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When Stone Cold Steve Austin walked away from his defeat at WrestleMania XIX, no one could have predicted he was walking away for good. It ended up being The Texas Rattlesnake's final battle in WWE.
That was about 19 years ago, and the 2003 version of Steve Austin was feeling physically broken down, mentally drained, and looking forward to new horizons.
You can't really blame him. He did everything there was to do in sports entertainment at that point, having been christened as the man who saved the promotion in the midst of the Monday Night Wars.
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Austin made his money, staked his claim to fame, and became a pop-culture hero. He then moved on to the next phase of his life.
For years, Stone Cold continued to keep a high profile publicly, hosting television shows and his own podcast. During this self-imposed absence from the squared circle, he met and married his current wife.
Since then, the perception of Steve Austin has changed. He opened up a lot on his show, especially when having a one-on-one interview with one of his contemporaries. The Texas Rattlesnake seems to have exorcised a lot of demons and has found enjoyment in his time away from WWE.
Steve Austin has the perfect life in retirement, so why would he want to return to the ring?
Austin's issues with his knees and neck are well-documented. He has stated in the past that he turned down opportunities for a comeback because he felt like he couldn't wrestle at a high level.
During his sabbatical, the WWE Hall of Famer has made several appearances, and his amount of activity usually just involves him delivering a stunner to an unwary participant.
Now rumors are swirling that Austin will return to face Kevin Owens. Always a consummate heel, KO has been bad-mouthing the state of Texas as we head towards WrestleMania 38 in Dallas. The predominant thought is that The Toughest SOB in WWE will step between the ropes again to defend the honor of his native Lone Star State.
As great as Austin has always been in terms of storytelling in the ring and being silver-tongued on the mic, he has no reason to wrestle in another match. He would certainly get a huge payoff for one night of work. But in terms of how he is remembered, he has a lot to lose.
It's eerily similar to Shawn Michaels' comeback a few years ago, which left us all viewing HBK as a shell of his former self. It would be a shame to end up witnessing the same thing happen to Steve Austin.
If Austin does indeed make a ring return, let's hope that he is in top form and gives us a glimpse of the old Stone Cold. Anything less just wouldn't feel right for fans who grew up idolizing him. To see him be less than the fire-breathing anti-hero we remember would be too 'stunning' to bear.
Do you want to see Stone Cold Steve Austin wrestle in another match? Or should he stay retired from in-ring competition and just make special appearances? Share your opinions in the comments section below.
