During an interview with Sporting News, Paul Heyman was asked about his appearance on Steve Austin's podcast on the WWE Network and the angle they shot that seemed to set up a match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32, most notably the response to it.
His reply:
"...I felt I would be remiss if I didn't ask him what it would take for him to step into the ring with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32. I can assure you Steve did not expect the question. Nor did I expect his answer. That's also what I think generated so much interest in that. Again, you're talking about Stone Cold Steve Austin and he is going to be forever someone that people fantasize about stepping back into the ring because he's Stone Cold Steve Austin. Any time you offer something new for Brock Lesnar — let alone that it would involved Steve Austin — I could sit there and say Brock Lesnar versus Mr. X and people would say "I've never seen that match, I can't wait to see Brock Lesnar versus Mr. X!" It's something new, it's something different. We're going to take Mr. X to Suplex City. Then again when you offer the single biggest box office attraction of the Attitude Era, it takes on an even bigger meaning. So I'm not surprised how much that took off but the match is not going to happen."
When pushed, Heyman slammed the door once and for all:
"If there was a way to make this match happen, it would have happened right after that podcast. And the answer that was pretty defined was this match ain't gonna happen."
Talk persists because Lesnar is now set up for a match with Undertaker at Hell in a Cell, one that will represent the blowoff to their feud. That leaves his dance card open for WrestleMania. There's also the matter of Brock appearing on Austin's podcast on Oct. 19 immediately following Raw, where Stone Cold is also set to appear.
So, despite denials from both Austin and now Heyman, we'll eagerly await that podcast to see if they shoot another angle building to a match.
Oh, pro wrestling.