WWE Rumors: Stone Cold Was Pitched Brock Lesnar Match; Reigns Nowhere 'Near Serious'

While WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was offered the chance to compete in two blockbuster matches in recent months, only one of them was reportedly pushed significantly within the company.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of ThirstyForNews.com), WWE offered Austin a match against Brock Lesnar. There was also talk of an Austin vs. Roman Reigns match, but that proposal was "never anywhere near serious."

After 19 years of retirement, Austin returned to the ring last year at WrestleMania 38, beating Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match, which headlined Night 1 of the event.

Despite being 57 years old and having been out of the ring for nearly two decades, Austin performed well and lent hope that he would get another match at some point.

Austin vs. Lesnar would have been a dream match since it was supposed to take place in 2002 but never came to pass.

Infamously, Austin was booked to lose to Lesnar in a King of the Ring qualifying match on Raw. Austin didn't want to do the match without proper build, so he walked out of the company and didn't return until several months later.

By that point, Austin was nearing the end of his career, and the Austin vs. Lesnar match did not occur.

Presumably, Austin vs. Lesnar would have happened at WrestleMania 39 if Austin agreed. Instead, WWE had to go to a backup plan in the form of a surprising bout between Lesnar and the 7'3" Omos.

As for Reigns, he will defend the undisputed WWE Universal Championship against 2023 men's Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes in the main event.

Since Austin would have had to win the Rumble to face Reigns at WrestleMania, it stands to reason that any Austin vs. Reigns proposal was meant for a premium live event other than WrestleMania.

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