WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin walked out of the company in 2003 and left his pro wrestling career behind. He'd later return in various roles but didn't compete again until facing Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
Fans have hoped to see him back in the ring ever since, though it's never seemed an overly likely prospect. The Texas Rattlesnake also appears to have limited interest in putting his body on the line at 60.
Any hopes of Austin competing at this year's Show of Shows - or even wrestling again - have been further dashed today as he's confirmed on Instagram that he recently underwent Total Knee Replacement surgery.
"How it was. And how it is...I am 7 weeks post op on a Total Knee Replacement. My left knee was on its last leg, and I have been putting this surgery off for years," Austin wrote on Instagram. "Post op X-Rays show everything is healing nicely."
"Many thanks to Dr. Nicholas Dirig, Derek Bobst, and their excellent team for my surgery. Thanks to Bill Wall of Physical Therapy Specialist for getting me back on track."
"Before starting PT, I came out of the gate aggressive and started walking way too soon and too far and really pissed off my new knee. Total Knee Replacement is a year long healing process, so I dont know what the hell I was thinking," the former WWE Champion continued. "Swelling is still an issue, but things are healing up nicely and getting solid."
"I am back in the gym and training. Nothing heavy yet. And no squats. I have my sights set to race in The Mint 400 outside of Las Vegas, NV with the [GFI Racing] team and my teammate [Zach Kisman] in 7 weeks."
"I will get back in my [Kawasaki USA] KRX1000 for the first time this weekend to knock the rust off and get back to driving," Austin added. "I am thankful to have found the challenge of Desert Off Road Racing. I love competition and the harsh conditions that come with it. So here goes..."
You can see the WWE Hall of Famer's Instagram post below. Needless to say, we wish him a speedy recovery.