10 Wrestlers Most Likely To Be Steve Austin's WWE WrestleMania 39 Opponent

6. Baron Corbin

Steve Austin John Cena
WWE.com

Or, alternatively...

WWE has always wanted to make a star of Baron Corbin. This vehicle could drive that idea forward, but then again, it's been over six years.

He's tall, very much so, and is the exact sort of heel that they like, or at least did under Vince McMahon. Disdainful of the fans who apparently know nothing, he speaks into the office echo chamber as much as he does to those in attendance. Triple H prefers his heels to be brooding and intense - pet project Karrion Kross is probably the best example, since he inherited the Tribal Chief act - and that might explain Corbin's decidedly midcard-skewing persona.

Under the tutelage of JBL, he seems to exist in order to generate cheap and easy heat in the second hour of Raw to prevent fans from tuning out entirely.

WWE were careful last year. They didn't want to create too much expectation ahead of Austin's return, lest it register as a disappointment. They effectively engineered a monumental over-delivery. If Corbin is selected for the role, good as he sometimes is, it will create that same level of hype.

If they opt for shallow nostalgia, watching JBL take a few Stunners wouldn't be that bad a time.

Probability: 20%

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!