10 Fascinating WWE Backstage Facts About 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin
2. Austin Was Hospitalised Before WrestleMania 19
Austin's war with The Rock at WrestleMania 19 is, like his bout with HBK, often touted as one of the best in his illustrious career. However, it came dangerously close to not happening at all.
The Texas Rattlesnake explained to Entertainment Weekly that he'd been in the gym the day before and noticed that his "reflexes were very touchy." This eventually led to his heart beating out of his chest, causing him to seek help from a WWE employee (Liz Difabio) before being sent to the hospital.
It was proclaimed to him that his excessive drinking of alcohol and caffeine, coupled with his lack of sleep, had caused this strange episode. Doctors advised him not to leave the hospital, but like an absolute trooper, he refused to sit the match out. "I left because I was going to wrestle the Rock," he said.
He managed to go in and put on a barnstormer of a performance despite his health woes. The match ended up being his final in-ring performance for the company before his run-in with Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38. Judging by the way his health was, this was the right call, and what a match to go out on.