Pro wrestling fans celebrated WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on Saturday in observance of what has become something of an annual holiday in the wrestling community.
Saturday is March 16, meaning it is “3:16 Day,” which references the iconic Austin 3:16 promo that Stone Cold cut at King of the Ring 1996. That promo helped launch Austin into superstardom and was the start of him becoming one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time.
The Texas Rattlesnake took to X on Saturday to acknowledge 3:16 Day, using one of his signature catchphrases:
After enjoying success in WCW as a midcard act under the name “Stunning” Steve Austin, Stone Cold had a brief run in ECW, and then signed with WWE in 1995.
There initially wasn’t much hope for him becoming a breakout star, as he was saddled with a stinker of a gimmick in The Ringmaster, but Austin’s big personality eventually took over, and the fans got behind him.
On the heels of winning King of the Ring 1996, Austin’s career exploded, as he went on to win the 1997, 1998 and 2001 Royal Rumbles, and he competed in the main event of WrestleMania 14, 15 and 17 as well.
Austin beat Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 14 to become WWE champion for the first time, but he was already a made man before that thanks to his interactions with legendary boxer Mike Tyson, who was a special enforcer for the WrestleMania 14 match.
The Bionic Redneck went on to have memorable rivalries with many of the top stars of the time, including The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, Kane and Mankind.
Due to a number of significant injuries, including ones to his neck, Austin retired from in-ring competition after losing to The Rock at WrestleMania 19 in 2003.
However, 19 years later, Stone Cold returned to the ring at WrestleMania 38, beating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match in the main event of Night 1.
Austin was as popular as ever with the WWE Universe, and he proved that he could still get it done in the ring.
It is unclear if there is one more match in the 59-year-old’s future, but regardless, 3:16 Day is an annual reminder of how beloved he is by wrestling fans.
