What is the REAL reason Steve Austin does not get back in the ring one more time

[President Evil]

For years, Austin has teased or hinted serious interest of getting back in the squared circled at least once more. He's sure not short of opponents, first CM Punk, Cena, even Orton would be good.

I just read yesterday here on WZ Austin being interviewed and when the topic of one more match came up he answered with some bs saying "if the stars are aligned properly" are you kidding me?? The sob Rattlesnake answering if the stars are aligned properly?

Also comes the subject of money, if he's offered high enough. To get a name like Austin to wrestle at a Mania, theres no price Vince wont pay. At the same time its not like Austin is starving and really needs all the money he can get out of it. I honestly dont feel money is the issue either. Austin has always loved the wrestling business and its not his style to make this simply about money.

Him wanting to face the "right CM Punk" the heel CM Punk, that can be arranged, Punk has the ability of being face or heel in a blink of an eye and work it beautifully and believable. So thats not a problem either.

Also, I can understand Austin saying he cant compete as good as he used to compared to 10-15 years ago. But Austin still "has it" mentally and physically. Plus fans understand when a loved competitor gets older and cant move like they used to, like Taker, Flair, Shawn. Still being in the ring brings sheer excitement and fans know these names I mentioned will give it their all and fans appreciate that so everyone is happy.

To get to the point, I believe the real reason Austin has hesitated in getting back in the ring, is fear of injury. And Im not talking about a pulled muscle or something small. I love the guy for everything he's done, but I think he's afraid of being paralyzed. We all know the story of what happened to him back in 1997. And no one would ever want to go through that much less twice. Austin's main problems have been his neck and his knees. A knee injury isnt bad compared to a neck injury. I would be afraid myself to be paralyzed just like anyone else.

Im sure Austin has a burning desire to come back at least once, and give the fans what they want. But if its fear of another neck injury, just be honest with us, tweet or make a video explaining this. And we can all put this to rest. Fans will understand. But still today Im sure he's thinking will he do this or not and the fans are eagerly watching to see if this is going to happen. If it doesnt happen at Mania 30, then we'll be like "ok so it'll happen at Mania 35. Its silly.

I just get the feeling this is the main reason Austin has not come back in the ring.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I think fear of injury is a big reason but the other reason may be that he simply doesn't want to take the time to train and get ready for another match, maybe he is satisfied with his life currently and would rather be doing that then training for another match.

The guy hasn't wrestled in 10 years, if he really wanted to keep performing he would have, even when he retired from the ring he was still a focal point of RAW for a good chunk of time. I think that more than anything is the reason he hasn't returned yet.

Maybe there isn't some big, huge reason he hasn't returned, maybe, just maybe he is in a good place in his life and has no desire to stir that up.

 

[The Nomenal Phe]

I think it's simply he doesn't want to put on a poor show. Wrestlemania is always judged by the quality more than anything in the business and for someone like Austin to go to that show, where he headlined almost every year he was active and not hit his high standards isn't an option. Come Wrestlemania 30 it will be 11 years since he wrestled I think he's in a place where performing isn't the most important thing anymore. He enjoys his MTV show, acting and he was great on tough enough maybe he is being genuine when he says the stars are not lined up for him. Hope he does make one more match he is my favourite of all time.

 

[OutsiderDX]

Like in life, there is rarely one definitive reason for a decison. I'm sure it's a combination of many factors.

Timing : Has Austin been gone long enough to warrent a nostalgic response that other like, Hitman, Hogan, and the Rock were given? No. He has made appearences off and on for years, so each time he does that, it takes away from the anticipation of another return. Also, for the past 2 years, the E has invested their backing to the Rock. Austin is a prideful man, he would never play 2nd fiddle to Rock.

Schedule: Again Austin stepped away from the E, and has had many things going on. Sure they are not very high profile like the Rock, but they to take up time and committment.

Injuries : As stated, he was wrestling for over 10 years before getting to the E. He has injuries big and small. It's the price for being in the business. Neck and back, never completely heal. The recovery time for knees, hips, ect is not fast the older you get.

Storyline : What would be a meaty storyline? Rock and Cena had a legtimate (assuming) bicker before their fued started. Then it grew.

I personally don't see Austin needing to come back anytime in the next few years, and to fall flat compared to the Rock. Maybe in a few years when the audience hasn't been exposed to a "wrestlemania returning star" - he can do it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Like most pro wrestlers, Stone Cold is a pretty good bullshit artist. Every so often, he'll pop up and do some sort of interview in which he's asked about getting into the ring once again. Or, he'll somehow answer one question that will cause whomever is doing the interview to ask about having another match and whether it's possible.

In actuality, I'd say risk of injury is a genuine factor when it comes to this sort of thing. No matter how much wrestlers might hype themselves in one form or another, deep down inside, most of them understand that they're every bit as mortal as the rest of us. Stone Cold turns 49 years old in mid December. While he might look like he's still in great shape, which is probably is in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't mean that he can get in there and wrestle without getting hurt, especially at his age. Aside from Austin, his doctors and family; nobody really knows just what sort of genuine wrestling condition he's in.

I think if WWE was really serious about bringing Austin back, it could probably happen. WWE would really, really have to be serious about it in order for Austin to maybe put his acting career on hold, along with all his other ventures. If Austin would be willing to do so, was medically cleared to compete and work his ass off to get back into ring shape; I think he'd want a very, very significant sum of money to do so; well into seven figures I'd imagine. And, in all honesty, WWE would have to wonder if he was really worth such a sum, depending on what sort of limits he might or might not have.

Austin wrestling at a major ppv for the first time in a decade would be a big draw, I've no doubt about that. People would pay in order to see him do his thing for, quite possibly, the very last time. That's all well and good, but what if the reality of the match doesn't remotely equal the hype because Austin simply can't go? What if Austin's too limited to be able to put on an entertaining match? What if he winds up getting hurt in a way that irreparably damages him for the rest of his life? The answer to that, at least as far as a lot of the IWC goes, I think is fairly simple: they'll bitch and moan about what a letdown the match was, what a waste of time and money it was, that they wish he'd never returned, that it caused the entire show to suck, etc.

 

[hatehabsforever]

See, I'm not so sure that risk of injury has much to do with it at all. That's not to say that it isn't a factor at all, because I'm sure it is to a small degree, but let's face it, there's minimal risk for him to wrestle one match with some superstar who knows what he's doing. He'd probably be nervous about this if he were coming back to wrestle Ryback or someone like that, but as I see it, there's little actual health risk to a match with someone like Punk or Cena, where it will be more about the spectacle than the match itself.

My guess is that he doesn't return because he sees little reason to do so. He's got more money than he'll ever spend. His legacy is second to none (well, maybe one). Why would he come back? Why have to get himself back into shape (both physical as well as in ring shape) and pay the price of doing so? Why travel, even to a limited degree, to establish the feud behind the return? Why run the risk of falling short of expectations, when he's already set for life? As I see it, Austin is probably at a pretty good place in his life these days. Why bother to endure the physical, mental, and traveling duress when he has absolutely no tangible reason to do so, except for the pleasure of a bunch of guys on an Internet wrestling forum?

 

[#tamale]

Personally, I don't think it's a health issue. I think he can get into ring shape given the proper time. I think it just boils down to two things: money and story.

We all know the money aspect, but I feel Austin won't come back just because. I think for him to get back in the ring, the story needs to be very well done with a great opponent. Like with CM Punk. They have already traded verbal jabs with each other and the feud feels "real". It could develop like a Rock-Cena feud.

 

[sports_fan_2007]

If you read through the rest of the interview you would have seen for him to do it it would require a 3-4 month commitment where he would need to give up everything he has going on with the exception of his podcast. He said if the right deal came along he would jump in 120%. Another thing is he was forced to retire because of his neck issues so if he feels confident that he can wrestle through that I am sure it just requires a good deal (probably one similar to The Rock last year). As for a potential storyline to come back to, he has had feud going through twitter with CM Punk so an appearance or 2 between summerslam and wrestlemania will open that up for the match.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

I think its just injuries factor. Rock was in great shape and you see what happened to him after Wrestlemania and imagine how would Austin feel in his age and to count that he is pretty banged up from before...

It would be huge but I think would also be risky move by him and thats why he delayes with decision to get back...

Plus, you need to count that its Austin. If he even where on this years Mania do you think that he would agree that he share spotlight with Cena/Rock 2? No, he would want to mainevent.

 

[Nyce18]

I think the man has a genuine itch to wrestle one more time in front of the crowd for his fans. Im sure everyone who was passionate about wrestling has that itch such as Shawn Michaels. I bet if Shawn didnt have Taker "retire" him he might have had a match by now again as well, he just respects Taker too much to do so as he stated before. Look at Flair, Hogan, Rock, even Undertaker... So when Austin teases another match it shouldnt be upsetting to fans as him just blowing smoke. Im sure the desire to do so is genuine. The man seems to be smart enough to pick and choose his place, as in whether he should commit to it, when, against whom, whats the story, what does he have to do to get ready, what should his opponent do, etc etc etc.. He seems to be torn between coming back for one last run and just leaving his legacy alone as one of the biggest and most beloved names in the history of the business. I think that is what is mainly holding him back from pulling the trigger and coming back. Fear of injury is always in the back of the mind im sure, but fear of coming back and falling flat or less than the 110% hes used to giving is an even bigger factor. I am a huge Austin fan, Favorite of all time. So I would love to see another little run of course but if it never materializes im not mad, Im just happy for all the memories he helped create and I hope to see him back in the ring in some capacity at least once more

 

[MrMojoRisin]

I think there's a few reasons

Injuries - Let's face it. Austin had to retire when he did, because if he didn't, he would have been seriously affecting the quality of his life. With his neck injuries, if he takes a bump the wrong way he could end up in a wheel chair. His knees are so bad he's already going to have difficulty getting around as he gets older. The more impact they take, the worse they'll get. And Austin's a guy that's seen what's happened to older guys who kept going when their bodies were telling them to stop. He doesn't want to be one of them

Pride - Plain and simple, does Steve Austin seem like a guy that ever wants to put on a sub par performance? He's been out for over a decade. It would take him time to get back into ring shape (not just a one off match - he'd need to be wrestling for a couple months to get back into a rhythm). He's probably afraid he wouldn't be able to hold up his end of the match

Money - Not that the WWE can't offer him whatever he wants... but does he need it? Austin's pretty set. By most accounts, he lives a pretty simple life. He's still making good coin with his acting and hosting gigs. He could completely retire today and be set for life. He doesn't have that motivator that many older guys have to come back.

Opponent - I get the impression that the only guy he'd come back for is Punk, and maybe he just doesn't feel that Punk would be best served by a match with him anymore?

 

[Mac Attack]

Stone Cold doesn't come back because he knows he doesn't have to. He's not jumping to come back, he's not even saying he directly wants to he is simply saying he would come back. As he says it takes a lot of effort to come back around 4 months and I'm sure in his mind if he doesn't want to then well Stone Cold won't. Of course some things hindering him could be fear of injury, the effort it takes to return to the ring, and in general his conditioning as a whole, however with the proper motivators I'm sure Stone Cold could go from not wanting to return to wanting to return simply for the big Mania payday/nostalgic reasoning. However, at the time being the stars he's talking about is his want to return.

 

[daletango]

Well, there's no reason to put him on the same card as the Rock, so until Rock has his last match( presumable against Brock at WM this year), Austin wont be back.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I look at the injury thing from another side... A lot of guys over the years have "gone on" when they should have stopped and a lot of BS'd injury as an excuse to stop... Kurt Angle is one extreme and Shawn Michaels the other...he needed 4 years off cos of drugs, not his back. Some have come back far off their best (Bret and Curt Hennig were 2), while Ricky Steamboat was able to turn back the clock 20 years for 3 matches, but then had a major health problem. Edge did the "smart" thing and got out as soon as he was told to, bar that one more match at Mania.

Austin is stuck somewhere in the middle of all 5 points, he has a legitimate long standing neck problem but one that has probably healed much like Steamboat's back did. He probably could pull out "one more match" but he was also told a long time ago never to wrestle again. Edge managed to dodge the paralysis bullet for that one match, but he was working with a guy known for being ultra safe and highly experienced in Del Rio but in reality it was blind luck Edge made it through that match and got to go out on RAW as he did. Austin will also have seen Misawa's death and perhaps made his decision then that the risk isn't worth it.

On the other side of that equation, you have guys like Angle who have been told many times to hang it up with similar issues who can still go, not on 80% or 60% as Austin was by the time he left but 100% balls to the wall. Austin won't want to look weak in comparison to either them or how he used to look. He will have seen Bret's return and while I am sure he was pleased for him, it will have struck a chord how limited he would be compared to what he was in his prime.

He is likely mindful of Rock's return, while Austin is still over Rock was bona fide a top 5 box office star when he returned to the ring and is now near #1 - Austin wouldn't command that level of attention in the mainstream unless Grown Ups 2 does some pretty big business.

Austin is also probably concerned with the scenario and who he would face. Punk is the obvious and I think the one he would choose but he would also be respectful enough to not want to damage Punk, either for the E or his career in general with a bad or disappointing match. He's also not gonna want to put over just anyone if it came to that as inevitably it would have to be. Guys like Ziggler are bad fits for him and dangerous to him, guys like Wade Barrett would be suitable on the mic but maybe not quite experienced enough to carry the limitations of the match on their shoulders. Someone like Chris Jericho could probably be safe enough and put Austin over like it was 1998, but the match wouldn't make enough buzz or money cos Jericho has lost to every one.

I think Austin will return, I can imagine this GM situation might be a way for them to do it and tie into the Triple H/Vince feud. That way they have some way to test the waters, to interact with Punk who is bound to be HHH's boy and perhaps even Cena which is probably the match people really want to see.

 

[Pedigree1]

I too think the reason SCSA does not wrestle is risk of Injury. That was a very scary injury for him to suffer at summerslam 97. A careless move on the late Owen Hart definitely shortened Austins career by a good 6 years at least. Austin is going to be 49 in mid December that is old for a performer of his caliber. I have no doubt Austin is in great shape for someone of his age.

Another Factor is,Austin does not want to put on a bad performance. I believe it was on the third disc of the WM20 special edition in which he said WM is the pinnacle the superbowl of wrestling. Who in their right mind would not wanna steal the show? Austin is a proud proud man a great performer. He most certainly does not wanna put on a stinker. I would love to see him come back to the ring after a 11 year hiatus even for one more match. There is no sum Vinnie Mac wont pay for austin! But i think Austin is content in his life and doesnt need it anymore.

Plus has he been training keeping himself in-ring shape? Only Austin knows if he can truly go or not

 

[The Eighties]

Like most pro wrestlers, Stone Cold is a pretty good bullshit artist. Every so often, he'll pop up and do some sort of interview in which he's asked about getting into the ring once again. Or, he'll somehow answer one question that will cause whomever is doing the interview to ask about having another match and whether it's possible.

In actuality, I'd say risk of injury is a genuine factor when it comes to this sort of thing. No matter how much wrestlers might hype themselves in one form or another, deep down inside, most of them understand that they're every bit as mortal as the rest of us. Stone Cold turns 49 years old in mid December. While he might look like he's still in great shape, which is probably is in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't mean that he can get in there and wrestle without getting hurt, especially at his age. Aside from Austin, his doctors and family; nobody really knows just what sort of genuine wrestling condition he's in.

I think if WWE was really serious about bringing Austin back, it could probably happen. WWE would really, really have to be serious about it in order for Austin to maybe put his acting career on hold, along with all his other ventures. If Austin would be willing to do so, was medically cleared to compete and work his ass off to get back into ring shape; I think he'd want a very, very significant sum of money to do so; well into seven figures I'd imagine. And, in all honesty, WWE would have to wonder if he was really worth such a sum, depending on what sort of limits he might or might not have.

Austin wrestling at a major ppv for the first time in a decade would be a big draw, I've no doubt about that. People would pay in order to see him do his thing for, quite possibly, the very last time. That's all well and good, but what if the reality of the match doesn't remotely equal the hype because Austin simply can't go? What if Austin's too limited to be able to put on an entertaining match? What if he winds up getting hurt in a way that irreparably damages him for the rest of his life? The answer to that, at least as far as a lot of the IWC goes, I think is fairly simple: they'll bitch and moan about what a letdown the match was, what a waste of time and money it was, that they wish he'd never returned, that it caused the entire show to suck, etc.

Good analysis Jackhammer. I also think it's the length of what they need to do that could be a problem, much like the drawn out Rock vs Cena thing that made everything between Mania 28 and 29 feel like filler as soon as Rock announced he intended to be WWE champion again. I doubt Austin will want to just come in and lose, so it would have to be at least a two match program and if they wanted to set up Austin vs Cena/Punk they'd need someone for him to beat before putting someone over.

Crafting two angles of significance that would surely run at least 4 months, around a guy who is 49 and hasn't wrestled for over a decade is risky, and while Austin is the second biggest draw in pro wrestling history after Hogan, I'm not sure the outlay would be worth it to WWE in the way they felt it was with The Rock due to him being a genuine Hollywood movie star.

 

[President Evil]

For this to happen Austin needs to be comfortable in his own skin. And I dont feel this is the case right now. Yes to train and work for a program leading to Mania 30, it'll take 3-4 months of Austin's time. We know that, but what is that compared to the 15+ year career he had?

Punk is the perfect opponent for Austin for many reasons, they have as many similarities as they have differences. Both are awesome on the mic, and Punk will take care of Austin in the ring.

I will always feel this has to do with risk of injury until I hear different from Austin himself.

 

[pianomanvin]

It's all about timing, billing, storyline, and money. WWE isn't stupid, and they know that it's taking them time building the next generation of top stars. I see it as something like this:

WM 30 features big money matches with the existing big talent (Brock, Rock, Cena, Punk, HHH, Taker, etc) and doesn't really add much to this formula, save for probably a RVD or Sting or someone of his stature. Not an Austin. Rock will go in the HOF, it'll be a good farewell thing for him, probably also will be the year HHH and his Kliq guys get in the HOF too.

WM 31 will be the Austin mania, since it's in Dallas. By that time, he can main event with Punk, there shouldn't be as much of a need for guys like Brock, Rock, HHH, etc., Austin can have his moment and Punk can finally be in the Main Event of WrestleMania.

I don't know for sure, but to me it looks like it's headed in that direction

 

[pianomanvin]

It's all about timing, billing, storyline, and money. WWE isn't stupid, and they know that it's taking them time building the next generation of top stars. I see it as something like this:

WM 30 features big money matches with the existing big talent (Brock, Rock, Cena, Punk, HHH, Taker, etc) and doesn't really add much to this formula, save for probably a RVD or Sting or someone of his stature. Not an Austin. Rock will go in the HOF, it'll be a good farewell thing for him, probably also will be the year HHH and his Kliq guys get in the HOF too.

WM 31 will be the Austin mania, since it's in Dallas. By that time, he can main event with Punk, there shouldn't be as much of a need for guys like Brock, Rock, HHH, etc., Austin can have his moment and Punk can finally be in the Main Event of WrestleMania.

I don't know for sure, but to me it looks like it's headed in that direction

and let me add to that. If there really is a HHH/Vince feud culminating at WM30 which sees HHH gain full control over WWE, I can see Vince going in the HOF at WM31 with Austin giving the induction speech. Either way, I see HHH and Vince getting big HOF moments at 30 and 31.

 

[#heel420]

He's always said his biggest worry is as he put it "stinking the joint out." He's afraid that he'll put on a shit match and it will some how ruin his legacy. I could see the risk of injury playing a part in this too, but on his podcast he's in great shape and healthier than he's been in past years.

 

[H33LTurn]

I feel Austin gave the best answer he could possibly give. It seems he's not desperate to get back into the ring. At this stage he has accomplished pretty much everything and has nothing else to prove. The "stars being aligned", as he put it, means an opportunity so great that he can't turn it down. Something that will add actual value to his career. A lot of the legends, like The Rock, agree to deals because it brings money and publicity, but it ultimately comes at the cost of some career prestige. Steve Austin, being fairly old, significantly injured, and largely unmotivated to work for the WWE whenever his name is brought up, has a lot to consider before stepping into the ring again. Unlike other legends, SCSA doesnt have any money troubles, has a fairly good acting career, and just began a podcast. He's not facing the slightest dearth of attention. If he is offered a match with someone like Cena or Punk and the timing is just right, theres enough fan interest in seeing a return, he's feeling physically fit, and is economically compensated for his input, he'd have to be an idiot to turn an opportunity down. So Austin isnt giving some BS reason for not returning, he's just smart enough to know what the right investment is.

 

[scomvp316]

Before I get started I will admit that I am a SCSA mark
The injury thing is very minute seeing Steve had said last year hes in the best shape of his life and I am sure he would go back to Dr Youngblood and take some tests before he would make the decision to come back even if its for one night only
All the hype of the Rock through what Steve has said over the last year has pissed him off and feels WWE is disrespecting him a bit
We have all heard Cole mention Rock vs Cena is the clash of the best of their generation
VKM will always do whats right for biz even if he has a disagreement with a certain talent but Steve I think this time will have to meet Vince halfway
There are a few opponents Steve has in mind
Like Punk cause there is alot of similarities between the two on both of their rise within WWE
The most sense from most fans would be against Cena but Steve in a one off match would not laydown for him cause Cena is nowhere even close to Steve in any category
The one match I think Steve wants and its just my opinion is to face Undertaker and arguably the two greatest WWE Stars of all-time final match and Steve would end the streak and after that Steve would not have the craving for any other WM

 

[zhaff2004]

and let me add to that. If there really is a HHH/Vince feud culminating at WM30 which sees HHH gain full control over WWE, I can see Vince going in the HOF at WM31 with Austin giving the induction speech. Either way, I see HHH and Vince getting big HOF moments at 30 and 31.

but imagine if Austin is the man Vince picks to fight HHH at mania... Ausin with Vince vs HHH with Stephanie for control of the WWE. Austin gets his send off against one of his biggest rivals and Vince "passes the torch" of company ownership to HHH. I know people would be upset that Punk/Austin didn't happen but this would really draw big.

 

[Dmbfantomas]

I think more than anything else, he's afraid of ruining his legacy. The hype for coming back will be through the roof, no matter who he goes up against. If the match is anything less than amazing, people will feel let down.

Also... I think he watched Rock's comeback, and doesn't want to look like that. Rock drew really well, no doubt, but his work was at nowhere near the quality of his prime.

 

[SinCityBlitz]

It's not really the money with Austin because he will get paid. He still makes a lot of money from the WWE for merchandise. I think it has to do with wanting to go out on a high note. He doesn't need to go back so it makes it easier to cherry pick.

I think he will have one more match and I think it will be with Punk. It will be a long process so Austin and Punk have plenty of time to practice and get things right.

Kurt Angle is one extreme and Shawn Michaels the other...he needed 4 years off cos of drugs, not his back.

It wasn't drugs. He wrestled for YEARS while on drugs so why would he need 4 years off because of them? He took that time off to recover from back surgery and to stay with his family.