Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time, hands down, and those hands are almost definitely wrapped around some 12-ouncers. Even though he only occasionally appears in and around the ring these days, having found a second calling as a host and interviewer, fans will no doubt continue showing up at upcoming WWE events with their "Austin 3:16" t-shirts and signs, just as it's gone for the past 27 years or so. The phrase still secures a prominent spot in the company's merchandising, but with so many years between now and the its origins, it can be easy to forget where it all started.
Wrestlers try out a bunch of lines over their career, but barely any of the ones that stick are able to reach the heights of popularity and financial domination as the Texas Rattlesnake's semi-slogan. But Austin 3:16 did indeed dominate for a good bit of the Attitude Era, and it started primarily because of a match Steve Austin took part in just as his Stone Cold persona was gaining stream in the WWE.
Stone Cold Steve Austin First Used The Phrase At King Of The Ring 1996
Though Stone Cold Steve Austin certainly made his debut with that moniker ahead of the fall pay-per-view, many credit the athlete's official burst into WWE superstardom to his work during 1996's King Of The Ring tournament. Austin punched and kicked his way through the tournament and made it all the way to the finals, for which he took on another serpent-related WWE legend, Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
At the time of this match, Roberts had his own new gimmick of sorts, where he was a born-again Christian lugging around a white Burmese python named "Revelations" in his signature snake sack. The gimmick was meant to mirror the real-life change experienced by Roberts as he embraced Christianity.
The match was originally planned to be a close contest, with the older Superstar falling just short of defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin. Unfortunately, Roberts was already suffering from an injury sustained during his previous bout with the late legend Vader, and as such, the plan shifted to have Austin defeat him quickly to prevent further injury. As Roberts hobbled his way to the back, Austin added insult to injury and said the following to his opponent during a post-match interview with Michael Hayes:
You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your Psalms. Talk about John 3:16. Austin 3:16 says 'I just whipped your ass!'
So it was spoken, and so it would remain for many years to come. But what makes that night and that interview even more amazing is that the Biblical reference wasn't the only iconic catchphrase making an introduction.
It's also noteworthy that Austin dropped perhaps his second most iconic catchphrase in this promo: "And that's the bottom line!" It's here that wrestling historians officially coronated Stone Cold Steve Austin, both literally and figuratively, and ran with the gimmick like wildfire. Those looking to watch the iconic moment can view the full pay-per-view with a Peacock Premium subscription.
What Stone Cold Steve Austin Has Said About The Catchphrase And Promo
Stone Cold Steve Austin has talked about that iconic moment over the years, and in particular spoke about the creation of "Austin 3:16" at length during an interview with the titular host of The Rich Eisen Show in 2022. Austin revealed he'd also sustained an injury earlier in the night, and it was when he returned from being treated that Michael Hayes alerted him about Jake The Snake Roberts cutting a promo about needing God's help to win the match.
Austin explained that was when the gears started turning in his head regarding how he could spin that, and after he was reminded of a once popular trend at various sporting events, the iconic moment came together. In his words:
Back in the day in the old football days they always had the John 3:16 posters behind the field goal or point after attempt, right? And I said, 'Oh man, I got one for his ass,' and I just spun that thing out there.
Thinking on his toes paid off big for the wrestler, and there's no explaining just how lucky he was to catch fire right when he did. Triple H was supposed to be the winner of King Of The Ring 1996, but was punished for breaking character at a house show at Madison Square Garden in an incident known in the wrestling world as the "curtain call."
This meant Stone Cold Steve Austin was able to take the win, and when the spotlight was on him, he took full advantage. Austin continued and talked about how influential the promo was, and how it started the massive run he had as Stone Cold:
I hit two grand slams at two at-bats at an event I was never supposed to win. It was just something that I capitalized on. The timing was right, I was right, and I was ready so magic happened that night.
To think, had that promo been any less electric, Stone Cold Steve Austin might've never taken off in WWE on the level that he did. Fortunately, Vince McMahan ran with it, and we saw the Texas Rattlesnake open up cans of whoop ass for many years after.
The Legacy Of Austin 3:16
Catchphrases mean cash in the WWE, and they can have some real moneymaking staying power if they're popular enough. It's well-documented that while Steve Austin rarely appears in the ring anymore despite frequent rumors of his return, his "Austin 3:16: shirt remains the best-selling t-shirt that the WWE sells. That's a pretty impressive feat, especially in an era that's seen Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and plenty of other larger-than-life wrestling superstars who transitioned to Hollywood.
The "Austin 3:16" merch has been so successful that the WWE currently has spin-off shirts that feature the "3:16" fronted by the names of cities where events take place. The popularity may have grown far beyond what the original phrase was all about, much like Austin's use went beyond the religious origins, but wrestling fans seemingly recognize it enough and continue to buy it all the same. It's a pretty simple story, but one that has become a major part of WWE history.
Stone Cold Steve Austin hasn't had another match since his surprise return at WrestleMania 38, but there's hope he'll be included in the fun at WrestleMania 40. Regardless of his involvement, I'm sure there will be plenty of "Austin 3:16" merch seen on-screen regardless.
