WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin retired from in-ring competition in 2003 due to injuries, primarily a neck injury and various knee problems.
His retirement was not officially announced; it occurred after his loss to WWE legend The Rock at WrestleMania 19, which marked a quiet exit from an incredible full-time career.
Since then, Austin has made sporadic appearances, including a return to the ring to face Kevin Owens in the main event of WWE WrestleMania 38 Night 1 in 2022, after a 19-year hiatus.
In a recent episode of Fightful Select Answers, Sean Ross Sapp discussed the possibility of Austin competing in one more match at WrestleMania 42.
According to Sapp, he has not heard any talk about Austin making another return to the ring at WrestleMania 42, scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, in April 2026. He also noted that the idea of Austin’s return to face Kevin Owens had circulated before it actually happened, along with a proposed match against Roman Reigns.
If there were plans for Austin at WrestleMania 42, Sapp believes he would have heard about them in the months leading up to the event.
The match between Austin and Reigns was reportedly pitched for WrestleMania 39. Additionally, Fightful Select revealed in June that during WrestleMania 41 Weekend in April, Austin indicated he might still be open to one more match.
Multiple individuals who spoke to Austin suggested he was at least considering the idea of an in-ring return under the right circumstances.
WrestleMania 42 is set to take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, and Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, marking the first time WrestleMania will be held at the same venue for back-to-back years since WrestleMania V in 1989.
