SAVIO VEGA vs. STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

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Savio Vega was the first feud of Steve Austin upon entering the World Wrestling Federation in January 1996. However, let's go back and review the background of the feud and how Austin came about to be in the WWF. While I will start a few years before Austin entered the WWF and feuded with Vega, I do recommend that you read the background history below, as it provides an informative look at Austin's WCW and ECW hiatuses. After I get through that (which will take about two paragraphs), I'll discuss Austin's first feud in the WWF, which pitted him against Savio Vega..

Before the "Stone Cold" as we know him today was guzzling beer and whooping @$$es on his way to becoming what many experts crown the greatest WWF Champion in the title's illustrious history, "Superstar" Steve Austin was a mid-card wrestler in Eric Bischoff's World Championship Wrestling in 1994. He had won WCW's United States Heavyweight Title and the World Tag Team Titles, teaming with legend Brian Pillman as one-half of "The Hollywood Blondes." In late '94, he engaged in a series of great bouts over the U.S. Title with the legendary Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.

However, three injuries in less than two years soon ended the injury-prone, WCW tenure of Steve Austin. Bischoff terminated Austin's $300,000 per annum contract on September 15th due to frustration due to his inability to compete on a regular basis, thus beginning the hatred that Austin would feel toward Bischoff for his entire career. The fame, fortune, and historic career that Austin would go on to acheive would quickly give "The Rattlesnake" the last laugh in his "feud" with Bischoff, but, as any successful person will tell you, success doesn't come without some bumps in the road.

After healing his injuries (which, curiously, took only about a week), Austin quickly discovered a job opening in Philadelphia's Extreme Championship Wrestling, and debuted in the promotion on September 23rd, just eight days after his release from WCW. ECW gave Austin the chance to get onto the microphone and be himself. So, during his ECW, Austin grabbed the microphone and did a memorable shoot interview with himself, mocking and trashing Bischoff and Hulk Hogan. The tape of this interview is very rare, and is a very popular tape for avid wrestling tape-collectors. This all made for a very legendary ECW debut for "The Extreme Superstar," Steve Austin, as he dubbed himself during the famous shoot.

Austin had a short, yet memorable, three-month hiatus in ECW, topped off by two great ECW World Title bouts against Mikey Whipwreck and a three-way dance between Austin, Whipwreck, and The Sandman. ECW fans were anticipating Austin winning the ECW's most prestigous title, but that was not to be, as he fell short in both of those title shots.

So, we have now reached the beginning of Austin's WWF career, and his early feud with Savio Vega. So, without further ado, let's move on to the early occurrences of Austin's legendary tenure in the World Wrestling Federation! Enjoy!

Austin had probably found more success in his three months in ECW than he did during his four-plus years in Eric Bischoff's WCW, complete with more than sufficient interview-time, World Title shots, and great national exposure. Yet, the young Austil still realized that he wasn't living up to his endless amount of potential. If Steve Williams (that's his real name) wants something badly, he will acheive it, and that's evident by his sensational ride to the top of the WWF. Anybody who knew or knows him will say that Williams is one of the best in-ring workers in the business, and that he worked his @$$ into oblivion from day one to get to where he is today. For every wrestler that succeeds in this industry, hundreds (and even thousands, in some cases) are fired, released, retired (due to injury or by choice), permanently injured, paralyzed, and sometimes even killed (due to a move done wrong or something along that page) every year.

Steve Austin still wasn't satisfied with his ECW World Title run, and left the Philadelphia-based promotion in mid-December '95. Austin soon met with Vince McMahon, owner of the World Wrestling Federation, headquartered in Stamford, CT at the beautiful Titan Towers. Like most who've signed with McMahon and his roller-coaster company, Austin was never promised a World-Title push, a mid-card position, or even a spot on one of the WWF's syndicated television shows, such as "Monday Night RAW is WAR" or "Saturday Night Shotgun." Instead, the only guarantee that he received from McMahon was that he'd be given a fair oppurtunity to showcase his talent on a roster that was filled with just that.

Even during one of the worst time-periods in the WWF's history (late '95), the promotion's payroll roster was crammed pretty full. It had a good bunch of rookie low-carders (Hakushi, a young Hunter Hearst Helmsley, The 1-2-3 Kid, Fatu, etc.), a solid group of mid-carders (Jeff Jarrett, Marc Mero, Owen Hart, Goldust, Bob Holly, Bigelow, Yokozuna, Tatanka, etc.), a pretty pathetic tag team division (with the main title contenders being The Bodydonnas, Smoking Gunns, Godwins, and Blu Brothers), and a main-event level filled to capacity (Shawn Michaels, The British Bulldog, Vader, Undertaker, Diesel, and the immensely popular Bret Hart). Knowing that tag-teaming his way to the top of the card wasn't a very attractive choice, Austin chose to take the risk, signing the contract. On December 18, 1995, Steve Williams became an official employee of the World Wrestling Federation.

Austin made his WWF television debut on the January 6th edition of Monday Night RAW, just the second RAW of the year 1996. It was during the Brother Love "talk-show segment," with Ted DiBiase as the special guest. DiBiase was the leader of the Million Dollar Corporation, a heel faction comprised of superstars like Irwin R. Schyster (or I.R.S., for short), Tatanka, Bam Bam Bigelow, Kama (the future Go(o)dfather), Sycho Sid, The 1-2-3 Kid (the future X-Pac), and, of course, DiBiase. So DiBiase entered the Brother Love segment on RAW, and who declared that their would now be a new holder of the "Million Dollar Championship Belt."

The Million Dollar Title was a championship belt that DiBiase himself had created in 1989. It never went recognized as an "official" WWF championship belt, but there were a few Million Dollar Champions. DiBiase's nickname was, "The Million Dollar Man," so, back in '89, he created the belt so he could walk around with it and gloat that he was the Million Dollar Champion, thus increasing his already-big heel heat. The Million Dollar Title was your usual championship belt, with a few diamonds (presumably fake) and other shiny things on it. Virgil had won the belt at in '91, but DiBiase quickly regained it later that same year. The title had been "abandoned," so to say, since 1991, as it hadn't been used in any angles or storylines since.

So, anyway, DiBiase introduced the new Million Dollar Champion, a man by the name of, "The Ringmaster," This was Austin's first alias in the WWF. DiBiase strapped the title belt around the waist of the new champion. Austin (I mean Ringmaster) gets on the microphone and gloats about his future goals in the WWF. He will win that year's Royal Rumble (which he didn't, thanks to Fatu eliminating him; He would, however, win the 'Rumble the next two straight years, and a few years later in 2001) and go onto win the WWF World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania (which he wouldn't that year, but he would two years, three years, and five years later). Austin's arrogant persona made it obvious that The Ringmaster would definitely be a heel for his first angle, as a protege of Ted DiBiase. Over the next few weeks, Ringmaster successfully defended his Million Dollar Title on RAW every so often.

On March 11th, he defended against Savio Vega. When coming down the aisle for the match, Ringmaster was introduced as, "Stone Cold Steve Austin," a name which would become synonomous with the stuff of legend when pertaining to professional wrestling. The match begins with Austin in control. Vega quickly gains the advantage, however, and a high cross-body block got a two-count for him. He then does two nice armdrags, but Austin reverses the third attempt, and begins pounding away on Vega. Austin bashes his opponent's back with a few axehandle-slams, and knocks him to the mat with a few clotheslines. Vega attempts his finishing-move, the Superkwang, out of nowhere, but Austin reverses it to keep the advantage. A suplex is the last move Austin can get off before Vega regains the advantage with some stiff chops. He goes for a body-splash, but Austin gets his knees up into the gut of Vega, regaining the advantage and gaining a near pinfall (albeit with his feet on the rope for leverage). RAW then goes to a commercial break.

When we arrive back on the air, we see Austin reverse Vega into the turnbuckle, and floor him with a powerful clothesline. Austin uses some brawling tactics (punches, kicks, chops, etc.), before Vega hits the Superkwang out of nowhere. However, he doesn't go for the pin, and, instead, the two begin trading blows until Vega lifts Austin with a hiptoss. He whips him into the ropes and nails him with one more explosive Superkwang, which not only knocks Austin out of the ring, but makes Vega tumble out of the ring as well. The referee reaches the proverbial 10-count, making the match a Draw, thanks to a Double Count Out. Austin retains his Million Dollar Title. For two new WWF stars, the duo put on a darn good match in front of a nationwide audience. A match is soon made for the two at the WWF's biggest annual spectacle, WrestleMania XII. Austin's Million Dollar Title wouldn't be on the line. This will be the WrestleMania debut for both participants.

At WrestleMania, Austin comes out with the Million Dollar Belt and Ted DiBiase by his side.

The two lock-up, and begin trading blows.

Austin eventually gains the upperhand and continually works on the arm of his opponent, securing Vega in an armbar. Vega attempts to gain control by rolling Austin up with a series of creative pinning combinations, none of which gain a three-count, however. Austin keeps control for a while, and eventually climbs up to the top-rope and delivers what would become a trademark of his: the elbow/fist-drop.

Vega obviously has Austin's repertoire scouted, as he lifts his boot up and shoves it into the face of Austin as he's coming down. As Austin begins to climb back to his feet, Savio backs up and charges him with a running heel-kick, which Austin ducks, forcing the referee to become the second man to "eat boot" during the course of the match. With the referee down, Austin resorts to his typical heel tactics as he smashes Vega across the forehead with the Million Dollar Championship belt, which DiBiase had innocently slid into the ring.

The referee is still down, giving Austin the chance to drape Vega's body over the ring canvas, with his head hanging off. Austin climbs up to the ring apron and jumps off, once again bashing the belt into Vega's forehead as he's coming down. Austin pushes Vega back into the ring and locks in the Million Dollar Dream (almost like a sleeper-hold) onto his opponent as DiBiase revives the referee with a "Coca-Cola" bottle. He lifts Vega's arm three times, all of which it drops, convincing him to call for the bell and give Austin the tainted win (although he didn't see that it was tainted because he was "out cold") at exactly the 10:00 mark.

After the match, Austin doesn't release the submission-hold until some Federation officials convince him to let go.

The Vega/Austin feud continued over the next few weeks. On the April 22nd edition of RAW, Austin interfered in Vega's match against Goldust and floored him with a shot to the forehead with the Million Dollar Championship, costing Vega the vacant Intercontinental Title, which was to be given to the winner of the match. The title, thanks to Austin's interference, became the possession of Goldust. The next week on RAW(April 29th), Austin was scheduled to wrestle Scott Taylor (the future "Scotty 2 Hotty"). After the match (which Austin won when Taylor submitted to the Million Dollar Dream), however, Vega, obviously furious with Austin's cheap tactics the previous week, came out and issued a challenge to Austin for the first-ever "Caribbhean Strap Match" at the next In Your House Pay-Per-View. Austin and DiBiase, who had accompanied his "protege" to the ring, refused, and began to walk away, toward the backstage area. Vega blindsided him and beat him down. DiBiase didn't try to break up the brawl whatsoever.

Three weeks later on RAW (May 20th), Austin was wrestling Marc Mero ("Johnny B. Badd" in WCW/XWF) and had his match well in hand, until Vega ran in with a Caribbhean strap in hand and began whipping it against the skin of Austin, giving his rival (Austin) the DQ victory . Austin eventually retreats to the backstage area, along with DiBiase, while Vega stands in the ring, aware that he finally gained some revenge towards Austin.

So, as you'd guess, Vega and Austin faced off in the first-ever "Caribbhean Strap Match" at the May 26th "In Your House: Beware of the Dog" Pay-Per-View. The two are scheduled to wrestle in the second match of the night, when, while Austin is making his way down to the ring for his match, the unthinkable happens: the power in the arena goes off!!! Fans who ordered the Pay-Per-View saw the transmission go out. The telecast had gone off the air. A few minutes later, however, commentators Jerry Lawler and Vince McMahon appear on the screen with a dim light overhead. They make the announcement that a thunderstorm in South Carolina has caused a power-outage, and thus, the Pay-Per-View transmission is messed up.

So, once they get that all straightened out, they bring you the next match. After about two hours, the come back on the air, the second and final match of the night is broadcasted: Shawn Michaels defending his WWF Title against The British Bulldog. That match ended after about 17 minutes, and the Pay-Per-View went off the air. Fans who had ordered the original presentation of the Pay-Per-View were able to see the three missing matches that Tuesday night, which is usually reserved for the encore presentation. Believe it or not, the matches weren't seen the first time on Pay-Per-View were actually held for the live audience in the dark, and extremely rare photos of these dark (literally) matches can be seen in an edition of "WWF Magazine," which was printed soon after the Pay-Per-View.

However, since fans around the world wouldn't want to watch the matches in pitch-black, they were retaped during the RAW tapings the next night. If that wasn't the case (which it probably was), the matches were taped on Tuesday night and aired live during the encore presentation slot. In an interesting note, on the RAW that was the night after the original telecast, DiBiase and Austin had a segment where DiBiase admitted that Austin had lost the match the previous night in the dark (it was later discovered that Vega had won at about the 15:00 mark). DiBiase demands a rematch between Vega and Austin in another "Caribbhean Strap Match," and this time, the stipulation are this: if Austin loses, DiBiase will end his eight-year WWF tenure and leave the Federation. Anyway, below is what happened during the Vega/Austin "Caribbhean Strap Match," which aired on the Tuesday night after the original Pay-Per-View telecast.

First of all, let's go over the rules of this so-called, "Caribbhean Strap Match." Both participants are tied to eachother with a leather strap. The strap can be used to slap your opponent, choke them, or anything else that may help you to gain the advantage. The winner is the participant who is able to consecutively touch all four ring turnbuckles (in succession). The match begins with both Vega and Austin brawling around the ring and using the strap as a weapon, bashing and choking eachother with it. Both participants continually touch two or three turnbuckles before the other gains the advantage and does the same.

They did some cool exchanges during the match, including Savio Superplexing Austin off of the top-rope, Austin drilling Savio with a Spinebuster, and, most notably, Savio catapulting Austin off of the top-rope and into the guardrail on the floor below. After this, Austin climbs back into the ring, and attacks Vega, Piledriving him, and then, thanks to DiBiase's encouragement, goes for a second attempt, which Vega uses to his advantage, reversing it and backdropping his foe over his back and onto the mat. Austin gives DiBiase glare since he had encouraged Austin to attempt a second, which obviously was used against him.

Savio recovers and uses the reversal to his advantage, quickly rising to his feet and clamoring his way to three turnbuckles, only to have Austin recover and lock Savio in the Million Dollar Dream. Vega looks to be out cold, and Austin makes his way to one turnbuckle, touching it. As he goes to the second one, Vega recovers and touches that one. Austin, upset that Vega recovered so quickly, begins to make his way to the next turnbuckle, which both he and Vega touches. Once again, he goes over to the next turnbuckle, which both he and Vega touches. Both opponents, along with DiBiase, then realize that the next person to touch a turnbuckle wins, so there's a fight to get to the last one. As the two are brawling, Austin accidentily catapults Vega toward the next turnbuckle, allowing him to easily touch it and gain the victory for himself, along with forcing DiBiase to leave the WWF by winning the bout at (21:27).

Vega eventually recovers and grabs the microphone, rubbing in the fact that DiBiase must now leave the WWF. Austin is glaring at DiBiase, obviously not too concerned with this fact. This effectively ends "The Million Dollar Man," Ted Dibiase's, eight-year career in the WWF, complete with a spot in the Main Event at WrestleMani VI. DiBiase soon debuted in WCW and stayed their for a short time, befor retiring as one of the all-time greats in the industry.

For Vega, the fact that his feud with Austin ended after this match worked against him, as he never really found his niche again and left the WWF in early '98. For Austin, of course, the end of this feud was one of the best things to ever happen to him, as, less than a month later, at the King of the Ring Pay-Per-View, he'd beat Jake "The Snake" Roberts in the final-round to become the 1996 WWF King of the Ring, joining the elite ranks of Bret Hart, Owen Hart, and, eventually, Triple H, Ken Shamrock, Kurt Angle, and some other superstars. Of course, after that match, he'd debut the phrases, "Austin 3:16 said I just whooped your @$$," and "That's the bottom line, 'cuz Stone Cold said so!" His popularity would skyrocket from there, as he began a classic feud with Bret "The Hitman" Hart, culminating in their famous match at WrestleMania 13. Soon after that, he'd win the 1998 Royal Rumble and go on to win the WWF World Heavyweight Title from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV, and eventually go down as, arguably, the greatest WWF Champion, ever.

After he won the '98 Royal Rumble, though, and before he beat Michaels for the WWF title, Austin had one more match against Vega. It occurred at In Your House: "WWF No Way Out: No Way Out of Texas", (2/15/98; Houston, TX) the first No Way Out Pay-Per-View ever. The night's main event was scheduled to be an Eight-Man, No DQ Tag Team Match pitting D-Generation X (represented by Billy Gunn, Hunter Hearst Helmsley [who'd eventually become Triple H], Road Dogg Jesse James, and WWF Champion Shawn Michaels) against Cactus Jack, Chainsaw Charlie (a.k.a. Terry Funk), the late Owen Hart, & Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, shortly before the show began, it was announced that Michaels was injured, and therefore could not compete. Therefore, throughout the show, a "Who's the mystery partner or DX?" mystery began, and when it was time for that mystery man to enter, it was finally revealed to be Savio Vega who'd team up alongside of DX. Vega brang a roll of barbed-wire with him to the ring.

Cactus begins the match by beating on Vega with various weapons, while Austin starts by slaughtering Gunn and then brawl out of the ring. Back in the ring, Cactus brings it to Road Dogg, and Charlie covers Dogg for 2. Owen, meanwhile, hiptosses Gunn through a table and then clamps on The Sharpshooter submission hold, but the referee is nowhere to be seen, so the hold is useless. Owen releases the hold and attempts a huracanrana, but he instead gets powerbomb'd down onto the mat. By now, the match is total and utter chaos. Austin unleashes his fury on his former-rival, Vega, on the outside, while HHH attacks Charlie with about 10 or so garbage can shots. Owen applies The Sharpshooter to HHH, but Road Dogg breaks the hold up as The New Age Outlaws (Dogg & Gunn) Spike Powerbomb Charlie through two set up steel chairs.

At the 7:00 minute mark, the match has finally evolved into a somewhat standard tag team match (w/ out everybody brawling on the outside). Gunn covers Charlie, but gets 2. The heels (DX & Vega) joinly beat down Charlie until Austin, standing on the ring apron, hurls a garbage gan across the ring that bashes into Gunn's face. Charlie takes a sick-looking bump to the outside like only he can do, but eventually makes the hot tag to his former-arch rival, Cactus. Cactus, of course, unleashes his fury on the heels, whipping Gunn into Dogg and spiking him with a DDT for 2. Cactus then applies the legitimately dangerous Manible Claw tongue hold on both Outlaws, but HHH eventually breaks up the hold with a low blow on his future-arch rival, Cactus. On the outside, Gunn gives Cactus some of his own medicine by DDT'ing him onto the concrete floor, and then dropping the steel steps onto Cactus' body.

Back in the ring, HHH suplexes Cactus and gets 2. Vega then comes in and the crowd gasps as he wraps his barbed-wire strands around Cactus' body. With Cactus still partially covered in barbed-wire, HHH comes in and delivers some sick chairshots to the skull of the former-1995 IWA King of the Deathmatch Champion. However, when a blow of Gunn's goes awry, Jack is able to lunge toward his corner and make the dramatic tag to Austin, which draws a huge pop from the sold out crowd. Austin, of course, punks out all of the heels and delivers a few mudhole stomps on HHH in the corner before dropping Road Dogg with a Stone Cold Stunner for the 1-2-3 pinfall victory for the face team at 17:38. After the match, DX valet and future-WWF Intercontinental Champion Chyna gets into Austin's face, so she receives her own Stunner. This wild brawl, which made for a rather entertaining match, would set up the famous Austin/HBK match at WrestleMania XIV.

So, Austin went on and won the WWF World Championship at WrestleMania XIV the next month, thus beginning "The Stone Cold Era" and the "Era of Attitude." His stardom continued until mid-2002 when he had a controversial falling out with the WWF (due to storyline reasons) and left the promotion forever. Nonetheless, it remains that only a select few (Thesz, Bruno, Flair, Andre, Hogan, Bret, etc.) can say that they made as big an impact on the professional wrestling industry. He changed how it was looked at forever. Savio, of course, soon began for working for various "independent" (indy) promotions in Peurto Rico and the U.S. before disappearing from the spotlight altogether.

Like I pointed out at the beginning of this "flashback," Austin would get the last laugh in his "feud" with Eric Bischoff, as he would go down as a legend in the industry, something that most never would've thought he'd become during his nursing of injuries in his early days in USWA and WCW. So, Savio Vega was the first "real" feud of Stone Cold Steve Austin's upon his entrance into the WWF in January 1996, and the rivalry would culminate in some exciting Pay-Per-View matches against eachother.

SuperCard/Pay-Per-View Match Results:

1. Monday Night RAW (3/11/96): Vega & Austin wrestle to a Double Count Out; Austin retains his Million Dollar Title.
2. WrestleMania XII (3/31/96): Austin pins Vega (10:00).
3. In Your House: "Beware of the Dog" (5/26/96): Vega d. Austin (15:00) in the first-ever "Caribbhean Strap Match."
4. In Your House: "Beware of the Dog II" (5/28/96): Vega d. Austin (21:27) in a "Caribbhean Strap Match"; According to pre-match stipulations, Austin's manager, Ted DiBiase, was forced to leave the WWF due to Austin's loss.
5. In Your House: "WWF No Way Out: "No Way Out of Texas" (2/15/98): Cactus Jack, Chainsaw Charlie, Owen Hart, & Austin d. Billy Gunn, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Road Dogg, & Savio Vega when Austin pins Road Dogg (17:41).

Final Tally:

Austin: 2 wins; Vega: 2 wins: No Decisions: 1 Double Countout.

APPARENT WINNER of the SAVIO VEGA vs. STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN feud:

Nobody (Tie [2 wins each])