AEW star knew Steve Austin’s WrestleMania 41 ATV crash “would happen at some point”

Stone Cold Steve Austin made headlines at WrestleMania 41 after crashing his ATV. In a recent podcast episode, AEW commentator Jim Ross gave his thoughts on his long-time friend’s unfortunate incident.

On April 20, Austin surprisingly appeared on the second night of WrestleMania 41 to read out the attendance. The Texas Rattlesnake’s entrance was delayed slightly after he missed a ramp while riding an ATV on the stage area. He then collided with a ringside barricade, causing a woman to fall backward.

Ross often watched from the broadcast table when Austin drove vehicles to the ring in the late 1990s and early 2000s. On his Grilling JR podcast, the legendary announcer explained why the ATV crash was inevitable.

“I saw the video,” Ross said. “It didn’t surprise me. I thought it was past its time. It was bound to happen at some point in time, but Steve was a welcomed addition. He added a lot to the event. He’s a dear friend, and I have a lot of time for Steve Austin. Have had for years, since day one. Good for him. He added a lot to WrestleMania, and I’m sure glad he got to make an appearance.” [20:28 – 21:08]

Two days before his WrestleMania 41 appearance, Steve Austin was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for the second time. He received the inaugural Immortal Moment award alongside Bret Hart for their match at WrestleMania 13.

Jim Ross on Steve Austin’s importance to wrestling

Many view Steve Austin as one of the greatest WWE stars in history. The 60-year-old’s anti-authority character defined the Attitude Era. He also won several major titles, including the WWE Championship six times.

Jim Ross has been friends with Austin since the 1990s and was pleased to see the WWE icon on the WrestleMania stage again:

“He adds so much to any event that he’s able to be involved in. It was great seeing him in that space, as we say, and I’m always gonna be a big Stone Cold fan. He’s done so much for the pro wrestling business. It’s hard to put into words what he’s meant to pro wrestling. I’m a Stone Cold fan, always will be, and I believe in what Steve does.” [21:11 – 21:47]

Austin retired from in-ring competition in 2003. He returned to the ring in 2022 to defeat Kevin Owens in an impromptu match at WrestleMania 38.

Please credit Grilling JR and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

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alt=”Danny Hart” height=”72″ width=”72″>

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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