Steve Austin Explains What Went Wrong With His WrestleMania 41 ATV Mishap
When the glass shattered at WrestleMania 41 Night 2, fans expected “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to roar down the aisle on his trademark ATV, raise a few fists (and a few beers), and deliver the evening’s attendance figure. Instead, the WWE Hall of Famer gave Las Vegas a moment he’d rather forget: on his second lap around the ring, Austin clipped the ringside barricade, sending both himself and a front-row fan sprawling.
Chatting with Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show today, April 30, 2025, Austin explained that the stunt vehicle wasn’t the familiar rig he’s been tearing up arenas with since the Attitude Era.
“Different throttle set-up than what I’m used to. Long story short, just a different throttle system. I’m pretty dang handy on a four-wheeler,” he laughed.
Seconds later, his confidence overruled the new controls—and the barricade won. WWE President Nick Khan rushed over to check on the startled fan, while Austin—ever the pro—made sure the attendee was okay before climbing between the ropes to handle his duties. After the segment, the Texas Rattlesnake circled back a second time to apologize in person.
Despite everyone walking away unscathed, Austin admits the mishap stung more than a Stunner gone wrong:
“I was embarrassed by it. You go out there on the biggest night in wrestling and you end up like that—it’s not the greatest day at the office. You want to give people the best show you can, and when you fall short of that, it’s not great.”
The ATV snafu came just 24 hours after Austin and Bret Hart jointly received WrestleMania’s inaugural “Immortal Moment” Hall of Fame honor for their legendary WrestleMania 13 bout. One embarrassing spill won’t tarnish that legacy, but it did remind the six-time WWE Champion that even icons can hit the brakes—literally—on the grandest stage.
Accident or not, Austin still delivered his signature swagger (and the attendance number) to 60,000-plus fans in Allegiant Stadium. As for the unlucky speed bump in the front row? They’ve now got a once-in-a-lifetime tale to tell—and maybe a souvenir handshake from the toughest SOB in the business.
