Professional wrestling icon, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, made his most recent appearance in the ring at WWE WrestleMania 38 where he emerged victorious against Kevin Owens in a one-on-one match.
Earlier, Owens had thrown insults towards the WWE Hall of Famer, provoking Austin to agree to make an appearance on the “KO Show.” This bold move led to the intense showdown between the two wrestling superstars.
In a fresh episode of “The Takedown” podcast, Austin revisited his showdown with Owens, conceding that some elements of the fight did not live up to his expectations.
Reflecting on the match, Austin said, “In the heat of the moment, I was content, but they didn’t prepare a ring for me. I had no sense of timing. They discussed the match with Triple H, The Undertaker, and Hogan. Each one of them voiced something that resonated with me. Paul mentioned that you can return to the ring, but you don’t know what you have because you haven’t experienced it in a while. Undertaker hinted that I would be lacking rhythm and he was correct. I was off-beat. I hadn’t even touched the ropes or thrown a punch in 19 years. Hogan cautioned that my body wasn’t as resilient as it used to be and he was spot-on. If you leave the sport, everyone mentions ring rust, which is all about timing. I was clearly off. Hogan pointed out the need for being hardened up….ropes hurt, falls hurt. If you stage a long comeback, it takes two or three months to redevelop those callouses to mask the pain after every match. They all had valid arguments, as Paul asserted, you have no idea what you’ve got until you step in the ring, because in your mind everything is fine, but in reality it may not be.”
“On stepping into the ring, I couldn’t sense the crowd’s energy as much as I would have liked. On replaying the match, the crowd was spellbound and the atmosphere was electric, but I regret not indulging in the moment, relishing it, and engaging with the crowd more than I did. I believe I was caught in a state of uncertainty and tried to stir up the excitement. I could have taken things slow and made the match a lot more captivating. I wish I had done so. I’ve not confessed this to many, but I’ve shared it with you now.”