Two of the biggest figures of the Monday Night Wars were WWF’s Stone Cold Steve Austin and WCW’s figurehead Sting.
Both men carried their respective companies throughout the Attitude Era, until WCW’s ultimate demise in 2001. However, once WCW folded, Sting stayed away from the WWF (now WWE) and we never got to see Sting vs Steve Austin in a WWE ring.
Whilst Sting would eventually set foot inside a WWE ring, it would not be until 2014. His first match took place the following year at Wrestlemania 31, where he took on “The Game” Triple H in a marquee match.
It would be the first of four bouts the Icon had in WWE, with his career in the company ending abruptly after a neck injury against Seth Rollins at Summerslam 2015 forced him into an early, and temporary retirement.
However, during his time in the company he never crossed paths with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The Texas Rattlesnake retired in 2003 after a match with the Rock at Wrestlemania XIX. It would be his last ever match in WWE, with a rumoured match against CM Punk in 2012 ultimately nixed.
He did come back to face Kevin Owens at Wrestlemania 38 for a one-off special, although with rumours of another battle in 2023, the career of Stone Cold could be far from over.
Meanwhile, a 63 year old Sting has declared that 2023 will be his final in wrestling, leading to much speculation about who will be his final oppoonent.
Sting vs Steve Austin
However, Wrestlemania 19 (styled as Wrestlemania XIX) was not intended to be the final match for Stone Cold Steve Austin.
With The Rock out the door with a move to Hollywood, Vince McMahon was keen not to lose his top star. Injuries and wear and tear on Austin’s part ultimately ended his career.
However, Sting revealed in the book “WWE Attitude Era” that he was in fact set to face Steve Austin after Wrestlemania 19.
The plan was for Austin and Rock to take place as normal, with Sting making his long awaited debut after the match to confront the Texas Rattlesnake. It would have set off a program between the two and an eventual blockbuster match.
“I had been negotiating with Vince [McMahon], and one of the ideas was for me to debut at the end of WrestleMania XIX and confront ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.” Sting claimed in the ‘WWE Attitude Era’ documentary
“Negotiations fell apart and it never happened, but it makes you wonder, ‘What if?’ That was one of the times I was talking with Vince, and it would’ve been an incredible night that would’ve translated into some major, major rivalries and match-ups for years to come.“
Sadly, Sting and Steve Austin never wrestled each other in the WWE. By the time The Stinger finally signed for the company in 2014, Austin was long retired (outside of a special return match against Kevin Owens at Wrestlemania 38).
However, it may have been a blessing in disguise, as who knows how well (or badly) the two characters would mesh if given the chance in the WWE.
However, it’s not as if the two men never wrestled. In fact, they faced on a few times during their time in WCW together, althought both men were quite different than how you’d think of them now.
Matches in WCW
That’s not to say that Sting and Steve Austin faced each other in the ring.
They did multiple times but in much different circumstances to the main event of Wrestlemania.
In WCW the pair wrestled numerous times, as “Surfer” Sting, the blonde haired, face painted babyface Sting, and “Stunning” Steve Austin, a far cry from the beer drinking, ass kicking Stone Cold that took over the wrestling world.
You can watch one of their encounters in WCW below;