Booker T has tipped Stone Cold Steve Austin to fulfil the role previously occupied by The Undertaker until his retirement from in-ring competition.
After Stone Austin rolled back the years at WrestleMania 38 to defeat Kevin Owens in the main event of night one, many fans have wondered whether the legend will continue to make special in-ring appearances.
Prior to competing in Dallas, Texas, Austin hadn’t wrestled in 19 years having previously thought his career was over after a series of knee and neck injuries took their toll.
However, Austin’s performance and near-unrivalled star power has led to speculation that he could be back in the ring again when the occasion calls for it. Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, fellow Texan Booker T, has suggested that Austin could now take on ‘The Undertaker role.’
During the final years of his in-ring career, Undertaker appeared sporadically, mostly at WWE’s bigger shows in a ‘legend spot’ where where he ran through his wrestling greatest hits. After seeing Austin’s performance at WrestleMania, Booker believes that his fellow Hall of Famer could now take on that mantle.
“I wouldn’t say he’s a WrestleMania guy or anything like that. Star power is everything. Saudi Arabia, to have Stone Cold Steve Austin on that card – boom, I’m sure the people over there would love it. To see Austin in Cardiff, Wales, that would be awesome because those guys out there haven’t seen him in such a long time. To see Stone Cold Steve Austin live, up close and in person, that would just be a moment for those guys, just to see Steve Austin – forget about him in the ring.”
“I see Steve as maybe the new Undertaker. The guy that shows up, pop the crowd, give the crowd that moment that they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives – and, me personally, that’s a damn good position to be in,”
Speaking in an interview of his own, Steve Austin recently confirmed that his in-ring career was over, although he was open to future appearances. The Texas Rattlesnake added that he would be at WrestleMania 39 in California if he got the call from WWE.
H/t to Sportskeeda for the transcription.