Ranking the Best 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin Opponents for WWE WrestleMania 38

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin's last match before retiring was a losing effort against The Rock at WrestleMania XIX. A whopping 19 years later, Fightful Select has reported that WWE is interested in getting The Bionic Redneck back in the ring for WrestleMania 38.

While that's far from a guarantee, the idea that The Texas Rattlesnake could lace up his boots one more time in Dallas to stomp a mudhole in someone and walk it dry is intriguing.

If there's any chance, who would be his opponent?

It can't be just anyone. WWE would need to put him in the ring with someone capable who can take care of him while still seeming like a big enough deal on the marquee to not waste this precious return.

Just in case there is any truth to this rumor, let's examine the roster and break down some of the best possible options to face Austin at WrestleMania 38!

Obviously the biggest matches would be if Stone Cold could face either Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns. They are undoubtedly the top stars in the company and the only ones on Austin's S-tier level for iconic status.

However, inserting Austin into the title hunt makes zero sense. The entire story between Lesnar and Reigns has been about those two clashing and their history together. Austin's been absent from every facet of their feud.

Were he included, he would just be a distraction. It would also waste using Austin in another part of the night to spread out the attractions.

If Austin is able to do more than just one match, WWE should revisit these two as the best possible opponents for other events—Lesnar vs. Austin could headline next year's WrestleMania for instance.

But now is not the time, as much as those two names stand out.

The less time left until Night 1 of WrestleMania on April 2, the less it seems RK-Bro will split to give us the Riddle vs. Randy Orton clash that felt like a certainty a few months back.

Now, unfortunately, it's seeming as though there's a strong chance those two will be locked into the tag team title hunt with yet another match against Alpha Academy—an uninspired and less-than-interesting scenario.

If that's all WWE has in mind, why not bypass it entirely and do The Viper vs. The Rattlesnake?

Orton has long been one of the top options to fight Austin for years because of several parallels, their nicknames notwithstanding.

Both predominantly wrestled in black trunks with black boots. Both use a cutter for their finisher. Both have had long feuds with the McMahon family. And both have consistently made it a point that they can't be trusted, even by their tag team partners.

The downside to picking Orton for this, and the reason why he's at the bottom of this list, is that it should happen when Orton is a full-blown heel. Austin would get cheered no matter what, but The Apex Predator is at his best when he's the villain, so it would only be natural.

But in order for that to happen, he would have to split from Riddle but not feud with The Original Bro. There isn't enough time to squeeze that feud in prior to 'Mania without it looking rushed or pushed aside, and since WWE desperately needs to make new stars, doing that to Riddle would be a mistake.

As a big name who is trustworthy in the ring, AJ Styles almost made this list. However, as a babyface, The Phenomenal One doesn't make as much sense to face Austin and could be better served against Edge.

Thankfully, someone who checks all the same boxes—and a few more besides—is Seth Rollins.

The Architect is in need of something decent to do at WrestleMania. Fighting for the Raw Tag Team Championship would be a massive step down considering how little the company cares about those belts.

A match against Kevin Owens with their partnership ending is a bland option too and was already spent two years ago at WrestleMania 36.

Facing Austin, though, is incredibly noteworthy. That becomes a major match on the card because of Stone Cold's involvement. Suddenly, Rollins goes from nearly being left off the show to being a featured player.

He could take care of Austin in the ring (so long as there isn't a buckle bomb) and his status as one of the best arrogant heels in the company makes him a great candidate for Austin to shut up.

Few could probably sell the Stunner as well as Rollins likely could too. Undoubtedly, he would jump at the opportunity to bounce around the ring and make Austin look good.

The way WrestleMania is shaping up, it seems WWE has no faith in acts that don't involve a former legend, a part-timer turning up for a big pay day and/or a celebrity to come along to distract audiences from the barrage of rematches on this card.

With that in mind, and seeing as how WWE built Elimination Chamber largely on names like Lita, let's just turn into the skid and toss out Hulk Hogan, John Cena and Goldberg as suggestions.

Admittedly, only Cena would stand a chance to get a decent match out of it. But let's just call it like it is: WWE doesn't care about the match quality if the marquee can sell some tickets. Frankly, a lot of fans feel the same way too.

The commentary team would be instructed to tell you it was an epic encounter even if neither Hogan nor Austin could take a single bump. If it's just Goldberg standing in the ring looking at Austin and snarling, WWE wants you to mark out over that visual more than anything else.

All three are on the list of dream matches Austin never had. Analysts always debate whether Hogan or Austin was the biggest WWE Superstar of all time, call Cena the Austin of his era and acknowledge how if there were one match that could have sold the Monday Night War more than anything, it would have been WWF's Austin vs. WCW's Goldberg.

Hogan's the least likely, but he's wanted the match for years. Cena continues to say he's a lifer and would surely boost ticket sales. Goldberg's had about a dozen "last matches" before signing new contracts, so there's no indication Elimination Chamber was the end for him.

If there's any chance to do any of those three, even if it would be an atrocious match, the spectacle would be more than worth it to many people.

Your gut reaction to Austin Theory being so high on this list might be to say he's not worthy since he's so young and hasn't proved himself, but if you're not willing to make new stars, what is going to happen when the well of retirees runs dry?

All WWE would have to do is keep this short. Theory doesn't need to win. Nor would he. But if he stood in the ring opposite a legend like Stone Cold, it would be a career-making moment.

WWE has softened on this storyline partnership between Theory and Vince McMahon, but that can be brought back to the forefront and used as the basis for this. Austin vs. Austin, with Stone Cold getting another one up on The Chairman like he used to more than 20 years ago.

Also, just for argument's sake, imagine the heat Theory would get if he were to beat Austin after all these years? The kid would be set for life as a heel. Fans would hate him so much if he could say The Rattlesnake came back nearly 20 years later just to lose to someone who was only a one-year-old when The Austin Era began.

Given the current roster, all the matches starting to line up and the magnitude of this match, no better option exists than Kevin Owens.

Austin gifted Owens the Stunner to be his new finisher a while back, which is a major talking point this feud could revolve around.

Another obvious storyline element would be Owens trash-talking Texas. If anyone's going to defend the state's honor, Austin's the man for the job.

Since Owens re-signed with WWE earlier this year, giving him such an important role at WrestleMania and in the company's history by wrestling Austin would be a major sign to Superstars wondering whether they should stick with the company that WWE isn't just going to promise them the world and take it away once they have signed the dotted line.

Owens also checks off the trustworthy in-ring performer qualification. For a guy of his size who can decimate people with a pop-up powerbomb, he seems remarkably safe between the ropes. Given his adoration of the business as a whole and Austin specifically, few would appreciate this as much as Owens and do their hardest to make it the best segment possible.

Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.