19 years after his last match, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin returned to the WWE ring, taking down Kevin Owens in an instant classic No Holds Barred match at Night 1 of WrestleMania 38.
After accepting his invitation to appear on the KO Show, Austin made an entrance similar to ones in the past, riding down the ramp on an ATV before getting into the ring and jawing back and forth with Owens. After a few moments, Owens finally got down to the bottom line, saying he lied about having a KO SHow at WrestleMania, and that he wanted to challenge Austin to a No Holds Barred Match right then and there.
Austin took some time to think about it, but eventually aceepted. In a surprisingly long match, both Austin and Owens gave it there all, brawling inside the ring, outside in the crowd, and even up the ramp and on the stage of WrestleMania 38. However, things eventually ended with Austin surviving a Stunner from Owens, only to land one of his own for the win. After the match, Austin celebrated in the ring with the usual beer splashes, before hitting one more Stunner on Owens and an extra one on commentator Byron Saxton to close out the show.
For a recap of how the match went, check out below courtesy of our live play-by-play coverage:
Owens and Austin get in each other’s faces. Austin and Owens trade strikes. Austin stomps Owens in the corner. Owens gets sent into the other corner. Austin catches a beer and stomps Owens in the corner again. Austin tosses Owens out of the ring. Austin drinks some more beer. Owens sends Austin into the barricade. Austin explodes off the barricade with a lariat. Austin drops Owens on the barricade. Owens sends Austin into the ring post. Owens lands a few strikes before setting up a table. Austin sends Owens through his own table. Austin sends Owens over the barricade. The two men fight into the crowd. Austin tries a suplex but Owens reverses it and hits a suplex of his own.
Owens kicks Austin in the gut. Austin fires back with a few shots. Owens sends Austin over the barricade. Owens climbs the barricade. Austin tosses Owens onto the announce table. Austin drinks a few more beers before unloading on Owens on the announce table. Austin spits a beer in Owens’ face. Owens stuns Austin on the top rope. Owens gets on Austin’s ATV and tries to leave. Austin attacks Owens from behind. Austin drives Owens up the ramp to the stage. Austin hits a suplex on the stage. Austin hits another suplex on the stage. Austin grabs two more beers and drinks them. Owens Stuns Austin. Austin kicks out! Owens grabs a chair. Owens swings the chair and Austin ducks. The chair bounces off the ropes and hits Owens in the face. Austin hits the Stunner for the win!
Winner- Stone Cold Steve Austin
After the match, Austin celebrates with several hundred beers. Austin Stuns Owens again. Owens is escorted from ringside by two Texas cops. Austin calls Byron Saxton into the ring and hands him a beer. This will shock you, but Austin drops Saxton with a Stunner.
The Texas Rattlesnake arriving to #WrestleMania in style! @steveaustinBSR pic.twitter.com/dT1wpUeUI6
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2022
HELL YEAH!@steveaustinBSR and @FightOwensFight are throwing DOWN in a No Holds Barred Match at #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/nqIQhYxhGh
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2022
STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD!@steveaustinBSR defeats @FightOwensFight at #WrestleMania. pic.twitter.com/ndKkJyJreU
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2022
STONE COLD STUNNER!!!@steveaustinBSR sends @FightOwensFight packing with one more #WrestleMania sized Stunner! pic.twitter.com/4QjhXC9MXi
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2022
A Stone Cold Stunner one more time to Byron Saxton ??? #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/hU32JJpmeW
— Piñata Farms: The Meme App (@pinatafarms) April 3, 2022
