10 Times Wrestling Made You Lose Your Goddamn Mind

7. The Steve Austin Comeback Finally Happens

Wheeler Yuta
WWE.com

Thought to be the last hold-out, outside of a fascinating rumour of a CM Punk match, fans didn't really dare to dream about a Stone Cold Steve Austin return.

He didn't return on a part-time basis for a stadium 'Mania, he didn't take the blood money, he didn't want to sully his reputation. And then, in 2022, he came back. Sort of.

The promotion here was expert; WWE orchestrated a scenario in which expectations were lowered. Kevin Owens goaded Austin by burying Texas and wearing a silly, comedically-oversized hat. Many expected a glorified nostalgia-themed RAW angle with a little bit more back-and-forth. In a sensational spectacle all the better for the almost complete lack of screaming hype, Austin worked a cracking, dramatic and witty brawl not too dissimilar to his wildly popular 1998 main events. There, he delighted packed arenas. At WrestleMania 38, that decibel level was quadrupled.

Austin was shaky at first - the mud hole kicks looked like an old man performing the Greatest Hits - but ironically, he came to life after taking a suplex on exposed concrete.

Fusing shocking violence with slapstick vehicular joy rides and wild plunder spots following a superb crowd-pleasing promo, Steve Austin didn't just come back; a thrilling composite of the '98 vintage, an entertainment machine across TV angles and white-hot PPV main events, returned to help restore the magic of the event itself.

 
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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!