in May 1999.
In September of the following year, Stone Cold married his third wife and WWE diva, Debra Marshall. But like his previous relationships, it also ended in divorce on the allegations of domestic violence. In 2009, Steve married his fourth wife Kristen Austin, and they are still together to date. The former wrestler is a proud father of three daughters. His marriage with Clark produced two biological daughters, Stephanie and Cassidy. Austin also adopted Clark’s daughter, Jade from her previous relationship. His other relationships did not produce children.
Facts About His Height and Body Measurements
It is no secret that Steve Austin has a muscular build. Although the Texas Rattlesnake appears way taller onscreen, he stands at a height of 1.88 meters (6 feet 2 inches), complemented by the bodyweight of about 114 kg or 252 lbs (which was his recorded weight at the height of his career). His biceps reportedly measured between 16 and 18 inches. His chest measured 42 inches in his prime while his waist was 32 inches. With his iris being blue, and his head always bald, Cold is known for cutting the perfect macho figure of a hard man.
