Stone Cold Steve Austin’s return to the ring at WWE WrestleMania 38 against Kevin Owens stands as one of the most memorable moments in recent WWE history. It was his first match in 19 years, taking place in his home state of Texas. While the match was a massive critical and commercial success, the Hall of Famer admits there are aspects of his preparation and performance he wishes he could do over.
In a revealing conversation with Chris Van Vliet, Austin pulled back the curtain on the difficulties of training for a main event match without access to a wrestling ring. Austin disclosed that WWE did not send a ring to his home in Nevada for him to train in prior to the event. This left him trying to condition his body for ring work on flat ground, a substitute that proved inadequate once the bell rang.
“I went down there [to the show] and I was running the ropes and taking a couple of flat back bumps before we got into the ring, but you can’t get your timing or any kind of anything back, much less your wind,” Austin said. He described doing intense cardio at his home gym to prepare, but noted that nothing can simulate the adrenaline dump of a live stadium crowd. “Walking to the ring, man, just the buzz of the crowd. I’ve seen people blow up walking to the ring”.
Before stepping back between the ropes, Austin sought advice from his peers, all of whom warned him about the specific challenges of returning after such a long hiatus. Their warnings proved prophetic.
“Triple H says, ‘You never know what you got until you get in there.’ So you don’t, and he was right,” Austin recalled. He also spoke to Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker. “Hulk Hogan… says, ‘You’re not calloused up because you haven’t been on the road, you haven’t been taking bumps in the ring.’ He was right. Undertaker says, ‘There’s no way that you can have timing because you haven’t been in the ring… over and over, every single night.’ And he was right”.
Once inside AT&T Stadium, Austin faced another unexpected challenge: the sound. The massive venue’s acoustics made it difficult for him to hear the crowd’s reaction in real-time, a crucial tool for a performer who relies on “reading the room.”
“I couldn’t hear the crowd like I wanted to, just because of the acoustics of that building. And, man, I’m just real in tune with… how the crowd responds,” he explained.
Because of the lack of “in-ring reps,” Austin admitted he felt rushed and fatigued (“blown up”) during the match. He expressed regret that he didn’t slow down to savor the moment more. Furthermore, his lack of recent ring time meant his strikes were far stiffer than intended. He apologized to Kevin Owens for repeatedly hitting him for real during their brawl.
“I was knocking the sh*t out of him,” Austin said. “I was potatoing him so bad because I hadn’t thrown a punch in 19 years, and he never threw a receipt. I told him… I just wish that he could have been in the ring with me when I was really going full speed and had my timing, because he’s a great worker and I really like him a lot”.
Regarding why Owens was chosen for the spot, Austin said it came down to Vince McMahon flying to his ranch to pitch the idea, with the selection of Owens being based on safety and talent. “They just handpicked Kevin because they know how good he is, and he cuts a good promo… Kevin Owens will end up in the Hall of Fame”.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
