Steve Austin’s WWE character was arguably the greatest in wrestling history for the variety of reasons why he thrived. There were different levels to Austin’s character with both face and heel sides with many versions. However, most of his WWE career featured Austin coming off as a smart wrestler that used his brain.

RELATED: Every Stable & Tag Team That Steve Austin Was Part Of, Ranked Worst To Best

WWE protected Austin stronger than most other wrestlers and booked to his strengths. Austin did this in every manner from the sadistic heel side to the endearing face. The moments showed that Austin wasn’t going to look foolish and remained one step ahead of his opponents. Austin had the following moments that showed him as the smartest wrestler in WWE.

10 Counting Pin With Knocked Out Referee Vince McMahon's Hand

Steve Austin v Dude Love Over The Edge 1998 Cropped

The antics of Steve Austin to overcome Vince McMahon’s power as an authority figure saw him getting creative with some entertaining moments. McMahon stacked the odds against Austin during a No DQ match against Mick Foley playing the Dude Love character.

RELATED: 10 Awesome Stone Cold vs. Vince McMahon Moments You Forgot About

Various associates of Vince had roles ring announcing and ringing the bell, but McMahon refused to count for Austin as the referee. A spot saw Vince getting knocked out and Austin using his hands to count the pin fall over Foley to successfully retain to a huge pop.

9 Trying To Help Enemy Bret Hart Win WWE Championship

Bret Hart Sycho Sid

A wild steel cage match on Raw between Bret Hart and Sycho Sid for the WWE Championship featured Steve Austin and The Undertaker getting involved. WrestleMania 13 was already slated to feature Hart vs Austin and Undertaker vs Sid as the double main event.

Those matches were not changing, so the winner of the cage match would have his match for the WWE Championship. Austin was the first one trying to interfere to help his rival Bret win since he brilliantly wanted a title shot. However, Undertaker came out to stop Austin, and it led to Sid beating Hart to retain.

8 Planning A Sneak Attack On The Rock With The Hurricane's Help

The Rock Concert

Steve Austin’s final feud as an active in-ring competitor came against The Rock heading into WrestleMania 19. Rock was thriving with his Hollywood character getting over as an entertaining heel, and he teased a big concert running down Austin.

Security tried to block Austin from coming to the ring when his music played, and his truck was driving to the ring. Rock’s other enemy The Hurricane was the driver as a hilarious bait and switch. Austin entered the ring with the distraction allowing him to get some shots in on Rock.

7 Jumping Off Cage When Big Show Debuted To Win Match

Big Show WWE Debut

In Your House: St. Valentine’s Day Massacre had the biggest match between Steve Austin and Vince McMahon inside of a steel cage. The match paid off their incredible feud with Austin having to win to get a title shot at WrestleMania 15 vs The Rock.

Austin and McMahon brawled for a while to give fans their desired outcome of Vince having to back up his big mouth. Big Show debuted from under the ring and tossed Austin into the cage. A smart thinking Austin let the cage slide from the momentum of the throw and jumped off in time to win the match before Big Show could further attack him.

6 Planting Traps To Stop DX

DX 2000

One of the final programs for Steve Austin in 1999 before he took time off to get neck surgery featured his first personal rivalry with Triple H. The rest of the D-Generation X members tried to help Triple H stack the odds against Austin.

An interesting episode of Smackdown featured Austin laying traps all night to take down the DX members one by one before getting to Triple H. The idea was tremendous to make Austin look smart, violent and entertaining progressing more as the night went on.

5 Selling His Soul To The Devil At WrestleMania 17

Steve Austin Heel Turn

WWE booked their biggest potential match at WrestleMania 17 when Steve Austin and The Rock faced off for the WWE Championship. There were many great matches between the two, but this felt like the biggest due to headlining an iconic event at the peak of the Attitude Era.

RELATED: 10 Best The Rock Vs Steve Austin Matches, According To Dave Meltzer

Both Austin and Rock went into the match as faces with the Texas crowd more on Austin’s side. However, this was all to set up a huge heel turn when Austin received help from his mortal enemy Vince McMahon. Austin proved he would stop at nothing to win the title like he promised during this entire build.

4 Tricking Eric Bischoff Into Pie Eating Contest

Steve Austin and Eric Bischoff

The post-wrestling career of Steve Austin saw him spending some time on Raw as a co-General Manager with Eric Bischoff. WWE delivered some fun segments of Austin making life miserable for Bischoff who was used to having full power and abusing it to help the heels. Bad Blood 2003 featured Austin and Bischoff squaring off in a “Redneck Triathlon” best of three series.

Austin won the first contest heading into the “pie eating contest” as the second one. The raunchy WWE comedy saw this turning into Bischoff having to receive a bronco buster from the elderly Mae Young. Austin forfeited the contest in humorous fashion since he already had a previous win and wanted Bischoff embarrassed.

3 Stunning Brock Lesnar & Goldberg After Awful Match

Goldberg Vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 20 with Steve Austin

WrestleMania 20 was supposed to benefit from Brock Lesnar and Goldberg having a dream match on the biggest stage. Steve Austin getting added as a special guest referee added another dynamic to up the star power and general interest.

That was until fans found out that both Goldberg and Brock Lesnar were leaving WWE after that night. The match was an all-time disaster with the audience booing them out of the building. Austin hitting a stunner on both wrestlers afterwards was a tremendous moment that saved the entire thing, while making him look smart.

2 Attacking Bret Hart In Ambulance

Steve Austin hitting Bret Hart with a steel chair in corner of ring

The rivalry between Bret Hart and Steve Austin became must-see TV as Austin became a major superstar due to it. Bret turning heel after WrestleMania 13 added a new dynamic to the feud with Austin trying to take down the Hart Foundation.

Fans rallied behind Austin finding creative new ways to get around Bret now having the numbers advantage. Austin once attacked Hart’s injured ankle to the point where he needed an ambulance. The genius reveal at the end saw Austin in the driver’s seat and going back to attack Bret in the back before the Hart Foundation made the save.

1 Winning The 1996 Royal Rumble Match After Elimination

Stone Cold Royal Rumble 1997 Cropped

Steve Austin winning the 1996 Royal Rumble match felt like the first win on his main event path. WWE had a tremendous ending creating controversy. Austin was eliminated when the referees were distracted by other eliminated wrestlers brawling at ringside.

The dastardly villain snuck back in and eliminated Bret Hart to cheat him out of the victory. Austin had to put his prize on the line the following PPV, but he was still the official winner of the match. Fans started to love Austin due to respecting the charm of his heel antics.