Classic Feud Spotlight: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Brian Pillman — Wrestling’s Most Dangerous Rivalry That Never Fully Happened [VIDEOS]

SPOTLIGHT: Austin vs Pillman


Classic Feud Spotlight: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Brian Pillman — Wrestling’s Most Dangerous Rivalry That Never Fully Happened

Before "Austin 3:16" changed wrestling forever, and before Brian Pillman cemented himself as the unpredictable Loose Cannon, these two former allies collided in what should have been one of the Attitude Era’s defining feuds. It was personal. It was chaotic. And it was cut short — but the impact remains.

This wasn’t about five-star classics — it was about raw, unfiltered heat. With segments unfolding throughout the fall of 1996, the tension between Austin and Pillman escalated to one of the most controversial moments in Raw history: the infamous “Pillman’s Got a Gun” segment.

Though we never saw a definitive one-on-one match on live WWF television between the two, their feud offered a glimpse into the reality-blurring edge the WWF was about to lean fully into during the Austin Era that was going to take shape in the coming years.

Austin and Pillman, October 1996, Monday Night RAW

THE AUSTIN VS PILLMAN TIMELINE

  • 🗓️ Summer 1996: Austin’s King of the Ring victory sparks his solo rise.

  • 🗓️ Fall 1996: Pillman and Austin’s tensions boil over on Monday Night Raw through promos and wild backstage segments.

  • 🗓️ October 1996: Austin sends Pillman to the hospital



  • 🗓️ November 4, 1996: The infamous home invasion segment airs — “Pillman’s Got a Gun” shocks fans and pushes boundaries.

  • 🗓️ Summer 1997: Pillman returns to action and briefly crosses paths with Austin in tag matches.


  • 🗓️ June 16, 1997: WWF WAR ZONE — Pillman vs Austin

  • 🗓️ October 5, 1997: Pillman is found dead the morning of WWF Badd Blood, ending the feud before it ever concluded.

LEGACY: A FEUD TOO REAL FOR 1996

This feud influenced the rise of the Attitude Era and blurred lines between story and reality culminating in the "Pillman's got a gun" moment a month later.

Stay tuned to Pro Wrestling Resource for the eventual spotlight on the segment that pushed TV wrestling to its most controversial edge: Pillman’s Got a Gun. 🎯



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