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A Stone Cold Return? Top Choices For Steve Austin’s Opponent

October 8, 2014 | Posted by Greg De Marco

WrestleMania XIX packed over 54,000 fans into Seattle’s Safeco Field for an event headlined by Brock Lesnar’s botched Shooting Star Press and victory over Kurt Angle to win the WWE Championship. It also saw Hulk Hogan defeating Vince McMahon, Triple H pinning Booker T to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, and Shawn Michaels beating Chris Jericho. Rounding this mega-event featuring 5 main event matches, was the semi-main event itself: The Rock finally defeating “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at a WrestleMania, in his third attempt.

The one difference between Austin and the other nine wrestlers in that series of main event matches? It was Austin’s last.

Until now?

Much like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and now CM Punk, Steve Austin’s name comes up several times a year for a potential return to the ring. But that speculation has never been warranted or even remotely legitimate.

Until now.

The world of pro wrestling news is often rife with speculation (at best) and pure garbage (at worst). But sometimes real news pops up, and it usually comes right from the source. That happened this week when “Stone Cold” Steve Austin revealed on his own podcast that he’s “trying to get back into shape for a comeback.” Austin had previously revealed that he was working out, but personal health and fitness are vastly different from taking bumps in an unforgiving wrestling ring.

But now, it appears, “Stone Cold” is serious about this comeback.

Can it happen? Will it happen? Should it happen? That’s another discussion for another time, one that I intentionally avoided when discussing other potential legendary returns. The reason? I like Steve Austin more than I like The Undertaker, Sting or Hulk Hogan. He easily ranks as one of my top 3 favorite performers, if not #1. And while my fandom might make me blind, I believe he has one more match in him.

So removing reasonable doubt for a moment and assuming he does return for one more match, who does he face and when?

The most obvious answer is at WrestleMania. The reasons why lie in the suggestions I make below…

The Rock
Professional wrestling has seen some entertaining—and profitable—rivalries. Sadly, Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair, the biggest no-brainer of them all, did not work out. But the one that has likely outdrawn all others? Stone Cold versus The Rock!

While I do not really want to see this match again, it’s illogical to leave it off of the list. Rock and Austin was always magic, and Vince McMahon would have to think twice before considering something other than a rematch between two of the business’s five biggest stars.

There is no other place to do this match than WrestleMania 31, if the Rattlesnake is ready. Obviously WrestleMania 32 can work as well.

John Cena
Much like his two-match series with The Rock, John Cena serving as Steve Austin’s comeback opponent would be a huge draw. Cena has largely lived in the shadow of Austin and Rock—despite likely drawing more money than either man has.

The match itself could take place at either WrestleMania 31 or WrestleMania 32. If it takes place in Santa Clara, it’s likely to be while Cena is a full time performer. If it takes place at WrestleMania 32, it’s likely the beginning of John Cena as a part time performer. Injuries are piling up and Cena can’t do this forever—what better way to kick off the final phase of his in-ring career than against “Stone Cold” (hopefully) in Texas.

In all honesty, this might be the most likely match-up for Austin’s comeback.

Dean Ambrose
I know what many of you are thinking: “Now we’re talking!” Ambrose is one of my top choices for Steve Austin’s opponent for what it means in the grand picture—the original Austin versus the “new Austin.”

Dean Ambrose is poised to take over the spot held by Austin. Face or heel, you couldn’t fully predict what Austin would do. This principle was in place for Ambrose before, but was solidified during this week’s Raw.

The crowd reaction for is attack on john Cena was expected—this was New York City afterall—but Ambrose has been getting this response everywhere. Is he a face or a heel? It doesn’t matter when you’re Dean Ambrose.

The best time to do this is WrestleMania 32, but Ambrose could be huge by 31 if the WWE continues to do this right (as they have with each Shield member).

Bray Wyatt
This is really just an honorable mention before my two favorite picks. Bray Wyatt is a great talker and someone who could carry the heel side of the main event scene for a long time. A match with Austin might not be the best choice (although the promo material for Bray could make it magical), but the rub that a victory over Austin could give Bray is too strong to ignore.

CM Punk
If you know me, you know there are few things that would make me want to see CM Punk return. A match with Austin is one of those things.

Punk vs. Austin is an obvious choice for so many reasons, chief among them is The Alcohol Drinking Redneck against The Straight Edge Superstar angle. But it could be all sorts of phenomenal.

And it’s so simple.

You book Steve Austin for the Raw after Elimination Chamber, hopefully in Texas or Chicago. He gets that huge pop and seems to be cutting the generic “special appearance” promo. Enter CM Punk. Punk can challenge Austin, a challenge that Austin would politely turn down. Punk then turns up the fire, going “Straight Edge and Better Than You” on Austin, leading to the final acceptance. WrestleMania 31 or 32, it doesn’t really matter.

And if Punk is only coming back for this one match, then he should lose.

Cesaro
This is actually my #1 choice for Austin’s opponent. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin started off so simple—black trunks and black boots. Cesaro has often mirrored that simplicity. This wouldn’t be a feud, but a competitive rivalry. Austin can respect Cesaro, maybe even having him on his podcast as a guest. Their discussions and mutual respect can lead to an angle where Austin selects his opponent for WrestleMania 32 (or even 31), and he picks Cesaro.

In fact, doing this at 31 makes more sense. Austin selecting Cesaro re-elevates him, with the announcers playing up the surprise aspect of it all. A few big wins in the weeks that follow and Cesaro’s reputation is repaired.

The final step? The biggest win of Cesaro’s career: a pinfall victory over “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on professional wrestling’s grandest stage—WrestleMania!

Greg DeMarco is a wrestling fan of over 30 years and has also worked on the independent circuit as a promoter, announcer, character and booker. Greg a weekly contributor at 411Mania.com, applying his opinionated style to the world of pro wrestling on Sundays and Thursdays.

He began writing for 411Mania in October 2010 and has been pissing readers off ever since!

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