Now that the Undertaker’s undefeated streak has been ended and The Rock’s had a trio of main-event appearances, two omnipresent WrestleMania fantasy booking questions remain: “when is Sting wrestling The Undertaker” and “when is Stone Cold Steve Austin returning for one last match?”
With Sting campaigning to anyone who’ll listen, Austin’s the big What If. WrestleMania 31 is just six short months away. Is this the show where the biggest draw in WWE history shows up and does something besides drink beer, drive around on an ATV and Stunner people? The Observer brings us our first “will he or won’t he” of the season.
Many are taking the fact that WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is talking about training hard right now as a sign that he is getting ready to work a comeback match at WrestleMania. The latest word going around within WWE is that an Austin return at WrestleMania is not out of the question, it’s just a matter of the right creative, opponent and of course, money.
In recent interviews, Austin has been open to a return match at WrestleMania. WrestleMania 32 will be held in Dallas, Texas, which is Austin’s home state while WrestleMania 31 takes place in Santa Clara, California.
There are really only three opponents:
1. CM Punk, who wore an Austin t-shirt during his most famous promo and is the antithesis of everything Stone Cold represents
2. Brock Lesnar, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion who once caused Austin to “take his ball and go home” (and who needs to get revenge for being shown up at WrestleMania 20)
3. John Cena, because John Cena
Of course, Austin could just be in training for his next direct-to-Target-shelves action flick and this (as it normally is) is all conjecture. Austin being in such good shape and looking exactly like he did 15 years ago keeps those return rumor fires burning, so if he doesn’t compete at Mania 31, we’ll most certainly hear this again before Mania 32. And before Mania 33. And every other Mania until the man’s in a nursing home. Probably the Manias after that.
That Punk/Austin feud would sure get people watching again, though, wouldn’t it?
