SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
With Goldberg back in the spotlight headed into SummerSlam, one match that never took place is Steve Austin vs. Goldberg. There aren’t many “dream matches” left from the Attitude Era, but Austin vs. Goldberg would be big. Steve Austin, though, told me it’s not going to happen.
“No,” he said on the PWTorch Livecast last week. “It’s always interesting when WrestleMania comes around. No. I’m done. I love doing my reality TV show. I love doing my podcasts. We have remodels going on in my house. I’ve had a couple of business obligations with Kawasaki and some other things I’m involved with. I’m really enjoying my schedule now. I’m doing things I love that I’m passionate about and that are conducive to my health. I don’t need to go back to the ring and take more bumps. I left in 2003 against The Rock at WrestleMania 19 and people say, ‘Steve, it wasn’t the sendoff you deserved. You deserved to go out in a bigger note.’ I don’t deserve anything. I had a good run, I got a lot of good memories, I had a blast. I won’t use the ‘R’ word, but I’m done.”
Keller’s Analysis: I applaud Steve for being content with his current life and not putting his health at risk for one more day in the spotlight. It’s not as if he hasn’t carved out a pretty good post-WrestleMania 19 life for himself with a successful podcast and a new season of his “Broken Skull Challenge” reality competition series starting next Sunday on CMT. Although he’s only two years older than Goldberg, he put in a lot more ring time and had more major injuries, including most seriously his neck, and risking a nice healthy post-wrestling life for one more match just isn’t worth the risk. Getting in the ring with someone like Goldberg, who isn’t a polished athlete in his prime with ring timing, would be a bigger risk than a typical full time wrestler in his prime, too.
LISTEN TO THE FULL 75 MINUTE INTERVIEW HERE.
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