Stone Cold Steve Austin did not appear at WrestleMania 40 because, by his own account, he had other commitments and was not in a position to go. WWE had pitched him an appearance well in advance, and he has said he could have appeared had he chosen to. A separate April 2024 report, attributed to Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, said a financial agreement was never reached. That report is secondhand and is not Austin’s explanation, so the two should be read separately.
What Austin has said about the decision
Austin’s most direct explanation came in a January 2026 interview with Chris Van Vliet. Fightful reported his comments on January 6, 2026 (by Corey Brennan), and Pro Wrestling Dot Net published interview highlights and an extended transcript the same day (by Jason Powell). Both reports carry the same core account. Austin said:
“Things just didn’t line up. I had other things going on. I remember when they pitched that to me. I said, dude, I got some things going on. I don’t see myself being there. That was way in advance. Was it pitched to me, or did they want me there? Yeah. But I wasn’t in a position to go.”
“No, there was a possibility that I could have been there had I chose to go there. I had other sh*t going on. WWE is this multi-billion dollar corporation. I got a metal shop that we’re sitting in. So sometimes the multi-billion dollar company has an idea that the dude that has the metal shop [should make an appearance], it just don’t work. So it didn’t work. I’m over here in my metal shop.”
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“I like to do as much as I can with WWE when it works, when it works for them, when it works for me, and when it’s going to be fun. But in that and saying that not everything lines up on a timeline basis, I had other sh*t going on.”
Quote his wording exactly if you reproduce it. Austin’s account boils down to three points: WWE pitched him early, he had other commitments he did not want to move, and the timing did not fit. He did not name a specific commitment beyond the other things going on and his metal shop, and the reporting does not identify one.
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The financial-agreement report
A separate account appears in a Sports Illustrated article by Dan Gartland, published April 12, 2024. Citing Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the piece said Austin “was the person originally earmarked for that spot,” but “in the end WWE couldn’t reach a financial agreement and Undertaker was put in his place.”
This is a reporter’s attributed account of backstage dealings. Austin has not confirmed it, and the reports do not establish it independently. It is not a reason he gave for staying away, and it should not be merged with his 2026 comments as if he had confirmed a money dispute.
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A fair way to phrase both accounts together: a contemporaneous report said the sides did not reach a financial agreement, while Austin later said he had other commitments and was not in a position to go.
How the two explanations compare
| Account | Source and date | Who is speaking | What it says | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other commitments and timing | Fightful and Pro Wrestling Dot Net, January 6, 2026, quoting Austin’s interview with Chris Van Vliet | Austin, first-hand | WWE pitched the appearance well in advance; he had other things going on, was not in a position to go, and the timing did not line up | Austin’s own statement, reported in his words |
| Financial impasse | Sports Illustrated, April 12, 2024, citing Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter | Dave Meltzer, as cited by a reporter | Austin was originally earmarked for the main-event spot, but WWE and Austin did not reach a financial agreement | Attributed reporting; not confirmed by Austin |
The sources do not show whether both factors played a role. Austin’s account and the 2024 report describe different things, and neither source resolves the other.
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What was happening in the WrestleMania 40 main event
According to Sports Illustrated’s account of the event, the main-event sequence centered on Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa attacked Rhodes. John Cena, The Rock, Seth Rollins, and The Undertaker then entered the sequence, and The Undertaker dispatched The Rock. Austin’s history with The Rock made him an obvious name for fans to picture in that role, but the reporting establishes only the participants that appeared, not WWE’s full creative plans.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Austin’s last WrestleMania appearance before 40
Austin’s most recent in-ring WWE appearance before WrestleMania 40 came at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, according to the same Sports Illustrated report. On Night 1 he had a surprise no-holds-barred match with Kevin Owens. On Night 2, after Austin Theory’s match with Vince McMahon, Austin hit Theory with a Stunner. That recent return is one reason fans expected him to be part of WrestleMania 40.
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Do not confuse this with WrestleMania 39
Austin’s absence from WrestleMania 39 in 2023 was a different situation. In an April 20, 2023 USA Network article by Chris Phelan, Austin described concerns about the presentation and type of match, along with the demands of producing Stone Cold Takes on America and not being able to commit until that production was finished. Those comments concern the 2023 event. They do not explain the 2024 absence.
Quick Recap
Searches readers commonly use
- “Why wasn’t Stone Cold at WrestleMania 40?” Austin’s answer is that he had other commitments and the timing did not work, in his own account from January 2026.
- “Was Stone Cold Steve Austin supposed to appear at WrestleMania 40?” WWE pitched him an appearance well in advance, according to Austin. The reporting does not show a confirmed booking that he later backed out of.
- “Did WWE and Stone Cold disagree over money for WrestleMania 40?” A 2024 Sports Illustrated report, citing Dave Meltzer, said the sides did not reach a financial agreement. Austin has not confirmed that account.
Key facts
- WWE pitched Austin an appearance well in advance, according to his January 2026 interview.
- Austin said he had other things going on, was not in a position to go, and could have appeared had he chosen to.
- He framed the decision around timing and whether an appearance would work for him and for WWE and be fun.
- The financial-agreement explanation comes from reported sourcing to Dave Meltzer, not from Austin.
- Austin’s last WrestleMania appearance before 40 was WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
- His WrestleMania 39 absence had different reasons, tied to that event’s match presentation and his production schedule.
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