”Stone Cold” Steve Austin was supposed to be involved in the main event of WrestleMania 40 (Night Two), but he didn’t appear as a financial agreement couldn’t be reached.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross also confirmed that Austin’s absence from WrestleMania 40 was due to “cash and creative.”
Austin last performed at WrestleMania 38, where he defeated Kevin Owens in a singles contest.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Austin expressed his disappointment regarding his WrestleMania 38 performance.
Austin indicated that Owens did not fully experience the intense “Stone Cold” persona despite his efforts to embody that mindset during the match.
The Texas Rattlesnake said, “(Owens) got in the ring with the name Stone Cold Steve Austin, but he didn’t get in with the true Stone Cold who was a (expletive) machine. When the ball rang, I was an (expletive). And he didn’t get that guy. That’s what I was mad about. I wanted him to know what it was like to be in there with the (expletive) when he’s on. You try to be the guy you were, you try to be in that alpha state. Although your mindset is there, physically you are not.”
Austin then teased a potential appearance at WrestleMania 41 next year.
He added, “I said I won’t leave Nevada. It’s hard to get me out of this state. But … WrestleMania next year is in Vegas. That’s in Nevada.”
WrestleMania 41 will take place as a two-night event on April 19 and 20, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.