For his part, one can be sure WWE boss Vince McMahon will be ready and willing to offer Austin tons of money to do so, and that temptation may just be too much to resist. Related: 5 Reasons A Raw/SmackDown Wrestler Should Win The Royal Rumble (& 5 Why It Should Be NXT). However, Austin wouldn't have. A feud with Stone Cold would have helped carry Owens' momentum forward and would have solidified Owens' place in the main event scene. Must-see Ric Flair documentary now streaming on Peacock, Snickers and 2K23 to present WrestleMania 39, WWE's Tamina on 'The Rock' gifting house: 'Thats just his heart', The Miz becomes first two-time Grand Slam Champion in WWE history, Get more from World Wrestling Entertainment, Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more, FOX SPORTS, SPEED, SPEED.COM & 2023 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. Instead of Brock Lesnar, Goldberg would have been slotted to face Austin. Stone Cold Returns What 02 10 2003 - YouTube 0:00 / 8:53 Stone Cold Returns What 02 10 2003 113,914 views Feb 4, 2019 RAW February 10, 2003 1.3K Dislike Share Save njayc19892010 576. 6:55. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief. When I opened the package I noticed the case had been beat to hell and when I looked at the disc it had cracks in the middle of it and smudges all over it. Even if Austin werent forced to retire, he would have left the squared circle for a short while to pursue acting. "Stone Cold", Hulk Hogan y Ric Flair lideran Un brindis por Monday Night Raw en Raw Reunion. For a time, Triple H was one of Stone Cold Steve Austins biggest rivals. 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Austin was a guest star on the WWE.com show Byte This shortly before the walkout. vinyl figure, Mon brings NJPW title to Mandalorian premiere, WWE WrestleMania 39 Match card and predictions, Complete WWE and NXT pay-per-view schedule, WWE Champions: Complete list of every title holder, Cardi B reacts to Trish Stratus returning to WWE, WWE's Bayley on Mercedes Mon's NJPW debut, Nikki Bella says she misses being in WWE, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's family want WWE return, Mercedes Mon releases doc on journey to NJPW, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin reportedly set for WWE return at WrestleMania 38, DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. "So, I would really have to undergo a three or four-month camp. A part of what was harder about Steve Austins retirement was that, even if his legend did grow in the years to follow, he had legitimate neck issues thatprevented him fromwrestling again. It's quite possible Austin's passion for wrestling was reignited by that experience, which saw an entire stadium chanting his name and saying "you still got it." It was a win for WWE, as they now gain a top star in wrestling who has such a huge fanbase behind him that he was able to help launch an entirely new promotion. Well take a look and remove the review if it doesnt follow our guidelines. The reason it was so entertaining was the smart decision by WWE, Austin, and Owens to do a short resurrection of the Attitude Era. Stone Cold Returns To Raw 4/4/05 Part 2. TheSportster Podcast has returned! PW Insider went on to describe the pitch to Austin as a "Hail Mary idea" and added that "as of today, Austin still has yet to commit to wrestling". Steve Austin wrestled his last match on March 30th, 2003 at WrestleMania 19 against The Rock. RELATED: Why Steve Austin Had To Retire Early From WWE In 2003, Explained. WWE was solidly behind Reigns as The Guy at that time and the accolade of retiring Stone Cold would be another that WWE would have likely bestowed on Reigns, regardless of how enraged fans would be. The opponent fans might immediately anticipate Stone Coldcould face atWrestleMania 38is Kevin Owens. The guy had gas left in the tank to say the least as he was still extremely popular and physically able. However, when Stone Colds music hit and he came out wearing those knee braces every wrestling fan knew that we were about to see something special. The WWE Hall of Famer has made it clear several times that he doesn't want. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Nearly six years later to the day on June 10, 2002, the Rattlesnake nearly took himself out of the game as quick by walking out on the company that made him a GIANT (Global Icon And National Treasure), and the company that he helped turn around and make its owner a billionaire. First, heres a recap of the match results: - The Usos defeated Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs via pinfall to retain the SmackDown tag team titles, - Drew McIntyre defeated Happy Corbin via pinfall after being the first person ever to kick out of the End of Days, - The Miz and Logan Paul defeated Rey and Dominik Mysterio via pinfall, - Bianca Belair defeated Becky Lynch via pinfall to become the new Raw Womens champion, - Cody Rhodes defeated Seth Rollins via pinfall after hitting the Cross Rhodes multiple times (as well as a Bionic Elbow), - Charlotte Flair defeated Ronda Rousey via pinfall to retain the SmackDown Womens Championship, - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin defeated Kevin Owens via pinfall in a No Holds Barred match after hitting the Stunner. He wrestled some big names like Sting and Randy Savage incidentally, as a mid-carder in WCW. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin wrestled his first match in 19 years at WWE WrestleMania 38, but that may not be the last time he laces up the boots. Austins own star power certainly exceeded expectations, but he kept up the high quality of work right up through his final matches. Maybe it would have happened amidst Triple Hs 2003-2005 run as the top heel on Raw. When Steve Austin left WWE, there was no promise of his legacy outliving him in the company. By Michael Chin. A staple of the Attitude Era, The Texas Rattlesnake retired from professional wrestling in 2003, when he was beaten by The. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Austin took an unlikely path to become the face of the company as an antihero. Related: WWE: Why Triple H Has Retired From Wrestling. 4:05. Speculate what you want. Stone Cold Steve Austin RETURN To RAW Entrance (MONSTER POP) full segment - RAW 25 | Jan 22. Stone Cold Steve Austin was a defining star of theAttitude Era,and so was The Rock. In hindsight though, it's a minor miracle Austin's run atop WWE even ran as long as it did. Check out the latest episodes of the show where Jim Parsons and Norman Quarrinton cover the latest news and events happening in the worlds of WWE, AEW and more! Even as he brawled more, his aggression and bumping helped him continue to deliver excellent matches. Owens flamed out soon after that, but Austin would have stepped in and offered to face K.O. Thankfully, Austin was able to recover well enough that he was able to spend several years as the biggest box office attraction in wrestling, and give WWE fans a lifetime of great memories. When Stone Cold decides hed had enough, he grabbed his then-wife, Debra and scurried on home. According to several people (namely Bruce Prichard, Vince, and JR), this wasnt the first time Austin hightailed it home. What are you training for? March 30, 2003. The weapon use, the brawling into the crowd and around the arena, and the wild and unpredictable progression of Austin vs. Owens were all straight out of Austin's heyday in the late-1990s. "But I just love the damn business, and it hurt me so much to leave it. Goldberg debuted on the RAW after WrestleMania 19. It was a win for the fans, as they got to feel genuine surprise and excitement. Stone Cold Returns To RAW / The Rock Confronts Steve Austin 3/3/2003 AttitudePOP 1.66M subscribers Subscribe 12K Share 1.1M views 9 months ago RAW March 3, 2003 For Full Unedited Segment. Just never stop running your mouth. Steen took those words to heart, and that advice helped in Kevin Steens transition to Kevin Owens. *RETRO - Originally Aired 5/5/19* Wrestling Nostalgia: No Way Out 2003 - Stone Cold Returns to Face Eric Bischoff (Podcast Episode 2021) on IMDb: Plot summary, synopsis, and more. Kevin Owens is perfect as a safe-pair-of-hands opponent, and Stone Cold's return would be huge for both WWE and its fans (not to mention Steve himself, most likely). Who would get the honor of wrestling Austin in his last match? Had Austin not had to retire, it seems obvious they would have battled again, whatever the face-heel alignment. More:Why WWE Fired Shane McMahon (Will He Return?). Although the match was clearly curated around what Austin would and wouldn't be able to do considering his age and how long he had been away from the ring, it was a huge success. Recently on a hot-streak alongside Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens cut a promo on February 14th's edition ofMonday Night RAW,referring to thefolks of Texas as "a bunch of Redneck morons." Though WWE's core fanbase may bemoan the company's nostalgia addiction as they watch yet another aging star hobble around the ring narrowly avoiding injury, the strategy is shrewd marketing. Maybe it would have happened with both men as legends. By contrast to Austin, The Rock entered wrestling via his family, and though his kids arent old enough tohave WWE careers yet, The Great One has no shortage of youngerrelatives whove gotten into wrestling. While it's not confirmed that Austin will actually wrestle a match at this year's 'Mania, reports say he is in talks with WWE for a big appearance at the show which will be held in his home state of Texas. Yes Goldberg would have gone through The Rock, Chris Jericho, and Triple H like he did in actuality, but the Austin vs Goldberg clash would have been saved for WrestleMania 20. Then he worked the grueling schedule demanded of the tippy top guy in the company. Three Men and a Little Lady (DVD, 1990) (#165959292796), NEW DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR Blue Streak STANDARD FD-106X (#165798088333), Thank you love the package. Thank you! 18:27. WillStone Cold Steve Austin open another can of WWE whoop-ass atWrestleMania 38? The stage is perfectly set for Stone Cold Steve Austin to swoop inand give Kev a surprise opponent, then, as (arguably) WWE's biggest-ever babyface, defend the honor of his home state. The Rock and Stone Cold helped make WWE as popular as ever in the late '90s but both were gone by 2003. Austin took an unlikely path to become the face of the company as an antihero. The Rock has managed to keep his nose clean. One of the tricky parts about Stone Cold Steve Austins legacy is that he was only a top star for a short period--to be generous, from 1996 to 2003 (and he was out of the ring for nearly half of that time). AttitudePOP 1.66M subscribers Subscribe 13K 1M views 10 months ago RAW February 10, 2003. The Rock was positioned as Mr. McMahons proxyat first, then emerged as an iconic face in his own right, and arguably even eclipsing Stone Cold's popularity. What followed was less a wrestling match than it was a wild brawl, with fighting in the crowd, tables, chairs, ATVs, beer, and the usual craziness that accompanied many of Austin's signature performances throughout the Attitude Era. In retrospect, Austins time at the top was short. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. 'Stone Cold would have challenged for RAWs top title in the Spring of 2003, whether in one-on-one bouts with Triple H or as a part of multiple person matches. Indeed, The Rock may well have been a key star in retaining the Attitude fan base into the Ruthless Aggression Era, had he hung around. He went on to wrestle his fellow biggest names of the Attitude Era like The Rock, Triple H, and The Undertaker. Both exits devastated the company. Related: 10 WWE Superstars That Will Carry The Company In The 2020s. So, with all that being said, it was a big deal for wrestling fans that Stone Cold returned on Saturday. After nearly 20 years away from the ring, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin made his triumphant WWE return this weekend at WrestleMania and it was a moment that will be remembered for a long time to come. While The Rock was no slouch, he got by on charisma and never had to work at the level Austin did on his way up, and its not the quality of The Great Ones matches that fans missed about him. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these, Carlos Beltran admits 'stain' on Astros' 2017 World Series title. Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer. Do check the Promotions tab if you cannot find it in the Primary Inbox. The two were ready-made opponents. He wasnt wearing one of his branded tees. 03:15. It was not billed as Austins retirement match, and only a select few knew that this was Stone Colds farewell. Since The Rock stopped wrestling full time, Umaga, Rosey, Reigns, The Usos, and Manu to name a few have come of ageand might have gotten a boost via interactions with The Brahma Bull. After Punk walked out in early 2014, another unconventional superstar who was greatly influenced by Austin would have emerged. All rights reserved. Austin was never known to be generous with wins and losses, but Stone Cold may have softened in his old age and allowed Owens to be the one to have his hand raised. | Then he worked the grueling schedule demanded of the tippy top guy in the company. CM Punk Confronts Stone Cold Steve Austin Funny Backstage Segment WWE RAW 6/13/11. Why Stone Cold's Exit From WWE Hurt Them Worst (& Why The Rock's Did), Stone Cold: The Inability To Return To The Ring, Stone Cold: Never Having Certain Dream Matches, The Rock: An Act That Could Work In Different Eras, Stone Cold: Unfinished Business With Triple H, Steve Austin was a defining star of theAttitude Era, 5 Reasons Stone Cold Was The Face Of The Attitude Era (& 5 Why It's The Rock), the high quality of work right up through his final matches, The Rock & 8 Others Who Quit Wrestling Too Soon, domestic violence and alcohol consumption, Every Major Steve Austin vs. And that's the bottom line because K-Diggi says so! The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. The Rock thrived in the Attitude Era, too, particularly for his provocative promo style. Stone Cold Returns As Co - General Manager 4/28/2003 AttitudePOP 1.9M views 2 years ago Stone Cold Confronts The Purple Bastard Simon Dean! According to most parties involved, after Stone Cold hung up on Jim Ross on the plane, that was it. Jim Ross had zero interest in participating, but he did it anyway - which was kind of the point to this whole ordeal. Stone Cold and The Undertaker had clashed many times, but never at WrestleMania. Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS. As discussed in WWEs documentary, Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time, WWE hired Steve Austin as a highly-skilled worker who couldput on entertaining matches and make bigger stars look great when he put them over. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Goldust . The two had a heated discussion in a promotional video for the WWE 2K13 game that had many hoping for a clash. For Steve Austin the man though, his return from retirement was likely spurred on by the desire to, if he does indeed re-retire, go out on his own terms this time. In short, Austin has nothing left to prove. By returning at WrestleMania 38, Austin got to flip his patented middle finger at this forced ending. Instead, he donned a Stone Cold t-shirt. While "Stone Cold" Steve Austin looked to be in great shape for a 57-year-old man who doesn't regularly wrestle, his long history of neck, back, and knee injuries led to many being shocked by both the length and brutality of the match he had with Kevin Owens. Interviewed some of the biggest names in WWE including Triple H, Kurt Angle and Charlotte Flair. Stone Cold concluded that a WWE return just wouldn't have been worth it when he thought about 'the big picture'. The Rattlesnake had been on borrowed time, ever since Owen Hart dropped him on his head at SummerSlam 1997. After several months of being incommunicado and not doing anything except wallowing and wasting away in San Antonio, the Rattlesnake one day received a postcard from his friend and Head Of Talent at that time, Jim Ross. According to multiple sources, WWE wants Stone Cold back in the ring at 2022's Showcase of the Immortals. Item was as described. Here are 10 things fans need to know about his journey. Ryan Satin reacts to Logan Paul and The Miz defeating the Mysterios at WrestleMania and The Miz turning on Logan after the match. Factoring in his many layoffs due to injury and Austins eight-month hiatus after walking out in June 2002, Stone Cold was only on top for about three years. While Austin was on the losing end at Mania, The Rattlesnake had a big enough name to warrant a shot at Triple Hs big gold belt. And then the people go home, but what does it all mean in the big picture? When The Rock transitioned away from WWE in the early 2000s, he was in his early thirtiesyounger than Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, or Braun Strowman are today. 1:00. So when "Kingdom" began to play over the loudspeakers at WrestleMania, it was one of those moments where I said to myself, "I never thought Id see this happen.". Ryan Satin reacts to Stone Cold Steve Austin defeating Kevin Owens in his first match since 2003 . Stone Cold is set to make his spectacular in-ring return There have been rumours circulating which suggest that Stone Cold will soon be returning to in-ring action in WWE. Stone Cold Returns No Way Out 2003! He's never been tempted to return for 'one more match' as so many of his fellow stars do. Why WWE's 2022 Royal Rumble Was Such A Disappointing Show, Why WWE Fired Shane McMahon (Will He Return? While both segments are certainly a fine sendoff for his legendary career, retirements have a way of not sticking in wrestling, and there's a real possibility Austin isn't done for good. Indeed, by all accounts, The Two Man Power Trip angle of the two working together was intended to build to them eventually clashing. And to me, going back for one match, being like man, why? Austin's most likely opponent would have been Roman Reigns, who retired The Undertaker at that same show (The Deadman would return a year later). This first time was just for a few weeks, however, citing he was burnt out. When then-independent star Kevin Steen ran into Steve Austin at an airport, he asked the legend for advice. Stone Cold had been running fast and hard for himself for years even before he got to the WWE. There are things in life that make you happy as an adult because they take you back to your youth. Stone Cold had been running fast and hard for himself for years even before he got to the WWE. Austin was assumed to be one of the few people in wrestling who would stick to his retirement, but the temptation to compete opposite Kevin Owens in a WrestleMania main event in his home state of Texas proved too good an opportunity to turn down. A healthy Stone Cold would have also been contacted about a few matches in the Middle East, and most likely paired against fellow legends like Triple H, The Undertaker, and Goldberg. Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The longer he fought Owens, the more relaxed Austin seemed to get, appearing more and more like the classic "Stone Cold" with each move he performed. Joining WWE (then WWF) in 1995, Stone Cold didn't take long to switch from his campy Ringmaster gimmick to the hard-nosed, beer-guzzling, vest-wearing "Stone Cold" persona. He's the author of the wrestling book, The Long Way Home. Stone Cold returned to the ring at this year's WrestleMania, competing in his first match for 19 years. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. More: WWE: Every Vince McMahon WrestleMania Match Ranked From Worst To Best. AWESOME DVD. , Austin says to the camera and his followers. Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Instead of risking being moved down the card, Austin would have done what he did in reality: transition into acting. decluttr_store, Verified purchase: There were a plethora of possible opponents. The narrative of this story for a lot of fans is that Steve didnt want to job to Lesnar so he went home. But the guy was beaten to hammered heck, physically and emotionally. "It aint about the money. - YouTube 0:00 / 4:47 Stone Cold Returns No Way Out 2003! Stone Cold made a triumphant in-ring return after 19 years and yes, the bell rang. View cart for details. This is where our alternative post-2003 timeline merges with reality, as there is a chance that 'Stone Cold' may indeed make a comeback. ), One Big Bang Theory Main Character Was Only Meant To Be A Guest Role, The Last of Us Episode 8 Trailer Reveals Original Joel Actor's New Role, Young Sheldon S6 FINALLY Confirms Georgies Ludicrous TBBT Missy Story.