Stone Cold Steve Austin is a legend in the wrestling business (Image credit: WWE)
Steve “Stone Cold” Austin could be readying himself to get back into the ring for WrestleMania 40 if reports are to be believed. The 58-year-old, who last featured in April 2022, may be lined up to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40 in April 2024 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Another wrestling icon, CM Punk, returned to the WWE in sensational fashion as part of the recent Survivor Series. It was a return that proved a huge hit for the franchise online, with social media posts on CM Punk’s return attracting over 71 million views on all platforms. CM Punk left the WWE franchise in 2014, having reportedly received his contract termination on his wedding day. However, the three-time world heavyweight champion was happy to return to his home city of Chicago at the Survivor Series, followed by an exciting appearance on Monday Night Raw.
A match-up between CM Punk and Steve Austin would be a mouth-watering prospect for most long-time WWE fans. Austin was the poster boy for the so-called “Attitude Era” during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He’s widely regarded as one of the most influential pro wrestlers in the industry’s history. Stone Cold’s legacy is immortalized within popular culture too, with Austin one of only a handful of wrestlers included in All41 Studios’ recent WWE Legends Link and Win slot game. The slot, which showcases the most popular WWE icons in recent decades, is a coveted addition to game libraries for the best UK online casino operators because it will consistently draw in interested players. The WWE franchise itself is audacious but fans clamor to buy pretty much any wrestling-inspired merchandise available on the market.
According to Fightful Select, Punk has already had preliminary discussions about the prospect of taking on Stone Cold. One source of Fightful revealed there had been several scenarios pitched back and forth between Punk and Austin.
Austin’s fire may have been relit following a long-awaited return to the ring in the main event of WrestleMania in 2022. Austin locked horns with Kevin Owens and despite a rapturous reception and performance, he didn’t come back for WrestleMania 39. It’s said that Stone Cold was approached regarding multiple potential match-ups, none of which were enough to tempt him back once more.
It’s hoped that CM Punk would be a much more lucrative deal for Austin. Getting both signatures to sign on the dotted line might be the biggest task, especially considering that Punk is something of a loose cannon within the WWE franchise. In 2014, Punk walked out on the franchise due to creative frustrations and fury over the quality of his medical care.
This time around, Punk’s WWE contract is said to incorporate a “behavior clause”, giving the franchise the power to terminate his deal if he should step out of line. Sports Illustrated believes the roadmap of Punk vs Austin has been set, with Punk set to lock horns with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins first up.