What If Stone Cold never retired in 2003?

Stun Owens Stun

Owens has made it no secret that he was a huge 'Stone Cold' fan growing up

When then-independent star Kevin Steen ran into Steve Austin at an airport, he asked the legend for advice. Austin advised Steen to, “Just run your mouth. Just never stop running your mouth.” Steen took those words to heart, and that advice helped in Kevin Steen’s transition to Kevin Owens.

The fast-talking Owens came into the main roster like a ball of fire. He defeated John Cena in his debut match at the Elimination Chamber PPV on May 2015. Owens flamed out soon after that, but Austin would have stepped in and offered to face K.O.

A feud with ‘Stone Cold’ would have helped carry Owens' momentum forward and would have solidified Owens' place in the main event scene. Austin was never known to be generous with wins and losses, but ‘Stone Cold’ may have softened in his old age and allowed Owens to be the one to have his hand raised.

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Riding off into the sunset - WrestleMania 32

WrestleMania 32 would've been the perfect place for Austin to retire

By 2016, Austin would have been 51 and despite only wrestling sparingly in the last decade, Father Time would have caught up to ‘Ole’ Stone Cold.’

Austin took great pride in his work, and he knew not to outstay his welcome. A perfect place for Austin’s retirement would have been at WrestleMania 32, which took place in his home state, in front of the largest crowd in history, at the AT&T Stadium Dallas, Texas.

Who would get the honor of wrestling Austin in his last match? There were a plethora of possible opponents. Kevin Owens would have made an appropriate opponent for Austin’s swansong, but so would John Cena in an Attitude Era vs Ruthless Aggression clash.

Austin's most likely opponent would have been Roman Reigns, who ‘retired’ The Undertaker at that same show (The Deadman would return a year later).

WWE was solidly behind Reigns as “The Guy” at that time and the accolade of retiring ‘Stone Cold’ would be another that WWE would have likely bestowed on Reigns, regardless of how enraged fans would be.