On March 30, 2003, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was thought to have wrestled his last pro wrestling match, losing to The Rock at WrestleMania 19. Austin was forced to retire due to lingering neck issues. Since then, he'd vowed to never return to the ring for a match.
Nineteen years later, Austin got to sing the song he wanted and go out where he had his first pro match when he faced Kevin Owens in the main event on Saturday at night one of WrestleMania 38 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. So Austin went out, drank some beer, stomped a mudhole in Owens, and won a physical no-holds-barred match.
The segment was initially designed as Austin being a guest on Owens' The KO Show. But instead, Owens ran down Texas and Austin. That led to Austin coming out to a monstrous reaction in his home state and the first place he had his pro wrestling match. He went to each side of the ramp and then went to the back to get his ATV and drove down to the ring.
After some back-and-forth trash talk between the two, Owens challenged Austin to the no-rules contest. Austin contemplated the offer as the crowd was cheering "The Texas Rattlesnake" on to accept. Austin did, and they brawled all over the arena. They battled in the ring, outside the ring, in the crowd, and on the entrance ramp. In between all of the activity, Austin found time to snatch up beer and have a drink in the proceedings.
They made their way back into the ring, which saw Owens hit the Stunner, but Austin kicked out at two. In anger, Owens rolled to the outside and grabbed a chair. He slid back into the ring and went to waffle Austin. He missed, and the chair bounced off the ropes and hit him in the face. That was the opening the former WWE champion needed as he hit Owens with his trademark Stunner for the victory to a thunderous reaction.
After the match concluded, Austin hit one more Stunner for good measure. Then, Austin went on to drink more beer and celebrated with the fans after one final victory inside the squared circle.