Freddie Prinze Jr. Names Steve Austin, Trish Stratus As Best-Ever WWE World Champs

It is the year 2023, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is one year removed from wrestling his first match in nearly two decades, while Trish Stratus is a heel for the first time in nearly two decades. They also happen to be the greatest WWE World Champions of all time, in the opinion of former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. On "Wrestling with Freddie," Prinze expanded on what made them stand out as champions, and what Stratus in particular brought to the table when nobody else could.

While he loathes Austin's infamous "What?" saying that has taken over WWE crowds in the years since, Prinze says Austin checks all the boxes when it comes to In-ring work, ability on the microphone, and natural star power. He also couldn't ignore how "Stone Cold" evolved from a "pretty boy with Flyin' Brian Pillman in WCW" to "the biggest middle finger to corporate America" after moving to WWE, highlighting his relatability as a character. On the other side of the aisle, there's Stratus, who on "WWE Raw" not only took credit for attacking Lita on April 10, but also declared herself the "greatest of all time" as well as "the single most important figure in the history of WWE."

While Prinze may not agree with that second declaration, he does believe the WWE women's division as we know it does not exist without Stratus. "The Women's Division before Trish Stratus was not anything that was respected," he continued, which included the company and fans alike. "It was an afterthought." Then Stratus came in with a look that added "this whole new level of sexuality." Nobody else had that look, but Stratus' ability in the ring is what ultimately set her apart, with Prinze stating "She was just so beautiful and could wrestle ... whether you knew it or not, you cared about women's wrestling. And without her, I don't know if Lita gets a push ever, and Lita's my favorite."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Wrestling with Freddie" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.