'Stone Cold' Steve Austin Is BACK In WWE! (WWE News)

WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reports that "there has been internal discussion" about the possibility of a Steve Austin comeback. If this happens, then it'd mark the legend's first appearances since WrestleMania 41. There, on the event's second night, 'Stone Cold' crashed his ATV into the barricade in an embarrassing moment.

His last actual match came almost 4 years ago now at 'Mania 38. Pre-match worries about whether or not he'd still have it were blown away once the brawl with Kevin Owens started - KO was living his dream by headlining WrestleMania opposite Austin, and Steve himself looked to be in fine fettle throughout.

Whilst WrestleVotes/Fightful's sources wouldn't commit to be a 100% yes on Austin's comeback, they did say "his name has been circulating across multiple departments". So, is this is the beginning of something special in 2026? The Hall Of Famer himself has previously confirmed that he was in the running for a match back at 'Mania 40 a few years ago.

Obviously, nothing came of that. He was then pencilled in to appear in a cameo spot during Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, but was ultimately replaced by The Undertaker. Fans weren't too bummed out by that, although it would've been amazing to see him going face to face with The Rock (another invader) on WWE's grandest stage.

This is definitely one to keep an eye on. WWE chiefs are weighing up what Austin's latest comeback might look like.

Opinion: Austin vs. CM Punk Is A Must

If 'Stone Cold' does launch another comeback after all, then one match sticks out from the rest as a real 'must have': Austin vs. CM Punk. This would realistically be WWE's final chance to pull the trigger on that dream bout and make it happen. The opportunity to do so has landed right on their doorstep, and that seemed like an impossibility just a few short years ago when Punk was working for rival promotion AEW.

Fightful did also note that Steve wrestling Reigns has been brought up creatively in the past. That'd be a huge marquee blockbuster, but there's just something about Austin vs. Punk that feels right. It feels massive, and it'd surely be one of the most highly-anticipated showdowns in WWE history.

Going down the brawling route would be smart for everyone concerned. Austin showed he can handle a full-blown main event when working that style, and there's no chance fans would be disappointed if he and Punk followed the blueprint set by the Owens match in 2022.

This is Triple H's chance to put a beaming smile on the faces of millions. There's no good reason why it shouldn't happen in 2026.