13-Time WWE Champion Confirms He’ll Probably Never Wrestle Again

This two-time WWE Hall of Famer has recently revealed that he won’t be getting back in the ring.

WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin is a rare once-in-a-lifetime performer who helped bring wrestling to the masses with his relatable hell-raising, redneck persona, practically giving birth to WWE’s Attitude Era, its most successful and memorable historic period.

Austin’s feud with his boss, Mr. McMahon, is constantly praised for bringing to life a lovable anti-hero whose anti-authority, care-a-damn style, and flipping fingers to his boss served as a cathartic release for people across the globe who were frustrated with their real-life bosses and jobs.

He went on to feud with The Great One, The Rock, making it a wrestling version of Federer vs Nadal and Ronaldo Vs Messi of the 90s. A serious neck and spinal injury suffered at the hands of Owen Hart in 1997, unfortunately, cut his career short, though, and Stone Cold hung up his boots in 2003.

He would continue to make appearances at major WWE events over the next two decades, delivering his iconic Stunner move to stars, always brought in as an attraction by the company. This changed in April 2022 at Wrestlemania 38, when, to the delight of the WWE Universe, Austin got into the ring for one match with star Kevin Owens.

WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Says He Can But Won’t Wrestle Again

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on an exciting podcast episode, Van Vliet asked Austin if he could wrestle again, to which Austin replied confidently that he definitely could and went on to give the example of his aforementioned match with Kevin Owens in 2022. Despite not getting a ring to practice his timing and moves, Austin says he worked out hard and got the cardio done because he knew the crowd would get him going. He also praised Owens for taking his heavy out-of-practice punches without pummelling back. He closed by answering Van Vliet’s question with a “Yes” to whether he could wrestle again.

However, when asked if he would actually wrestle again, The Texas Rattlesnake said he probably wouldn’t, considering he had arthritis and eventually got his knee replaced after people pointed out to him that he was limping while walking.

Probably not. I’ll say that, but you say never. But with the knee replacement I had last year? God dang, I was limping around so bad, and I didn’t know I was limping, and people would ask me, ‘What’s wrong?’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ [They said] ‘You’re limping.’ F*ck, I didn’t know, because I don’t watch myself walk.

And then finally, after everybody kept pointing it out to me, I could feel it, no doubt that’s why I was limping. And then it just started getting really bad because of all the arthritis in there. And finally, last year, I had it replaced. I was thinking why didn’t I do this sooner to get out of so much pain?

And I’ve always wondered what arthritis felt like. Man, I found out firsthand. And it’s an it’s chronically over time, years and years and years of it. It’ll change your personality. It just puts you in a state of mind where you just want some relief, so to get that relief and come out on the other side and still be active.

Also read: Why WWE Chose Kevin Owens As Stone Cold’s Final Opponent Revealed