- The latest edition of Steve Austin's "Steve Austin Show" podcast, which features part two of an interview with Tommy Dreamer, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASu - EP134 - Tommy Dreamer Pt 2

"The Tommy Dreamer is back! This time - why he left WWE, how he became "The Innovator of Violence," tag teaming with Terry Funk, drinking human blood, his feud with Dixie Carter, Sandman's OD, the House of Hardcore, and his one big regret."

No. But, for the sake of discussion, let’s humor ourselves for a moment. According to reports, CM Punk’s WWE contract expired on July 15th, ending speculation of a return for the time being. Punk has been rather silent since his sudden departure, but took to Twitter on Tuesday to make a statement on his career.  WWE.com also moved Punk to the alumni section.

“Nope, thank YOU.Thanks for all the help and support through the years. Health and happiness above all. Don’t ever take any shit from anybody.” – CM Punk

Catchphrase or not, CM Punk’s legacy cements him as one of the best in the world. He paved the way for undersized and unorthodox wrestlers to climb the corporate ladder WWE places in front of their superstars. He showed us that you don’t have to look like The Rock, or sell kid-friendly merchandise like John Cena to become relevant in World Wrestling Entertainment. Punk laughed in the face of a traditional in-ring style, with a move-set ranging from a top rope elbow to the Anaconda Vice submission hold. He didn’t have “the look”, or the traditional “it factor”, but he had something. The straight-edged, sarcastic superstar is quite possibly the most unique WWE performer in history. CM Punk gave the industry something different; there isn’t a fair comparison to a wrestler of the past, but people will attempt to compare him to wrestlers of the future. The question is already being asked: will we see another CM Punk? The answer is ‘no’, but maybe someone else will give us something different like he once did.

Before CM Punk, Edge was main eventing against WWE’s traditional, heavy hitting, muscular superstars on magazine covers. Although the two don’t share much else in common, Edge created a slot that made it believable for alternative styles and sizes to fight in main events. Edge made us believe that a fast-talking, slimmer performer could beat up Batista or The Undertaker. His promos weren’t traditional wrestling promos; they felt a bit closer to being “real”. Edge was the first of his kind. In that sense, CM Punk became the next Edge, but he took the spot to another planet and made it his own. The takeaway is that we will never see another Edge, and we’ll never see another CM Punk. For the crop of superstars we’re trying to compare to CM Punk – it’s not about if they’ll become him. The question should be if they can learn from him and create their own spot like he once did.

Seth Rollins has often been compared to CM Punk, and it’s easy to see the similarities. Both have an indy style in the ring, and even share somewhat of a physical likeness. Like Punk before him, Rollins won the Money in the Bank ladder match, giving him a championship match at a time of his choosing. Also like Punk, many question if Rollins is ready to take that step. WWE certainly did not think CM Punk was ready the first time he cashed in, giving him one of the most lackluster title reigns in the last decade. By that logic, they’re similar. You can almost see WWE positioning Rollins into the CM Punk vacancy, but it may not be the right call. If Rollins is to become the controversial heel we can’t help but cheer, he probably shouldn’t have sided with The Authority (Punk never sided with authority figures, even in the depths of his best heel work). Rollins, while a solid talker, does not have the same grab to his personality to create something we’ve never seen. One could argue that of the three former Shield members, Dean Ambrose actually has the personality chops to match CM Punk, not Rollins. Ambrose’s ring style doesn’t equally compare, but his “lunatic fringe” has similarities to “voice of the voiceless” that was so cool with Punk. Lunatic Fringe, by the way, should already be on t-shirts.

Searching elsewhere, KENTA made his WWE commitment official last week, signing a contract to come over and get started in NXT. If you’re familiar with KENTA’s resume, you know that many say he invented the GTS, and Punk adopted it as his finisher. Whether it’s copying, borrowing, or learning, CM Punk’s in-ring style compares nicely to KENTA’s. The Japanese import, however, has other challenges. He’ll have to break through a language barrier to come anywhere near Punk on the mic. It’s conceivable that KENTA gets paired with someone like Paul Heyman to do his talking, or maybe he won’t talk at all. Maybe an absolute badass in the ring that does not say a single word will get over like we’ve never seen before. The opportunity exists for KENTA to be something unique, but he’s a long ways away. The same could be said for the rumored arrivals of Kevin Steen and Prince Devitt. They’ve created Punk-ish buzz on the independent scene, leaving WWE as their only mountain left to climb. Time will have to tell; after all, CM Punk did not happen overnight.

It’s not fair to Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose or KENTA to receive CM Punk comparisons. There will never be another voice of the voiceless, or best in the world. There won’t be a superstar that sits cross-legged on the ramp and drops a pipe bomb. Nobody will ask us if they have our attention now. The most we can hope for is a unique superstar that has learned something from CM Punk. In ten years, hopefully we’ll be asking if we’ll ever see another….

CMT issued the following today:

“STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE” PUTS ELITE ATHLETES TO THE TEST WHEN THE HEART-POUNDING COMPETITION SERIES PREMIERES SUNDAY, JULY 6 ON CMT

NASHVILLE – June 12, 2014 – Just in time for the scorching months of summer, CMT debuts the most badass competition series yet when STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE premieres Sunday, July 6 at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The brain-child of wrestling icon Steve Austin, the 10-episode series pits elite athletes against everyday men and women in the ultimate test of strength, stamina and wit. Each episode features eight contestants in head-to-head battles,until the last man or woman standing earns the right to take on the toughest obstacle course in America created by Austin himself, the “Skullbuster,” for a chance to win cash.

Austin, who previously helmed three seasons of REDNECK ISLAND on CMT, is known for being one of the toughest competitors in the wrestling arena. BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE combines his fierce love for physical competition with extreme challenges using the core tenants from such current fitness trends as CrossFit and Spartan Race. Austin’s half-mile “Skullbuster” features 10 obstacles designed to stop even the most hardcore athletes, built to progressively break the body down. Everyone’s equal at the ranch, as women find themselves subject to the same punishment as men.

In the first episode, there is no shortage of adrenaline as eight men battle for the win in Trench Warfare, The Pulverizer and The Junkyard. If they lose, they leave. Steve Austin’s rules are fair, and competitors are quick to learn that even those with the most physical power may not be a match against pure determination. In the end, only one athlete will make it to the Skullbuster and even then, there are no guarantees he will complete it.

One of the most popular pro-wrestling superstars of all time, Steve Austin has been busy since retiring from the ring in 2003. The hugely popular WWE Hall of Fame inductee hit the big screen in 2010 in Sylvester Stallone’s action thriller, The Expendables, co-starring alongside a who’s who in action films. Since then, he amassed a number of movie credits including Damage, one of Fox Home Video’s best-selling releases; The Stranger and Hunt To Kill, both released by Anchor Bay; The Package opposite Dolph Lungdren; and, Maximum Conviction opposite Steven Segal. TV roles include hosting CMT’s Redneck Island, along with USA’s hit series Tough Enough. In 2012, Austin launched his podcast The Steve Austin Show, where he lets loose with his no-holds-barred interview style. During his down time, Austin likes to spend time at his 2,100-acre Broken Skull Ranch in South Texas with his wife Kristin and their three Labradors. Follow @steveaustinBSR on Twitter.

for more information and exclusive BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE content, visit CMT.com and download the CMT App. Fans can also join the conversation on the series’ official Facebook page and follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #BrokenSkullChallenge.

STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE is produced by 51 Minds Entertainment with executive producers Christian Sarabia, Rabih Gholam, Steve Austin and co-executive producer Vincent Cariati. Julia Silverton, Jayson Dinsmore and Joe Livecchi executive produce for CMT.

WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin recently appeared on Ring Rust Radio with Donald Wood.Here are some highlights of what he said about:

His Podcast: "Well, you know, it’s interesting. Asking people questions, carrying on conversations, you certainly develop a rhythm and a style. I learned early on that one of the mistakes I was making early on was trying to cram too much stuff in an interview. I’d talk to guys who had 20- to 40-year careers and try to condense that into a two-hour session, and it just doesn’t happen like that. So now, I just have bullet points and we start talking and it ends up just being a conversation. I don’t paint by numbers anymore. I just go by how I feel and try to take the conversation in different places and just go with the flow."

"It has been an interesting transition. I enjoy doing it. It allows me to use some of the creative energy that I put into Monday Night Raw way back in the day and it gives me a way to maintain communication with my fanbase and to just simply and purely entertain them. I don’t talk about religion, politics, none of that bulls–t; it’s just audio whoop-ass for the working man and the working woman to take their mind off the task at hand."

Who He Wants To Appear On His Podcast: "I’d like to talk to Hulk Hogan, of course, because he’s one of the biggest names in the history of the business, if not the biggest. So, obviously I’d like to talk to Hogan. “Superstar” Billy Graham. I’d like to talk to Dusty Rhodes face-to-face, in person. I had a chance to talk to him on the phone in the early stages like some of the people who I’ve already interviewed. It’s always different talking to someone on the phone, of course. I’ve talked to Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Shawn Michaels on the phone, but a one-on-one conversation is the best."

"I talked to [Mark "The Undertaker" Calaway]. I asked him if he wanted to do the show; he said he would, and that’s a matter of me getting out to Austin, Texas, and talking to him one on one, but he’s another one I’d love to talk to."

If He Will Be Part Of The New Tough Enough: "I’d certainly be open to it, but I get my Google Alerts and I read that they were bringing back Tough Enough, but then there have been delays in it. I would consider doing something along the lines of Tough Enough because that was my first endeavor into reality television and that is a world I know and love, and that’s why I was on that show. I’m not going to blow smoke up my ass. I love the business of pro wrestling and it is something I know better than anything else I know about. So if I get a chance to do that show or they offer that spot to me and we could make it work, I’d love to do that show."

His New Show, Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Ranch Challenge: "The thing about the Broken Skull Challenge is that there’s really nothing else like it on television. I was talking on some interviews the other day that kind of brought up American Ninja Warrior, but that kind of plays more to the parkour-type athlete and crossfitting as well. Those men and women that do American Ninja Warrior are badass in their right, no doubt about that. They’re badass. But they’re competing on a course and competing against the clock.

At the Broken Skull Challenge, each week I bring participants to the ranch. We did 10 episodes—five episodes with guys, five with gals. It’s head-to-head competition for three rounds, and if you win, you go to the next round. If you lose, you leave the ranch immediately.

At the end of the day, we narrow it down from eight to one individual, and that individual will take on my personal obstacle course. It’s a half-mile course, 10 badass obstacles that you must overcome.

I made my course the skullbuster because it is specifically designed to whoop a man’s ass. You beat my course, I’ll give you $10,000. If someone has already beaten my course and you beat their time, I give you $10,000 and you will be my returning champion, and until someone beats your time, you will get that $10,000.

It’s nothing fancy; it’s down and dirty and you need strength, stamina, determination, will power, a lot of heart and determination to beat my course and to win and succeed at my competition. It’s badass and we had some hellacious athletes come out to the ranch. On Redneck Island, a show I love, there was a lot of drama and storylines going on because someone’s always voted off the island through process of elimination. Here your fate is in your own hands. I set the stage for these athletes to come out here and put on the best performance of their lives or they have to go home—simple as that."

If He Will Ever Wrestle Again: "I’d consider anything if the perfect situation or opportunity arose and it would be more than a million-dollar question. I don’t want to sit here and promote a match, sell a match or talk about making a comeback. The dirt sheets, or whatever you call them, and I talk to Dave Meltzer and Wade Keller all the time and they’re nice guys and I would consider them friends. I see Dave at almost every MMA fight, but I don’t want to stir any pots or hint or tease anything.

People get their panties in a wad and say, “Stone Cold, either do it or not.” So, anything can happen, but I’m not going to endorse, promote, sell or tease anything in regards to a match."

How He Would Bring CM Punk Back To WWE: "Man, I don’t know. I haven’t made too much of it. I predicted he would make a comeback at WrestleMania 30 and obviously that didn’t happen. He left the company and whenever he comes back, that’s up to him. I don’t know how I would bring him back. I just know that when I got out of the business for about six-to-10 months, I lost a **** load of money and I believe that if you have got some miles left in the tank, you should make your money while you can and don’t leave it on the table because you’ll never make that money back.

At the end of the day, you can say, “It ain’t about the money.” Well, it is about the money because you need to make as much of it as you can before you can’t make that money anymore.

I don’t know how you bring him back. Certainly the fans would welcome him back because he was doing a great job before he left. And when he gets his head right and wants to come back, I believe he will. As far as me playing Mr. Booker, I don’t have a clue."

Which Current WWE Stars Have The Most Potential: "Man, I think it could be any one of a pool of people. I can’t sit here and drop names because I haven’t paid that much attention to the roster. I’ve been trying to DVR the shows. I am several months behind. I just subscribed to the WWE Network and I watched half of the pay-per-view so far. Just from guys on the radar right now, I think all of the guys from The Shield have got big futures ahead of them. I don’t think they’re all carved in stone yet and there are still some missing pieces within each individual part of The Shield.

Antonio Cesaro still has a hole somewhere in his game, but he’s certainly there. I predict a lot of success for that guy. I think Bray Wyatt is starting to kick ass and do a lot of great things. When they put Cesaro with Heyman, that was an interesting move because there were a lot of people starting to get off on Cesaro, and so they put him with Heyman, which put him back as a heel. The rest of the roster, I don’t know enough about.

Here’s one thing that I will say; I remember watching some of my matches from Dallas on my email, and I was watching them back and I see an athletic body and a guy that’s stable, but the look was just not that great. So there are some guys down there that, as they go through the process and they’re not afraid to embrace making some changes and making some alterations to their gear, to their look to find the right gimmick and package to bring it all together.

Man, there’s probably two or three diamonds in the rough down there because they’re not close to an appearance that is going to be the final thing that actually helps them get over and be received by the crowd as a heel or a baby face."