In 2022, after nearly 20 years away from the ring, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin got here out of retirement for a match against Kevin Owens at WWE WrestleMania 38. Appearing on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet,” Austin once more reflected on the bout and explained why it was the best time for him to have one other match.
“It was in Dallas, Texas,” Austin said. “Vince flew down here and we had a conversation. And I considered it for a minute. I really like Kevin Owens, and he’s just – I believe, from a security standpoint, they picked Kevin. Once they threw out just a few names, Kevin was the guy.”
Austin claimed that the choice for him to wrestle Owens had nothing to do with Owens adopting the Stunner as his finisher. As a substitute, it was because Austin and WWE knew they might trust Owens to maintain Austin secure throughout their interactions. The WWE Hall of Famer also recalled originally meeting Owens and Sami Zayn in an airport a few years ago, and offering the 2 advice, which he believes they took to heart.
“Kevin Owens will find yourself within the [WWE] Hall of Fame,” Austin continued.
As for the match itself, though Austin previously outlined his intense training for WrestleMania, he felt winded nonetheless. Still, the 2 of them placed on a superb showing, and Owens agrees. Owens has spoken at length about how meaningful it was for him to wrestle Austin, and he revealed that the 2 still communicate.
When you use any of the quotes in this text, please credit “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” and supply a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.