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What's the story?
Steve Austin confirmed that he was done with wrestling in an interview with Wrestling Inc. The Texas Rattlesnake also said that his stunner to Xavier Woods at WrestleMania 32 was probably his last one.
In case you didn't know...
Austin hasn't wrestled since his match with The Rock at WrestleMania 19, but he has never had an elaborate retirement ceremony. Consequently, several pundits and wrestling insiders have always been quick to speculate about him returning to in-ring action.
These noises reached a fever pitch during CM Punk's WWE heydey, as the fans were clamouring for a match between the Straight Edge Superstar and The Bionic Redneck.
The heart of the matter
In the interview with Wrestling Inc, Austin essentially stated that he would never have another match. He also said that it took him a long time to finally get the wrestling business out of his system before declaring that his stunner to Xavier Woods at WrestleMania 32 was probably his last one.
"I don't know, I never think about it... I got a lot of great memories of that business, but I got it out of my system. You gotta realize, I've been gone 14 years. You gotta get over something at some point and that's way long enough for me to get over it.
I look back with fond memories and I still watch to this day because I love the business and I like the guys and girls to be doing good at it and have a way to make a living for their family. But I'm done, I'm good."
However, Austin also confirmed that he was on good terms with WWE.
Video
Here is the video package WWE aired at Steve Austin's Hall of Fame induction:
Author's take
While Hulk Hogan and The Rock went on to have a larger presence in popular culture, Steve Austin sold more merchandise and drew larger crowds to house shows than either of them. He is quite simply the most lucrative character in the history of professional wrestling.
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