‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin once refused to make an in-ring return for WWE after learning he’d be losing to Jonathan Coachman.
Austin last wrestled in 2003 and is expected to return to the ring this April at WrestleMania 38 to face Kevin Owens.
Dave Meltzer reports that in 2005 Austin was set to wrestle again, but after learning he’d lose pulled out with a previously unmentioned back injury:
“Over the years, he had considered and talked of wrestling again. In those years he said it would take him a good six months to prepare to do so. In 2005, he was called for the Taboo Tuesday show to do a gimmick match with Jonathan Coachman with the stipulation that if he won, Jim Ross would get his Raw lead announcing job back, but if he lost, Ross would lose his job. Austin was going to be booked to lose the match, and before the match claimed a back injury and didn’t appear.”
Instead of Austin, SmackDown’s World Heavyweight Champion Batista faced Coachman and the Jim Ross stipulation was scrapped. Batista won the match despite interference by Vader and Goldust.
