WWE's Austin Theory Reflects On Being Vince McMahon's Protege, Main Roster Push

Austin Theory was once the personal protégé of Vince McMahon, often seen in segments with the now-disgraced WWE Chairman, who also inserted him into major matches like the 2022 Money in the Bank, which he won. However, with all the controversy surrounding McMahon since his split from WWE, the period has become a dark spot on Theory's career, which he reflected on during an appearance on the "IMPAULSIVE" podcast.

"I don't even know if we could say his name, I mean, I don't know," Theory guessed, adding that his early days in "NXT" weren't particularly eventful. He'd eventually find himself with The Way, where he was able to express himself better as a wrestler. By the time he got to the main roster, he didn't realize he was being watched over by McMahon until he won the United States Championship. "At the end of that match, Vince wanted all the heels to come out, hold me up in the ring, and then as I left the ring, he came out at the end, on the stage, and held my arm."

"I think in that moment, I was like, 'Whoa, like, something's going on? Like, we're going places," he continued. Despite the backing from McMahon, Theory is confident that he was always meant to do great things in WWE, and the former WWE Chairman just happened to recognize this at the time.

At the time of his pairing with McMahon, Theory said he'd been learning to expect the unexpected in the pro wrestling industry.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "IMPAULSIVE" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.