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Ken Shamrock was one of the biggest prospects of WWE during the early Attitude Era of the promotion, and he was promoted as a top upper mid card. During his early career, he was promoted as a heel, and his MMA background helped him a lot to gain early success in WWE. He did not remain active in WWE for long, but even in a short time period, he had a remarkable career.
Ken Shamrock won the King of the Ring tournament of 199,8, which made things clear that WWE had big plans for him. He even won the WWE Intercontinental Championship in the same year, and he had multiple big feuds with some of the top stars of the promotion, like The Rock and Triple H. But his WWE career was cut short as he left the promotion in 1999.
Ken Shamrock remembers his WWE debut at WrestleMania 13
Most people forgot his WWE debut, which had been quite strange. He featured as the special guest referee in the iconic Steve Austin vs Bret Hart match at WrestleMania 13, and soon after this event, he started working in the ring. Ken Shamrock recently spoke with "Wrestling Life Online" podcast, where he remembered his awkward WWE debut and said the following;
He played the role of the referee in the Bret Hart vs Steve Austin match at WrestleMania 13
"It was pretty confusing going into that match, for me personally," explained the former WWE Intercontinental Champion regarding his debut in WWE. "I hadn't had the experience to be in there with those two guys at that level. I mean, these are icons, guys that are just, as we know now, just greatness."
Ken Shamrock left WWE in 1999 and never returned to the promotion as a wrestler
"I credit a lot of my understanding of the character which I was supposed to be. I credit a lot of that to Bret in helping me understand that I'm not a pro wrestler. They brought me in as this 'World's Most Dangerous Man.' And to go out there and do hip tosses and leapfrogs and, you know, these things that's just not me, that's not who they brought me in for; they brought me in for what I was famous for, and that was submitting guys."
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin is often considered one of the best matches in the history of WrestleMania, and this match is also pointed out to be the beginning of the ultimate rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who became the ultimate face of WWE during the Attitude Era. Shamrock, on the other hand, started working regularly as a wrestler in WWE soon after this match, and he remained active until 1999.
h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
