“Stone Cold” Steve Austin publicly addressed the much-discussed ATV incident from WrestleMania 41 during an appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show” today, April 30th. The WWE Hall of Famer explained that the mishap, which saw him crash into a ringside barricade near a fan, was due to equipment he wasn’t used to and admitted feeling embarrassed by the occurrence on WWE’s grandest stage.
Austin, known for his proficiency with ATVs, attributed the lack of control to the specific vehicle provided for the event. He told Ariel Helwani: “Different throttle set up than what I’m used to. Long story short, just a different throttle system. I’m pretty dang handy on a four-wheeler.”
He expressed clear regret about the incident and relief that the fan involved seemed unharmed: “I was embarrassed by it. I think everybody is okay… You go out there on the biggest night in wrestling, and you end up like that, it’s not the greatest day at the office. You go out there and want to give people the best show that you can and when you fall short of that, it’s not great.”
The incident occurred during Austin’s entrance on Night Two of WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas earlier this month. While circling the ring on the ATV, he appeared to misjudge a turn on his second lap, colliding with the barricade and startling a fan who fell backward. Austin immediately checked on the fan before proceeding with his segment announcing the weekend’s attendance. WWE President Nick Khan was also seen speaking with the fan afterward.
Austin’s comments on Helwani’s show mark his first detailed explanation for the awkward moment that was widely circulated online. He also mentioned during the interview that he was only operating at about “30-35% capacity” following a total knee replacement in December, which limited what he could physically do during the WrestleMania weekend beyond his scheduled appearance.
Austin shared these comments on The Ariel Helwani Show, which streams live weekdays on YouTube.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Ariel Helwani Show with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
