Steve Austin Addresses Relationship with CM Punk and Match Possibilities

Stone Cold Steve Austin may be focused on his Mint 400 race and knee recovery, but that didn’t stop him from addressing his relationship with CM Punk—and whether he’d consider Punk as a dream opponent if he ever laced up his boots again.

During a conversation with Adrian Hernandez, Austin reflected on his history with Punk, revealing that while they don’t talk often, the respect between them runs deep.

“Oh, me and Punk—we go way back. There’s a picture back from, you know, probably in my heyday, and you know, he’s a lot younger than I am. And we—we got a picture there together, just a young kid. So I think, you know, he was a Stone Cold fan back in the day, and I’m a CM Punk fan. I’m a fan of his work and his promos. Jesus Christ, he can light somebody up.”

Even though they don’t keep in constant contact, Austin noted that they still check in every now and then.

“We don’t talk a whole lot. We’ll send each other a text every now and then, but we’re probably really, really good friends and don’t talk a whole lot. And there’s a lot of mutual respect for each other.”

Then came the big question—if Austin could pick one more dream opponent, would it be Punk?

“Oh man, there’s so—there are so many potential GREAT matches. I—I’d have to draw a blank stare and think for five minutes. But yeah, would he be on the list? Of course.”

With Austin confirming he’s had no talks with WWE about a return at WrestleMania 41, it seems unlikely that fans will see him step into the ring anytime soon. But just the idea of Austin vs. Punk is enough to get the wrestling world talking.