WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has broken his silence regarding the viral ATV crash that occurred during Night Two of WrestleMania 41, offering a candid explanation and expressing regret over the incident.
Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show on April 30th, Austin detailed what went wrong during his high-profile entrance at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The WWE legend, known for his iconic ATV entrances, admitted that the vehicle used for the show featured a different throttle setup, which caught him off guard.
“Different throttle set up than what I’m used to. Long story short, just a different throttle system,” Austin explained. “I’m pretty dang handy on a four-wheeler.”
The moment in question happened when Austin circled the ring for a second lap and misjudged a turn, slamming into the ringside barricade and startling a nearby fan, who briefly stumbled backward. Austin quickly checked on the fan before continuing with his segment, which involved announcing WrestleMania’s official attendance figure.
Reflecting on the moment, Austin didn’t hide his embarrassment:
“I was embarrassed by it. I think everybody is okay… You go out there on the biggest night in wrestling, and you end up like that, it’s not the greatest day at the office.”
He emphasized his disappointment in not delivering the high-energy entrance fans expect from him, especially on such a large stage:
“You go out there and want to give people the best show that you can, and when you fall short of that, it’s not great.”
Austin also revealed that he was operating at limited physical capacity due to a total knee replacement surgery he underwent in December 2024. He estimated he was only at 30-35% strength over WrestleMania weekend.
“I did what I could. Just to be involved in the show, go out there and announce the attendance… That was about all I could do,” he said, noting that more active participation had been ruled out due to his recovery.
WWE President Nick Khan was also seen speaking to the fan involved after the incident, ensuring their well-being.
Austin’s entrance snafu quickly made waves online, but his honest and humble comments this week have helped clarify the situation—and reminded fans of the human side of even the most legendary performers.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for all your WWE news.
