Stone Cold Steve Austin Handed Out Beers And Gave An Epic Toast At WWE 2K23’s 3:16 Day Launch Party

March 16th is so much more than the day before St. Patrick’s Day. It’s the day us Attitude-era WWE fans raise a glass to toast Stone Cold Steve Austin and his iconic Austin 3:16 speech at King Of The Ring 1996.

That speech went massively viral at a time before the term “going viral” was even coined. Every ’90s kid remembers how Austin 3:16 shirts and Stone Cold’s legendary catchphrases were everywhere after that. It was a defining moment for Steve Austin’s wrestling career, blasting him into the stratosphere as a star beyond the mat.

In celebration of Austin 3:16 day, WWE 2K23 threw a launch party at El Segundo Brewery in Los Angeles. Stone Cold partnered with El Segundo Brewery to make his namesake Broken Skull line of beers – now available as an IPA, a lager, and a Double IPA.

The WWE 2k23 party celebrated Stone Cold as a playable character in the video game.

To kick off the night, Stone Cold Steve Austin made a grand entrance to his iconic shattered glass entrance music, then started giving out Broken Skull beers to the crowf from behind the bar.

Check it out:

 

Stone Cold Steve Austin’s toast at the WWE 2k23 Austin 3:16 Day party

After the crowd settled down, Stone Cold grabbed the mic and delivered an epic toast about the origins of Austin 3:16 and 3:16 day.

The Texas Rattlesnake knows how to get a party started:

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“Hey man, it’s good to be here. I bet some of you are wondering “why do we celebrate 3:16 Day? Why not! I like that.

King Of The Ring, back in 1996. Let me give you a little history lesson.

Originally, if I can take you back in time, Triple-H was supposed to win King Of The Ring back in 1996. There was a little event that happened and Triple-H didn’t win King Of The Ring.

I was walking into work one evening, it was Monday Night RAW. I hear this voice behind me. It’s the voice of Vince McMahon. He says, ‘Hey Steve, got a minute?’ I’m like “aw, yeah. It’s the boss man.” I say ‘Yeah. What do you want?’

He says, ‘In two weeks, you’re going to win King Of The Ring’ I go about my business and then, two weeks later, I win King Of The Ring. It all happened for a reason, it seems to me. Things had to line up to that event. Then the things that happen to transpire, as far as Marc Mero kicking me in the lip and going to the hospital, getting stitched up, coming back. Jake Roberts cutting a promo on me when I was stepping out of the ambulance. Smartened me up about the promo.

Austin 3:16 popped into my head. I got a chance to cut that promo and I kicked Jake’s ***. I said, ‘you sit there, and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn’t get you anywhere. Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16 – AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST WHIPPED YOUR ***.

When I cut that promo, I could Vince in the background trying to get to the next match. I was like, ‘Hey man, I need a button on this promo.’ So I spit out ‘And that’s the bottom line, ’cause Stone Colds said so.’

The bottom line is that I hit two grand slams in an at back I was never supposed to have in the first place.

In wrestling, and in life, you can’t make up a cool nickname for yourself. Your buddies have to give it to you. Same with 3:16 Day. I didn’t just say ‘Hey, I did this promo and it’s 3:16 Day, so from now on, on March 16, I want everyone worldwide to celebrate me.’

It just seems like WWE and the WWE fan and the Stone Cold fans are so loyal, they made it a thing. I’m very humbled to be here and celebrate a day dedicated to me because of some b******* promo I cut years ago. But, gotdang, it’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.

So welcome aboard everybody. It’s gonna be a great night.”

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Stone Cold, what a legend. Still an absolute champ on the mic. Watch the video below.

When did Stone Cold know that Austin 3:16 was going to go viral?

Before the party, I talked to Stone Cold about the moment he knew Austin 3:16 was going viral.

“I knew that that promo was special the next night on Monday Night Raw, when people started holding up Austin 3:16 signs and ’cause Stone Cold Said So signs.

And I wasn’t technically over yet, I wasn’t at the top. I was climbing, I was gaining momentum, that started getting me over. And then I remember when I came in the company, I think Mark Henry, Mankind, Marc Mero, was it Vader? Kind of all came in the same time and they didn’t really have any merchandising plans for myself.

I kept asking Jimmy, the merch guys, “Hey man, office got any ideas for a t-shirt for me?”

“Nope. Steven, they don’t.”

Finally, after I cut that promo, here comes Jimmy, “Steven, the office has got an idea… Wants to do a t-shirt for you. Do you have any ideas?” I said, “You damn right, I do.” Put Austin 3:16 on the front, put a skull on the back and carve in Stone Cold.”

“Okay, Steven.”

We cranked out that shirt and it started flying off the rack.”

Pretty cool to hear Stone Cold talk about the moment he knew his career trajectory was about to explode.