Stone Cold Steve Austin retired from in-ring competition following WrestleMania 19 in 2003, and many (including the legend himself) believed he would be one of the very few wrestlers not to return to the squared circle.
However, ahead of WrestleMania 38 in Dallas, the Texas Rattlesnake was announced to take part in a special edition of the Kevin Owens Show, and it was heavily speculated that the appearance could turn into a full-fledged match.
Sure enough, Austin confronted Owens and agreed to a match, defeating KO in a No Holds Barred Match. The next night, after Vince McMahon returned to competition against Pat McAfee, Austin confronted his decades-old rivalry with the WWE Chairman and delivered what is considered one of the worst stunners in company history.
With Steve Austin posting photos of himself looking in phenomenal shape on social media, fans began to wonder if his match against Owens wouldn’t be the last time he stepped inside the squared circle. It’s since been reported that there were numerous big money offers presented to Austin to entice him into competing in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles, CA, but he’s not currently scheduled to appear, saying he has faith in the current WWE roster to carry the show.
“My Days In The Ring Are Done” – Steve Austin
Speaking in a new interview with NBC Los Angeles, Austin opened up about his post-wrestling life, saying that he has enough endeavors outside the world of wrestling to keep him occupied. He’s not opposed to appearances with WWE from time to time, but his time inside the squared circle is officially over.
“You have to understand that I retired in 2003, so it’s been a long time, so I’m over it. But when I walked away from the business of sports entertainment, I endeavored into other things; I work with Kawasaki motor sports on the side by side division, I’m in the beer business, and I do other things.
“Coming back to do something from time to time is fine, because I love my relationship with WWE, but my days in the ring are done… although, I did do the main event at WrestleMania last year in Dallas, but that was kind of a fluke and we pulled it off. It’s good to be back and see some of the faces… But I’ve been gone for a long time, and I do not miss it.”
Continuing, Austin says he does miss the camaraderie of the locker room and traveling on the road with his fellow performers even if he has no intention of returning to wrestling himself.
Well yeah (there are things I miss about being on the road), I miss the boys. That’s what I miss. You miss going up and down the road telling stories, laughing, and doing things to entertain each other when you’re doing the grind on the road… just living life. It’s a different breed of animals, or guys, or human beings, that get into this business, and birds of a feather flock together and the sports entertainment industry draws some very unique characters.”