Stone Cold Steve Austin returning to the ring to face CM Punk is unlikely to happen for one sole reason, believes WWE legend
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has addressed the possibility of Stone Cold Steve Austin returning to the ring to face CM Punk.
The Best in the World returned to the Stamford-based company at Survivor Series: WarGames after nearly a decade of absence. Following Punk's comeback, reports suggested an idea was pitched about him going head-to-head against WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, later reports claimed it was not discussed with The Texas Rattlesnake.
On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T commented on the subject. The legend said Austin might not consider facing Punk due to his age and physical condition.
"Man, when I hear stuff like that, of course, it's something that people pay to see. You know, definitely tune in to see something like that. But Steve Austin, you know, [is] 58-60 years old now. And people gotta be real. People gotta be realistic. I don't think Steve Austin is gonna be the new Undertaker [wrestle once a year]. I just don't, you know, okay, just because Steve Austin is just as old as The Undertaker [laughs]. We all are. It's like the movie Life, you know, what happened? You got old. Hell, we all got old. So, I just don't see Steve Austin sitting at home at 58 years old thinking about a match at all."
The WWE Hall of Famer added:
"This is a young man's game. Now, the thought of CM Punk and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the middle of the ring doing business, man, that's great money. We can make some money out of this deal. Yeah, we can make some money out of it. But money, at the end of the day, none of that can't help you when, you know, you're in dire straits. So, you gotta know when to think about doing something like this. Me personally, I just don't see Steve Austin being one at home thinking about having a match at WrestleMania, [or] anywhere with anybody. That's just me. I could be wrong." [57:33 - 1:01:14]
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When did Stone Cold Steve Austin last compete in WWE?
Stone Cold Steve Austin initially retired from in-ring competition in 2003. However, The Texas Rattlesnake returned to the ring last year for the first time in 19 years to defeat Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 38.
After the contest, the 58-year-old WWE Hall of Famer praised the former Universal Champion in a backstage interview.
"I came here looking for anything. This is where I started. I was lucky enough to finish here. KO is outstanding, and he ran his mouth a little too much, and it caught up with him. But it was really an honor to be here on such a stacked card with so many great matches."
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Please credit the Hall of Fame podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda if you use the transcription from the article's first half.