In May 1996, an incident known as the "Curtain Call" involving Hunter Hearst Helmsley—later known as Triple H—led to changes in booking plans, removing him from the finals of the 1996 King of the Ring tournament. As a result, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin took his place in the finals, where his victory sparked the legendary "Austin 3:16" promo.
"..Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!"
Austin carried that momentum into an excellent match against Bret "The Hitman" Hart at the 1996 Survivor Series on November 17. In the months that followed, anticipation built for the next "major" pay-per-view, the WWF Royal Rumble, where the winner would earn a shot at the WWF World Championship at WrestleMania 13. However, due to backstage drama, beyond Austin's control involving Shawn Michaels, Austin wouldn’t receive his title match until WrestleMania XIV the following year.
Despite this, Austin showcased his talent and made a major impact at the 1997 Royal Rumble, controversially eliminating the "rightful" winner to claim victory. This set the stage for one of the most iconic matches in WrestleMania history—his No Disqualification Submission Match against Hart at WrestleMania 13. A match that would later be honored at the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame with the inaugural WWE Immortal Moment award.
WWF SUPERSTARS
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs "The Stalker" Barry Windham
Filmed on November 19, 1996
Aired on USA Network on December 15, 1996
Springfield, Massachusetts
IN YOUR HOUSE 12
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Goldust (Dustin Rhodes)
December 15, 1996
Palm Beach, Florida
WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Vader
Aired on December 16, 1996
Tampa, Florida
WWF SUPERSTARS
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Jason Ahrndt
Aired on December 22, 1996
Daytona Beach, Florida
WWF SUPERSTARS
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a Two-on-One Handicap Match
Aired on December 29, 1996
Daytona Beach, Florida
WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW
Bret Hart & Savio Vega vs Steve Austin & Faarooq
Aired on December 30, 1996
Albany, New York
WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW
Filmed on December 30, 1996
Aired on January 6, 1997
WWF SUPERSTARS
Appearance by The Iron Sheik
Filmed on December 17, 1996
Aired on January 12, 1997
Daytona Beach, Florida
WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW
The British Bulldog vs The Rock
with "Stone Cold" Appearance
Aired on January 13, 1996
Albany, New York
Commentary: Vince McMahon and Bret Hart
