wrestling / News

Steve Austin Not Returning to the Ring for WWE Crown Jewel 2019 Despite Rumors and Press Release Teasing One More Match

October 4, 2019 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris
Stone Cold Steve Austin RAW Image Credit: WWE

– This week’s edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter addressed the latest rumors of yet another in-ring return for WWE Hall of Famer, Stone Cold Steve Austin, who is currently 54 years old and turns 55 in December. The Observer Newsletter notes that Podcast One, who carries Austin’s podcast, recently put out a press release teasing that Austin is “feeling better and teasing the idea he may do one last match.” Austin also broached the topic on his podcast last week and stated the following:

“For the last couple of weeks, down there at the RAW reunion in Tampa, down there at the Madison Square Garden show at Monday Night RAW – people always ask me, ‘Hey man, you’re still in really good shape. You got one more match left in you?’ And I tell them, ‘Man.’ I say, ‘You know, it’s a tough thing to think about.’ Physically, would I be able to have one more match? Yes, most definitely, and I could make it to that match without being injured. Although the risks are always there, just because I think all of the surgeries, I had… where I had the spinal stenosis, and getting that bone spur taken off my spinal cord – I’m in a good place. Nerves are feeling a lot better than they use to. So, you know, in theory, could I have a match? In theory, yes.”

Apparently, the Podcast One press release sparked rumors that Austin could be returning to the ring for the next WWE show in Saudi Arabia, which is Crown Jewel 2019 set for later this month. Per the Observer Newsletter, there are no plans in WWE for Austin to be making a return to the ring for that show, and that’s not expected to change anytime soon. The report added there is “nothing” to the rumors that Austin would returning at the Saudi Arabia show.

The 52-year-old WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg reportedly received a payout in the range of $2 million for his match with The Undertaker at WWE Super ShowDown 2019 in Saudi Arabia last June. So, a hypothetical return to the ring for Austin at a WWE Saudi Arabia event would likely net him a similar huge payout.

Additionally, Steve Austin has reportedly received “numerous offers” to return to wrestling for “significant money.” And while Austin seriously considered them at one point, he never followed through with them. Previously, Austin retired from active in-ring competition in 2003 due to being diagnosed with spinal stenosis.