Stone Cold Steve Austin delivered his iconic 'Austin 3:16' promo 30 years ago, changing the face of professional wrestling forever.

What happened?

The promo, which took place at WWF King of the Ring in 1996, saw Austin take shots at Jake "The Snake" Roberts' religious faith and struggles with addiction.

Austin's words were laced with adrenaline, having just won back-to-back King of the Ring matches, including one where he endured a legitimate boot to the face.

Why it matters for Stone Cold Steve Austin

The 'Austin 3:16' promo is widely regarded as the spiritual start of the Attitude Era, a shift in WWF presentation that embraced edgier storylines to bring in more viewers.

This marked a significant contrast to the promos of the 1980s, where wrestlers like Hulk Hogan would remind fans to say their prayers.

What comes next?

The impact of the promo was immediate, with fans creating handmade 'Austin 3:16' signs and WWF eventually plastering the motif on t-shirts, which became incredibly popular.

By 1998, Stone Cold Steve Austin claimed that WWF had sold 12 million 'Austin 3:16' shirts, a figure that may be exaggerated but still indicative of the promo's massive influence.

The 'Austin 3:16' shirts remain popular merch items at WWE live shows, with custom designs produced for different host cities.

And the promo's influence can still be seen today, with many regarding it as the most important in professional wrestling history.

But what really made the promo stand out was its ambition, with Austin choosing to focus on the real-life man behind Jake Roberts' character rather than just his on-screen persona.

So when you watch the promo, you can see why it had such a lasting impact on the world of professional wrestling.

As Jim Cornette, then a WWF commentator, recalled, the arena was filled with 'Austin 3:16' signs at the next taping of 'WWF Raw', a testament to the promo's instant popularity.

The 'Austin 3:16' promo also marked a turning point in Stone Cold Steve Austin's career, with his matches before and after the promo showing a significant shift in his style and confidence.

For example, his match against Savio Vega at WrestleMania 12 was a stark contrast to his earlier matches, with Austin exhibiting a newfound edge and aggression.

And the promo's influence can be seen in the many wrestlers who have followed in Stone Cold Steve Austin's footsteps, embracing the edgy and outrageous style that he pioneered.