WWE superstar Theory joins ‘Wrestling Inside The Ropes’
Mr. Money in the Bank, WWE Superstar Theory joined Mike Riley to talk about WWE Survivor Series returning to Boston, on Saturday, November 26, 2022. Theory spoke about when he may cash in his Money in the Bank contract, John Cena, his story with Pat McAfee, Mr. McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania.
Transcript:
Mike Riley: WWE Survivor series returns to TD Garden for the first time in nine years. Saturday, November 26th. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster dot com. Hello again everyone. I’m Mike Riley for wrestling inside the Ropes. WWE Superstar Theory will be in Boston for the Survivor series, but the question is, will he have his money in the bank briefcase with him or will he have already cashed in by then? Those questions and more as theory joins me now. And it is an honor to be joined by WWE Superstar Theory. He is the current holder of the money in the bank briefcase. The word when is always surrounding theory right now. When will he cash in that money in the bank? And he has a theory or two on that. He will share with us maybe one, but theory. Great to have you here. Thank you so much.
WWE Superstar Theory: Thank you, man. It’s a pleasure to be on.
Mike Riley: And I’m very excited. I know you’re excited about the Survivor series coming to Boston. Saturday, November 26. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com three months from today Survivor series in Boston. And I know you always enjoy coming to the TD Garden.
WWE Superstar Theory: I really do. And you know, thinking about Survivor series, a lot of different things can happen when theories at Survivor series. I mean, maybe I’m on the Raw Team for Survivor series or who knows, could I be on the Smackdown team for Survivor series? Or could I walk in as the new undisputed WWE Universal champion? Or the last one? Could I walk in and cash in and walk out of here as the new undisputed WWE Universal champion?
Mike Riley: So as the money in the bank holder, you’ve had that since the money in the bank pay per view. And that was really amazing where we didn’t know that you were going to be in that match until the bell rung right before you were the last entrant. And of course, here you go, you go. And when the money in the bank briefcase holding it over everyone’s head, now you’re in the heads of Roman Reigns. Drew McIntyre. I think any potential challenger to Roman Reigns, if they are to dethrone him or you may be the one to the throne him.
WWE Superstar Theory: I think I’m definitely the one to dethrone him. You know, the tribal chief, he’s pretty tough. You know, he’s he’s got a great list of accomplishments and he’s been able to stay at the top of that mountain. But, you know, there’s a guy that’s not just the guy. There’s the youngest, Mr. Money in the bank and all the WWE history running up that hill, ready to push the tribal chief off. And maybe they’ll just call me tribal theory.
Mike Riley: And you just turn 25 years young. So the youngest money in the bank, winner of all time, which is amazing. What a year for you. You’ve had you win that money in the bank briefcase at the pay per view highlight at WrestleMania night two with Mr. Vince McMahon. And you’re on the same ring as Stone Cold, Steve Austin and Pat McAfee. How was that experience?
WWE Superstar Theory: That was man, just the whole process of building that storyline with even Pat McAfee going over to Smackdown and really creating. To me, I felt that was one of my first like real storylines. But eventually, you know, getting down to WrestleMania and the match with Pat McAfee, having Mr. McMahon ringside and even throughout the match and being in there with such a great athlete and somebody that just naturally gets it like Pat McAfee. But having Mr. McMahon watches from the side and then later turns out, you know, here’s stone cold. And I remember vividly standing in the corner at WrestleMania and I remember like looking at the top of the stadium and just like seeing like how many people were around, you know. And I was looking at Mr. McMahon and Stone Cold in the middle of the ring, and I was like, This is insane. Just that moment. And I knew as soon as Stone Cold gave me that look, it was time to rock and roll. And there was that stunner and that man, I just feel like as high as I went, it just that that’s where I was, you know, in my mind and how I felt that day with like energy and just like being able to celebrate it. It was just a wild day.
Mike Riley: And you’ve been a WWE fan pretty much your whole life. Austin Obviously you talk about being in the same ring as Stone Cold. Steve Austin How was that? I mean, you grew up watching him and then in the same ring, a WrestleMania. That’s incredible.
WWE Superstar Theory: Yeah. And it’s almost like even when you see him, you know, he’s got his knee braces on, he’s got his shorts on, he’s got the Austin 316 shirt. It’s it’s just crazy. Like, wow, like, this is stone cold Steve Austin, and he’s going to stun my ass, you know?
Mike Riley: So it’s great you sold it. Well, you sold a lot better than Mr. McMahon. That was terrible. I met him in the wall.
WWE Superstar Theory: I actually I actually thought it was pretty entertaining.
Mike Riley: All right. Teachers are now talking about stone cold. Steve Austin there at WrestleMania 32. But also you had the chance to work with a guy you looked up to as a youngster. I still think you I think you said one time you modeled your career after John Cena in that, correct?
WWE Superstar Theory: Yes. So for me, just really quick to sum up the story, when I was eight years old was like the first time I ever seen wrestling. And the first thing I ever seen was there was a promotion called Deep South Wrestling, which at the time back in the day was like. Developmental like now the performance center would serve as that. Yeah, but I remember I went, it was like behind a there was a grocery store in Georgia called Kroger and it was over there like right behind it, little wrestling place. And I remember the first time I seen it, I was just so intrigued on like what this was. And when I turned the television on for the first time, the first person I ever seen was John Cena. Wow. And just the connection like of his personality, how it connected to me, it just kind of got me through a lot of stuff, like when I was bullied in school or my dad was in in my life and stuff like that. Like it was just if I could make it to that Monday and watch Raw or I can make it to that smackdown and just wrestling was always that great escape for me, you know, of that fantasy enjoyment. So for me, I was able to just connect through John Cena and, you know, branch out. And eventually I realized like, oh man, this is what I want to do. And I know how I said I realized, but when I was eight, like I was so set on doing this. And I remember each year I’d tell everybody like, I’m going to be in WWE, I’m going to be in WWE. And there was a lot of times, you know, because you got to thank the people that you’re around most of the time, like saying you’re going to be on TV one day and do that. It’s like, what? Like, that’s crazy. Like, you know, we got Undertaker and John Cena on a backpack right now at school. Like, what do you mean, you’re going to be, like, on a backpack? So it was pretty cool, man, that it all worked out. And there.
Mike Riley: You are. You’re there, man. And it’s amazing the push you’ve had over the year, the last year, I mean, around this time with the Golden Nugget last year at the Survivor series. Right. And it just kind of really took off. Yeah. I remember, you know, the 24 seven special on either going into the Royal Rumble. You were talking about that as well and your motivation, but it’s been a really big year for theory and now to have that money in the bank there with John Cena there. You talk about that. I personally would love to see you and John Cena at WrestleMania, but think it more outside the box now theory with Survivor series here in Boston. There’s also John Cena’s hometown, right?
WWE Superstar Theory: That’s true. And I feel like there’s a lot of disrespect that could happen here, you know, and who’s to say that I’m the guy to be disrespectful to John Cena? I mean, you know, I felt like everything that I said to him when we confronted each other on Raw or I confronted him, I think everything I said was very true and there was nothing to deny. So that’s why he walked away.
Mike Riley: Yeah, we. We haven’t seen him since.
WWE Superstar Theory: You know? I mean, but do we ever really see John Cena?
Mike Riley: Oh, okay. You know, he does need one more to be the all time winning champion. 17. And maybe you’re the guy to cash in on him when he does that.
WWE Superstar Theory: You know, that sounds really good.
Mike Riley: Like that, huh?
WWE Superstar Theory: Yeah, I actually. Man, that might make me want to save my cash.
Mike Riley: Okay. All right. Well, well, that’s the other thing, too, because the question when, when, when, when. And we do have another pay per view. Sorry, a premium live event coming up, Labor Day weekend. It’s going to be Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns. You’re going to be on the show. You’ll be part of the show, rather, I think maybe Johnny Gargano. We’ll talk about that in just a moment. But, you know, obviously, if whatever happens in that match there with Roman and Drew McIntyre, you’re going to fly that briefcase over across the seas.
WWE Superstar Theory: I’m always going to have the briefcase on me. But, you know, for that match, let me just say this. Let the best man win. That’s it. Oh, get the best man win and and just enjoy it because. Yeah, just enjoy it.
Mike Riley: Just enjoy it. You know who did enjoy something? And I thought it was a cheap shot that superkicked Johnny Gargano this week. You try to give him a high five. That was wrong.
WWE Superstar Theory: Yeah. You know, especially when, you know, I look at my past and somebody that was a mentor, you know, not quite as good as Mr. McMahon was, obviously. But, yeah, somebody that took me under their wing and showed me the way. And I feel like, you know, you take nine months off something that I would never do because I know how good I am and I know how much the WWE universe they need me. They need Austin theory. So for me it’s just one of those things with him is, well, why can’t I teach you things now? I mean, you’ve never been the United States champion, never been the youngest United States champion, never had the money in the bank, never been the youngest Mr. Money in the bank. And I’m telling him right to his face that I’m going to be the new undisputed WWE Universal champion. So why wouldn’t you want to learn? Because you’re jealous. And that’s why he kicked me. That’s why that’s it. There’s no other explanation, you know, you got to take this away. I’m just going to get up.
Mike Riley: You’re going to get him back. You’re going to get it back. I know you will have no doubt, but the road here for you has been really awesome year for theory and very excited to see what’s going to happen with this money in the bank. Cash and another local individual here you had your start in evolve wrestling under a gentleman by the name of. Gabe Sapolsky, who is also a Boston native. And I know that you paid your dues to get your way to WWE because of Gabe and evolve.
WWE Superstar Theory: Yeah, I actually remember vividly. I was in Ybor City, Florida, and I was 19 and I had a match with the guy that literally showed me everything, A.R. Fox and we had a match in front of Gabe Sapolsky. And right after the match, Gabe was like, I want to sign you to evolve. And that was like my first contract in wrestling at 19. And I kind of carried through with Evolve and Evolve had that connection with WWE. And obviously everybody knows now that Evolve is owned by WWE. So, I mean, they worked out.
Mike Riley: It worked out, absolutely. And you know, we talk about you having the drive to be a WWE superstar. Pretty amazing what you said when you had Undertaker and John Cena on your backpacks. And then people were like, Oh, you can’t do it and everything. So I’m sure that’s motivation for you. But if you were to be approached by anyone that’s aspiring to be a wrestler, a pro wrestler like yourself, to get into the business, what would you say to them?
WWE Superstar Theory: So I found myself when I was trying to figure it out, like I always get the bodybuilding thing like brought up to me and the bodybuilding for me was just a way to try to get a tryout with WWE. So at 17 I had a friend that won a show and he was like, Hey, man, like, I heard you’re interesting in wrestling. He was like, and there were scouts at the show. So, you know, maybe that’s something you try out. And I was like, Oh, yeah. So I remember like training really hard for this bodybuilding show and pretty much winning teenage Georgia, but not getting anything, you know, close to a tryout with WWE and just kind of trying to figure out how to get, you know, to WWE. But the way it was, was joining a wrestling school and doing, you know, independent shows and traveling around and just getting seen. And for me, that was the best way to do it. And I think the best way for me to learn a bunch of different styles and just be around a bunch of different people and know how people function and work.
Mike Riley: Awesome. While well, I think that’s great and I’m very excited for Survivor series three months at the T.D. Garden in Boston. Saturday, November 26. Maybe you do cash in. Maybe you walk into Boston as the WWE undisputed universal champion. Time will tell. But all I know is that you’ll be at the Survivor series come November.
WWE Superstar Theory: I will be there. And I you know what? If I walk in with that money in the bank contract and I cash in, everybody is going to know what’s going to happen. Even this guy named James thought, that’s a big piece of crap. He’s going to know he’s going to be upset because he just knows that he’d never come close to being anything like me. And that’s just all day.
Mike Riley: Am I kind of like you, too?
WWE Superstar Theory: I think so. But that James guy, I don’t know what his deal is, man.
Mike Riley: Yeah, he’s. We’ll leave it at that.
WWE Superstar Theory: He’s probably like a big Roman Reigns fan or something.
Mike Riley: No comment theory. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Mister Money in the bank. Good luck. And we’ll see you at the Survivor series November 26 at the TD Garden in Boston.
WWE Superstar Theory: Appreciate you, man. And I’ll be looking forward to seeing everybody there. And, you know, I’m going to put it down, a town down.
