WWE
The reason Austin Theory was removed from the planned heel team for WWE Survivor Series WarGames has emerged.
A number of weeks out from the event, the planned lineups for the WarGames matches leaked, with the women’s lineup remaining accurate and matching what ended up happening.
However, there were some changes to the men’s teams that were forced due to injuries suffered by Seth Rollins on one side and Jacob Fatu on the other.
Originally, the teams were to be Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Brock Lesnar and Austin Theory vs CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Fatu, Jey Uso and either Jimmy Uso or LA Knight.
The teams that actually came together were Breakker, Reed, Lesnar, Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul vs Punk, Reigns, Cody Rhodes and The Usos.
Paul was effectively the replacement for Rollins, while Rhodes was the replacement for Fatu.
However, Rhodes had been feuding with McIntyre recently, which paved the way for McIntyre to be part of the match, taking the spot of Theory.
The latest report in the Wrestling Observer Daily Update states:
Originally he was supposed to be in WarGames before the Jacob Fatu injury forced them to move up the Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre feud one month, and thus opened both of them up for WarGames, with Rhodes as Fatu’s replacement and the feeling was McIntyre would fit better in the match than Theory.
Theory did end up getting involved, as he was the mystery attacker who entered the cage to lay out CM Punk, allowing the heels to pick up the win.
It would seem this allows him to be revealed as part of the The Vision moving forward – as originally planned – despite the decision for McIntyre to be part of the WarGames match instead of him.
The Observer report notes:
The Bron Breakker pin on CM Punk was to set up a future title match.
Austin Theory was the guy who interfered and the original plan was for him to be part of The Vision.
The planned WrestleMania world title matches coming out of WarGames are Punk vs Breakker, and Rhodes vs Reigns.
Theory had been off WWE TV prior to his role last night, which was initially said to have been due to an injury, though no further details emerged regarding the nature of it.
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