Stone Cold: One Last Match at Mania 32?

[OYDK]

I understand this thread has probably been done to death, but I just read a very interesting quote from Stone Cold Steve Austin, that might suggest he is finally ready to return to the ring for one last match.

"I'll reserve my right to if I want to have another match down the road - say, like, Dallas, Texas is going to be (WrestleMania) 32. Now, 31 is right down the road from me. That could be doable, but I don't see it happening. Now, Dallas, that could be very special going back to Texas for 32. They're going to need a loaded card to fill that house. So, I'll reserve my right. But, am I pushing, pandering, selling, promoting? Nothing."

It sounds as if Stone Cold is completely open to wrestling at Wrestlemania 32 in his home state of Texas, and is putting the ball in WWE's court to try and work something out. Maybe I'm reaching here, but imo this is the most definite answer we have heard from Stone Cold on if he is actually ABLE to get back in the ring... The answer seems to be yes to that. So, if Stone Cold himself says he can go, and says he's open to one more match, than why the hell not? The Rock has had his return matches. Brock Lesnar and HHH as well. Why not Stone Cold? I understand that this would probably be a one and done for Stone Cold, but I, myself would dish out whatever it took to watch Austin work one more program. Than again, I am a MASSIVE Austin mark.

So what are your thoughts on this? Would you be open to having Stone Cold on the Wrestlemania 32 card? Or are you tired of the WWE legends taking spots from full time wrestlers?

Link: http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/20...steve-austin-match-wrestlemania-32-dallas-wwe

 

[Kris Benwa]

I'm ready for Stone Cold to return the ring and put on a classic if he can. I'm sure he would be able to by WrestleMania 32 also. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs John Cena in the Semi Main or Main Event of WrestleMania 32 in the biggest attraction in the history of the wrestling business? Count me in those guys would rip it to shreds the only thing is it would kinda suck to see Austin lose however I can't think of anyone else for him to wrestle that he hasn't already besides I guess CM Punk but who knows what the story will be there or maybe Lesnar just for the headlines also. Also, I predicted Cena would finally make his heel turn at or in te time surrounding WM32 so that could also factor in it.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

It is completely unnecessary for Stone Cold to return. By that time the future would have taken over (maybe) and everyone would have moved on. Stone Cold hasn't wrestled in over 10 years and has no reason to do so. This doesnt mean at all that he is going to come back or not. He is simply stating "if they need me and its right then I am in, but by no means am I pushing it and I can live without it".

 

[Grizzly0u812]

here is my thoughts, they could have Stone Cold vs Brock if you remember a while back Brock vs Goldberg and if I remember Stone Cold Stun them both in the ring after the match so that could be the start of the build up for them, if brock still has the belt have stone cold beat him for it, have cena be the holder of the money in the bank case and cash it in right after Austin wins the belt and take it off him which would give Cena so much heat to turn him heel

 

[Savior of Silence]

The only match I want to see is Austin vs. Punk and right now that just isn't possible. I'm gonna say no to this at this moment but if the stars do happen to align then I'm all for it.

You know what match I don't want to see?...Austin vs. Cena. It just isn't appealing to me at all.

 

[nightmare]

If one more match is going to happen, it would be there. It by no means is a lock though. WWE would have to come up with something worth a shit for him to get back in the ring. Throwing something together last minute wont work here & it would be a waste. Austin is smart & wont lace up the boots unless it means something. Money isnt an issue, so it will take more than that.

Question is- does he walk out of WM with a win, or will he use his last match to put someone over?

 

[Kidpolean]

No point of Austin coming back...at this point he wouldn't even draw more than The Rock. He will bring nothing to the table except fulfilling the iwc's wet dreams imo. Won't draw more than WM28/WM29, and it simply isnt worth the health risk. Austin needs to stay retired. Punk was the only person I wanted to see fight SCSA but at this point I don't feel that Punk deserved such an honor.

 

[Hit with Dirty Deeds]

If he was going to return at ay point i would have rather he did it when punk was at the hight of his pipe bomb promos. Punk vs Austin is the only match up would have paid money to see. Austin versus anyone else doesn't appeal.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Much as people would want to see it, it is a BAD idea for many reasons.

First off, the only opponent that makes any sense is Punk, which means for them to get Austin back, they also have to get Punk back and that could be a hard sell to Vince. The only other possibility is Ambrose, depending on where he is at the time and that wouldn't have the box office appeal.

It's also several years too late from Austin's perspective...while he may now be healed enough to think it's worth a try, it isn't worth that try... His body doesn't hurt so much perhaps because it hasn't had the abuse, one match could reset it all back to it's worst, or even cripple him if it goes wrong. He is the wrong side of 50 by then too...

Also what would it actually achieve? He already is in the HOF, the WWE has more than moved on from the Attitude era, all it would do is serve to reheat disatisfaction with the current product from those who want Attitude back or allow Vince to "kill it" once and for all by feeding him to a Cena or the like. From the fans perspective there is no real "upside" to an Austin match at this point... it's 5 years too late.

32 should be about Taker's return if they're ever gonna do it... he goes into the HOF there and wrestles his final match there (missing 31 to do so) as it makes sense... once he retires he is gonna be Mark Callaway again, a proud Texan... in fact Austin is being a little selfish by even suggesting the return, cos it could take away from Taker's moment there.

 

[timothy26]

He should come back for 31 and face Sting or Hogan as they both want a final match.

 

[laodaron]

Stone Cold returning would do nothing more than be a tainted piece of shit on his legacy. He doesn't fit into this era, he doesn't belong in this generation. He cemented his legacy long ago, and that's where he belongs. In the past.

 

[Mudlup50]

This is genius, perfect idea. You can have John CENNNNNNNAAAAAA take on Hulk Hoggannn, Stone Cold Steve Austiinn and Stingggg in a handicap match xD

 

[That N Word]

Whether we like it or not I do. If Austin comes out of retirement he needs to/will face John Cena. And if he does do 1 or 2 or maybe even 3 more matches. The people he needs to consider is Ambrose,Reigns,Punk (if he returns.) Whoever becomes the next face of WWE (Ambrose or Reigns)he should turn heel on them and put them over at WM 33. After he turns face and raise their hand. As he goes to FINALLY give his must deserved retirement speech. We hear that familiar static and Punk returns. Or whoever is the top heel Ambrose or Reigns attacks him from behind and scream your mines at WrestleMania.

 

[MartialHorror]

I'm reluctant to get behind nostalgia driven matches. They usually don't work out too well and the finish tends to be predictable. I'd rather he not do this unless he's in better shape than I realized.

 

[Mustang Sally]

No point of Austin coming back...at this point he wouldn't even draw more than The Rock. He will bring nothing to the table except fulfilling the iwc's wet dreams imo.

That could very well be. So much water has gone under the bridge since his glory days....and you have to seriously wonder whether enough fans have forgotten about him (or are too young to know who he was) to make too big an effort at promoting this.

I don't think Cena-Austin would be worthy of main event status......but I could be completely wrong about that. I also can't see him fighting John Cena unless Cena has absolutely nothing else going on at that point. Yet, if Austin decides he won't do this at all unless he gets the opponent of his choice (among many other conditions he might demand) would WWE be tempted to take Cena away from a legitimate, relevant match at WM31 in order to appease Austin?

In the end, I'd like to see Austin in the ring once more time....and it might be even better to watch the trash-talk leading up to it.....but I don't believe the company should sacrifice other storylines and upset the applecart too much just to get it done.

At one time, Stone Cold Steve Austin was the biggest thing in pro wrestling, but that was a long time ago.

 

[Creepy Old Man]

Steve's open to helping out WWE (they need him, not the other way around), but it's not something he's pining for. He's one of the few who have settled nicely into retirement.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Meh, Austin's been heading down a somewhat similar path as Hulk Hogan over the past several years. The difference is that while Hogan flat out states that he wants to wrestle and has "one more match" left in him, Austin has given thinly veiled suggestions that he MIGHT be willing to get back into the ring under the right circumstances and program. On the surface, it doesn't sound all that similar but the underlying subtext is clear: by making such statements every once in a while, it generates buzz, keeps their names on people's lips, or fingertips to keyboards as the case may be, and helps keep them relevant despite the fact that it's been many years since they wrestled serviceable wrestling matches.

Personally, I'm long past the point where all these guys crying wolf makes me interested. Would I be interested in Stone Cold Steve Austin is serious? Yes....IF he's capable of getting into the ring and delivering a wrestling match that doesn't come off as so embarrassing that I'm humiliated just in watching it. I enjoy a bit of nostalgia now and again like anyone else, but nostalgia, for me, will always take a backseat to being entertained. Just showing up, popping a few catchphrases, cutting a few promos, etc. is all well and good; it can be a lot of fun for what it is. However, when it comes to moving beyond that and getting back into the ring as a wrestler, I'm of the opinion that if you're not in good physical shape, your body is racked with injuries, can't put on a competitive looking match and can't really even take a significant bump without risking severe injury, I don't want to see you wrestle. I don't find shitty matches put on by wrestlers who're addicted to the spotlight, are broke because they pissed away fortunes, are too ego driven to realize they don't have it anymore or some combination of any/all of the above entertaining, nor should I be expected to by any wrestling company or wrestlers themselves. To be perfectly honest, I find it to be a little insulting. Just the novelty of seeing Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldberg, Sting, Hulk Hogan or whoever step into the ring wearing their gear and having a match doesn't give me some sort of special thrill. It doesn't mean I'm not a fan of those wrestlers, that I don't respect what they did and that I don't have a ton of great memories of what they accomplished. But if I watched Hulk Hogan wrestle Brock Lesnar, he takes an F5 in the middle of the ring and breaks his back, it's not something I find exciting. I don't need to see 60 year old men crippled to get my jollies.

 

[chuckmdubya]

We all would love to see him and Hogan finally go at it. But I doubt a 62 or 63 year old Hogan would be able to put on a WrestleMania main event quality show.
If Austin returns it should be against the Rock, and be billed as the battle to see who is the best in WWE history. And I believe Austin should win, and then they both celebrate together with some ice cold steve-weisers.

 

[Mudlup50]

We all would love to see him and Hogan finally go at it. But I doubt a 62 or 63 year old Hogan would be able to put on a WrestleMania main event quality show.
If Austin returns it should be against the Rock, and be billed as the battle to see who is the best in WWE history. And I believe Austin should win, and then they both celebrate together with some ice cold steve-weisers.

Far from knocking your idea but haven't they already wrestled at Mania 3 times? And I'm pretty sure Austin already won 2 of them. So it's not like it'd be a believable rubber match. Still I'm sure fans would love the idea of this

 

[MCMG]

I would love this and so would the WWE. People are interested in Austin and if Taker and even Lesnar are gone then they might want that extra big name. While he probably wouldn't draw as big as The Rock, he is still a massive name. Austin doesn't seem to be a busy guy (like The Rock) so he would be able do completely focus on this. I'm sure he could be able to put a fine match so that wouldn't be a worry.

I reckon Cena has to be his opponent if this was to happen. Two of top three superstars of all time in the same ring. A decent match and some delightful promos as well as the contrast in characters. This would be a phenomenal ending for Austin.

I highly doubt this will happen. I'm not even sure what kind of health he is in but Austin v Cena would be iconic and must-see. I can watch Cena wrestle anyone else on the roster at any time; this, however, would be special.

 

[TDFG]

There is absolutely no reason for Austin to return even for one match.

The Rock has hosted WM, as has Hogan. Give that role to Austin or have him referee a headline bout.

 

[Terry Gyimah]

Austin as the guest host for WrestleMania 31, what a great way to bring Austin back but if Austin were ever going to have another match again they should have had him face CM Punk but since Punk is gone for good there is really no reason to have Austin be in one last match with anyone now is there? If and only if Austin were to ever come back for another match it would either have to be against CM Punk or against a superstar such as "The Icon" Sting or even Hogan for that matter or Austin/Cena

 

[RedRegan1005]

The anger of a part timer, or legend, taking a spot form a full time guy goes completely out the window when it comes to a possible Stone Cold WrestleMania match. I can't think of a name in wrestling that could return for one more match, that would be bigger than Austin. You could argue Hogan, but the difference is that if Austin comes back for a match, he will only do it if he feels he can put on a great match. So Austin would bust his ass to be in shape, and put on a great match, or he wouldn't even do it. I would love for the Rattlesnake to return for one more match. Guys I would like to see him have the match against:

1) CM Punk, this looks the least likely as ever. But the storyline just writes itself.

2) Brock Lesnar, The beast incarnate comes head to head with the baddest man to ever lace up boots in the WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin, the same man that stunned his ass out of the WWE in 2004.

3) Randy Orton. The Viper VS The Rattlesnake. The Stone Cold Stunner VS The RKO. Orton attempts to kill off on of the largest legends ever on the grandest stage of them all.

 

[Terry Gyimah]

The anger of a part timer, or legend, taking a spot form a full time guy goes completely out the window when it comes to a possible Stone Cold WrestleMania match. I can't think of a name in wrestling that could return for one more match, that would be bigger than Austin. You could argue Hogan, but the difference is that if Austin comes back for a match, he will only do it if he feels he can put on a great match. So Austin would bust his ass to be in shape, and put on a great match, or he wouldn't even do it. I would love for the Rattlesnake to return for one more match. Guys I would like to see him have the match against:

1) CM Punk, this looks the least likely as ever. But the storyline just writes itself.

2) Brock Lesnar, The beast incarnate comes head to head with the baddest man to ever lace up boots in the WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin, the same man that stunned his ass out of the WWE in 2004.

3) Randy Orton. The Viper VS The Rattlesnake. The Stone Cold Stunner VS The RKO. Orton attempts to kill off on of the largest legends ever on the grandest stage of them all.

The only opponents I would want to see Austin go up against are Lesnar, Orton or even Triple H the COO because I think those are probably the only guys who Austin would want to work with realistically

 

[Dream]

If it's Cena vs Austin and Austin is booked to lose, I'd rather not see the match at all. Also, I don't think there is anything Austin could do these days that would make his legacy bigger. As much as I would LOVE to see it, it may be better if he just doesn't.

Also, I don't feel like his promos are really that good anymore for some reason. He just yells with a raspy voice. It's like he has no emotion behind it. It's kind of weird, I don't know how to explain it.

But I mean..If it happened I would be glued to my TV the entire time.