WrestleMania 41 is set for Las Vegas next year
The entire pro wrestling world was expecting "Stone Cold" Steve Austin’s music to hit during the Undisputed WWE Championship match when Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns fought at WrestleMania 40 when an "Avengers"-like atmosphere descended on the ring.
Instead, The Undertaker hit the ring and chokeslammed The Rock while John Cena took care of Solo Sikoa and Jey Uso speared Jimmy Uso off of the stage. It cleared the way for Rhodes to pin Reigns and finally win the coveted championship.
The anticipation was high for the "Rattlesnake" to come through and clear house, but for the 59-year-old WWE legend, going to Philadelphia was a nonstarter and getting back in the ring for one more match is not exactly something he is itching to have.
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Stone Cold Steve Austin celebrates with beer after defeating Kevin Owens, not pictured, at WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 2, 2022. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Austin told Fox News Digital he always thinks about one more match because it was fun, but then "reality" sets in.
"I’m totally reality based, but I think it’s a young man’s sport," he said. "[WrestleMania 40] was in Philly – too far to go. Kind of out of my wheelhouse. I don’t leave Nevada if I don’t have to."
Next year, WrestleMania 41 is in Las Vegas and, with Austin living in Nevada now, a possible trip only a few hundred miles south is something he seemed to be more willing to consider as long as WWE would have him.
"I said something about it this year just because it’s 400 miles down the road," he continued. "I do spend several trips a year in Las Vegas, so, to think that WWE’s biggest signature pay-per-view event is 400 miles away, in a state that I live in, that I’m going to be there, make a couple of appearances, I’ll be promoting my beer if they, WWE, reached out sand said, ‘Hey, maybe you want to do something,’ I’d be happy to do it as long as it makes sense.’"
However, getting back in the ring for a match is not exactly something he is ramping up for despite being in shape for his racing venture in the Valley Off Road Racing Association.
Stone Cold Steve Austin enters the arena during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 3, 2022. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
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"But to get in there, put trunks on, and to try and be the guy that I once was … I did that, two years ago and tried to do something but I never had a ring to practice in," he said.
"[Hulk Hogan] hit it right on the head where he goes, ‘Well, he’s not calloused up. His body isn’t going to be ready for what he feels.' Undertaker hit it right on the head when he said his timing was not going to be there, which it wasn’t, because I didn’t have any timing. Triple H hit it right on the head where he goes you never go out there, you never know what you’re going to go out there with because you don’t know what you have. You haven’t been in a ring in 20 years. And I didn’t know what I had.
"But there’s so much going on. They got such a stacked roster with so many great superstars these days that they’re not going to have any problem filling two nights of entertainment. But if I got out there and be a part of it on one hand and do something positive that works for the company and works for what they want to do, and it satisfied a crowd, I’d be happy to."
Austin appeared at WrestleMania 38 and had a brief match with Kevin Owens.
Stone Cold Steve Austin drinks a beer during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 3, 2022. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
It may be the last in-ring activity fans see from Austin.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
