After weeks of rumors regarding Steve Austin’s participation, we’ve finally got out an answer.
Kevin Owens called out Austin at the end of Monday’s episode of Raw. Austin accepted Owen’s invitation in a video on Tuesday afternoon to appear on the K.O. Show at WrestleMania.
“Whether you want to call this a KO Show, a match, a fight, a brawl, whatever. I guarantee you this, in Dallas, Texas, where I started my career, at WrestleMania, ‘Stone Cold Steve Austin is gonna open up one last can of whoop-ass on you, Kevin Owens. And that’s the bottom line because Stone Cold said so.”
Austin’s last match was at WrestleMania 19 (2003), where he lost to The Rock after three Rock Bottoms. It’s still not clear what this confrontation is supposed to be. Owens never mentioned the KO Show on Raw, and Austin talked about living with defeat for 19 years on his way out.
Online reports state that Austin hasn’t agreed to a match at WrestleMania as of last Friday. It appears that WWE is leaving it ambiguous and up to interpretation because Austin can’t do a full-fledged match. Advertising it as such and not delivering a bell to bell showdown would leave a bad taste in many people’s mouths.
If it turns out Austin can do one more match, it’s an added bonus since we will at least see some fisticuffs and a Stunner.
WrestleMania 38 emanates from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 3. Here’s the updated lineup for the event:
-Night 1: Saturday, April 2
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey
Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair
The KO Show: Kevin Owens/’Stone Cold’ Steve Austin confrontation
Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
-Night 2: Sunday, April 3
Winner-Take-All: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville
AJ Styles vs. Edge
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship (Triple Threat Match): Queen Zelina & Carmella vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan