WWE: Update on 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin Appearing at WrestleMania 38
It looks like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin will be appearing at WrestleMania 38 in Arlington (Dallas), Texas in April. According to WrestleVotes, Austin is expected to take part in WrestleMania and have a "meaningful part" in the event. WresteVotes stated that Austin will not wrestle at WWE's biggest event of the year, but the company wants Austin at the show.
"Talked to a few different source(s) this weekend & heard the same thing, WWE is very interested in having Steve Austin as a part of WrestleMania this year in Dallas," WrestleVotes tweeted. "Not in a wrestling role, but a meaningful part of the event outside of just appearing. Up to creative at this point." Austin's final match was against Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania XIX in 2003. Earlier this year, Austin talked to Chris Jericho on the Talk is Jericho podcast about the pitches he receives about an in-ring return.
"I think Vince [McMahon] tried talking me to coming back a couple times, but you know Chris, I love the business so much," Austin said, per ComicBook.com. "I love it more than anybody else. I can only speak for myself, but I love the damn business, and it hurt me so much to leave it. And to me, going back for one match, man, why? What am I proving? What are they going to remember? It ain't about the money. It took me a long time, damn near three years to get over the fact that I left the business.
"If you're really going to make a comeback, let's say it was gonna be high-profile match at WrestleMania," Austin continued. "Taker, when I talked to him, he trained all year or recovered from having surgery, and then write trained for a three or four-month camp to get ready for one match. I would really have to undergo a three or four-month camp. I'm one of those guys where I don't have an addictive personality, but I'm addicted to the wrestling business."
Austin, 57, is one of the top Superstars in WWE history. As a competitor, Austin won the WWF Championship six times, the Intercontinental Championship two times and the Tag Team Championship four times. Austin also won King of the Ring in 1996 and the Royal Rumble match three times. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.