Steve Austin Addresses CM Punk Dream Match: "As Long As He Can Take a Stunner..."

When CM Punk returned to WWE this past November at WWE Survivor Series, dozens of dream match conversations reignited. Punk's first matter of on-screen business was directed at not one man but one event, WWE WrestleMania 40, as he set his sights on headlining the Showcase of the Immortals for the first time in his career. His ticket to that spot was the Royal Rumble Match. Punk intended to win the multi-man battle royal and challenge for a world championship at April's event, directing his attention to WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Battling Rollins was a dream match in and of itself, as the real-life bad blood between the two over the past couple of years had laid the groundwork for a natural clash.

That said, there is another opponent that could all but guarantee a WrestleMania main event for Punk: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

Fans have clamored for Punk vs. Austin for well over a decade, particularly pushing for it during the lead up to the release of the WWE '13 video game. WWE itself teased Punk vs. Austin in that game's promotional run, but Austin's health prevented it from conversations ever going beyond the hypothetical stage. 

Steve Austin Addresses CM Punk Dream Match

Ten years later, Steve Austin has ended his wrestling retirement and CM Punk is back in WWE. The stars are in place, but they have yet to align.

"I said I'd never get in a ring again unless all the stars aligned. For some reason, somehow, they all did. And at the age of 57, I headlined the first night of WrestleMania," Austin told ESPN, referencing his WWE WrestleMania 38 clash with Kevin Owens. "I never thought I'd do that. If you'd have told me that when I retired in [2003], I'd have said, 'You're crazy.' So I'm not going to sit here and say no to anything, because you never say never in this crazy business of sports entertainment."

WWE had reportedly approached Austin with "enormous money" to face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 39 but Austin ultimately turned it down. As the Texas Rattlesnake said in the past, the stars need to align, which he felt they did not for a bout with the Tribal Chief.

Now with Punk on the WWE roster, Austin admitted that that dream match finds itself into the "never say never" category.

"I like Punk, and I think Punk likes me -- so, as long as he can take a [Stone Cold] Stunner," Austin laughed. "I consider him a great friend, a great guy and a great wrestler who's had a great career. We'll see."

Punk is currently on the shelf with a triceps injury and is expected to be out of action until the summer. Austin has not appeared on WWE programming since WWE WrestleMania 38 Night 2, delivering a Stone Cold Stunner to former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, who is currently facing a sex trafficking lawsuit.