In an interview on the Talk Is Jericho podcast, Stone Cold Steve Austin discussed his final WWE match with The Rock at WrestleMania 19, and shared some insight into ending his career.
Austin started by recalling the medical issues he had the day before the match. He says it wasn't a heart attack or anxiety attack, but instead believes "sh*t hit the fan." He adds, "They said, 'Ok, you can go, but technically, we’re not saying you can wrestle.' I was never cleared. I’m damn sure going to wrestle The Rock and his a*ss one and Rock’s going over."
"We went out there and we did about as good as we could. It could have been better. Nobody knew this was going to be my last match, other than about 5 or 10 people. I think The Rock knew," the Texas Rattlesnake reveals. "I was pulling the plug on myself due to the neck injuries that I had suffered in the past as they were catching back up with me."
As you might expect, it was an emotional day for Austin, and he opened up on what it was late taking that final bump and hearing the 1-2-3 close out his in-ring career once and for all.
"I’ll never forget. We went out there and Rock hit me with those three Rock Bottoms. On that last one, he picked me up and slammed the sh*t out of me. It looked like a million bucks. You knew that was the final nail in the coffin. Earl hit that three count. In this [match], it was like someone just lifted a thousand pounds off my back and it was like, dude, you’re not in harm’s way anymore."
"I was at peace with that. I went home to my room that night and drank some beers and processed everything, but it was a weird night and an emotional night that took me a long time to recover from."
Austin may not feel like this was his best work, but the end of his trilogy of matches against The Rock at WrestleMania is fondly remembered by fans, as is the incredible career he had as a WWE Superstar.