WrestleMania 17 ended with Stone Cold Steve Austin turning heel and siding with his arch-enemy, Mr. McMahon. Fans were shocked, and confused. Austin was too popular. The turn didn’t stick.
Sure, he delivered backstage comedy with Kurt Angle and Vince, but something was missing. Triple H’s injury killed The Two-Man Power Trip’s momentum. The whole thing ended up being a fun detour, not a great heel run.