Steve Austin Admits He Didn't Want To Retire At WWE WrestleMania 19

With rumours that Stone Cold Steve Austin could be about to lace up his boots and have his first match in 19 years, it has gotten wrestling fans of a certain vintage excited and nervous.

However, ahead of his showdown with Kevin Owens on the KO Show at WrestleMania 38, Austin himself has revealed he never wanted to retire in the first place, telling the Rich Eisen Show:

“In my documentary, I said, 'As an active performer, you never want to come off the road because you come off the road and you get soft.' An NFL football player will tell you the same thing. You have to get calloused up and ready to go. He's ready to go [Kevin Owens]. I have my work cut out for me. I'm gonna be there whipping some ass.”

Austin continued "When I left, I didn't want to leave. WrestleMania 19, my neck had presented some problems. After I got spiked and dropped on my head back in 99, I had three, four fused up, and it was time for me to ride off into the sunset and do something else. This comeback means a lot to me as I've been getting back into in-ring shape. I'm gonna go out there and do the absolute best I can."

Stone Cold broke his neck in 1997 due to a botched tombstone piledriver from Owen Hart, and had to take significant time off in late 1999 - the height of his run on top. Austin would return and remain a major player for WWE, until officially retiring after The Rock finally beat him in a WrestleMania singles match, with The Great One prevailing at WrestleMania 19 in 2003.

H/T: Fightful