Independent circuit (2016–2019) in September 2018 He made his professional wrestling debut for Glory Pro Wrestling (GPW) on April 29, 2016, under the
ring name Austin Theory, losing to Mike Cobb in a
three-way match also involving Poncho Arp. On May 5, he defeated
AR Fox to win the WWA4 Heavyweight Championship, his first
professional wrestling championship. In May, Theory acquired a
valet,
Priscilla Kelly, who helped him win his matches. On December 10, at
Evolve 97, he defeated
Fred Yehi to win the
FIP World Heavyweight Championship. On February 17, 2018, at
Evolve 100, Theory unsuccessfully challenged
Zack Sabre Jr. for the
Evolve Championship. At
Evolve 103 on April 6, Theory defeated
Keith Lee to win the
WWN Championship, becoming a double champion. At
Evolve 106 on June 23, Theory lost the WWN Championship to
Joey Janela, but retained the FIP World Heavyweight Championship against Janela and
DJ Z in a triple threat match the next day. He lost the title to
Anthony Henry on September 30 at FIP's Accelerate event. On October 28, at
Evolve 114, he was involved in a six-way
ladder match for the vacant WWN Championship, which was won by
JD Drake. At
Evolve 117 on December 15, Theory defeated
Fabian Aichner and
Roderick Strong in a triple threat match to win the Evolve Championship; he fired Kelly as his valet following the match. Throughout 2019, Theory successfully defended the title against the likes of Henry,
Kyle O'Reilly,
Raul Mendoza, and
Leon Ruff. Following a backstage confrontation between Theory and JD Drake, a
Winner Takes All match for both the Evolve Championship and WWN Championship was set for
Evolve 131 on July 13, which was won by Theory. After the match, he was
chokeslammed by
Josh Briggs. On August 25, at
Evolve 134, he retained the Evolve Championship against Drake and Briggs in a triple threat match. He lost the title to Briggs at
Evolve 139 on November 9. Theory subsequently left Evolve after facing
Curt Stallion the following night.
Mexico (2018–2019) On June 16, 2018, Theory made his debut for Mexican promotion
The Crash Lucha Libre, losing to
Rey Horus. On March 2, 2019, Theory defeated
Willie Mack,
Bárbaro Cavernario and
Sansón to win
The Crash Heavyweight Championship. He lost the title on May 4 to Horus in a four-way match also involving Adam Brooks and
MJF. On June 14, Theory, representing The Crash, appeared for
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) on
Super Viernes ("Super Fridays"), teaming with
Carístico and
Volador Jr. to defeat
Rush and
La Peste Negra ("The Black Plague"; Cavernario and
Negro Casas). Two days later, he wrestled his last match in Mexico at the time, defeating
El Mesías.
WWE NXT (2019–2021) Prior to signing with the company, Theory participated in a
WWE tryout in February 2018. On April 8, during day 4 of
WrestleMania Axxess, he retained the WWN Championship against
Marcel Barthel. On August 10, 2019, Theory was shown on-screen in the crowd at
NXT TakeOver: Toronto. Five days later, it was announced that he signed a contract with WWE and would report to the
WWE Performance Center. On the December 25 episode of
NXT, Theory made his in-ring debut, accepting Roderick Strong's
NXT North American Championship open challenge in a losing effort. On the January 8, 2020 episode of
NXT, he achieved his first victory by defeating
Joaquin Wilde, while subsequently establishing himself as a
heel. On the March 30 episode of
Raw, Theory made his main roster debut as an associate of
Zelina Vega, teaming with
Angel Garza and
Seth Rollins in a loss to
Kevin Owens and
Raw Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (
Angelo Dawkins and
Montez Ford). Theory and Garza faced The Street Profits for the Raw Tag Team Championship on Night 2 of
WrestleMania 36 on April 5 and the following night on
Raw, but lost both matches. After defeating
Akira Tozawa on the April 13 episode of
Raw, Vega's other associates, Garza and
Andrade joined him in beating down Tozawa as all three posed together, confirming their status as a faction. On the May 18 episode of
Raw, Theory was attacked by Andrade and Garza after accidentally costing them a tag team match against
Apollo Crews and Owens, kicking him out of the faction. Later that night, he assisted Rollins and
Murphy in attacking Black, formally joining Rollins' group as a disciple. Following the June 22 episode of
Raw, he stopped appearing with Rollins and Murphy. On August 26, Theory returned to
NXT, interrupting
Bronson Reed, whom he lost to at
NXT: Super Tuesday II on September 8. At
NXT TakeOver: WarGames on December 6, Theory helped
Johnny Gargano win his third
NXT North American Championship. He then appeared on the December 9 episode of
NXT to reveal he was part of a villainous faction called
The Way with Gargano, Gargano's
real life wife
Candice LeRae, and
Indi Hartwell. In January 2021, Theory and Gargano lost to
Kushida and
Leon Ruff in the first round of the
2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Following a loss to
Kyle O'Reilly on the July 20 episode of
NXT, Theory took an absence from NXT television, until he returned on September 14 during the premiere of
NXT 2.0, attending the wedding of Hartwell and
Dexter Lumis in his final NXT appearance.
Mr. Money in the Bank (2021–2022) As part of the
2021 Draft, Theory was drafted to the
Raw brand. On the October 4 episode of
Raw, Theory returned to the brand by attacking
Jeff Hardy and defeated him on the next two episodes of
Raw. At the same time, he received a new
gimmick where he began taking selfies of himself and opponents, even during matches. After
Rey Mysterio was injured by
Bobby Lashley on the November 15 episode of
Raw, he was removed from Team Raw for
Survivor Series and replaced by Theory. At the event on November 21, Theory eliminated
Sheamus before he was eliminated by Hardy, but his team won the match against Team SmackDown. The next night on
Raw, it was revealed that Theory took Cleopatra's Egg from
Mr. McMahon, who then rewarded Theory with a
WWE Championship match against
Big E for showing "intestinal fortitude", which he lost. At the
Royal Rumble on January 29, 2022, Theory entered his first
Royal Rumble match at #3, lasting 22 minutes before he was eliminated by
AJ Styles. Two days later on
Raw, Theory defeated
Kevin Owens to qualify for an
Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship at the
namesake event on February 19, but was the last man pinned by
Brock Lesnar after being hit with an
F-5 from the top of one of the pods down to the floor. On the February 28 episode of
Raw, Theory bribed McMahon into having himself accompany him to his interview with
Pat McAfee to no avail. Theory confronted McAfee on the March 4 episode of
SmackDown, announcing he would be McAfee's opponent at
WrestleMania 38. On Night 2 of WrestleMania on April 3, Theory lost to McAfee, but helped McMahon defeat McAfee in the subsequent fight that ensued, until
Stone Cold Steve Austin came out and hit Theory, McMahon, and McAfee with
Stone Cold Stunners. The following night on
Raw, Theory and
The Usos defeated
RK-Bro (
Randy Orton and
Riddle) and
United States Champion Finn Bálor after Theory pinned Bálor, earning the chance to challenge for Bálor's title. In a backstage segment the following week, Theory announced he and Mr. McMahon decided that the name Austin did not suit him anymore, dropping the first name and going by Theory. On the April 18 episode of
Raw, Theory defeated Bálor to win the United States Championship for the first time in his career, becoming the second youngest champion in the title's history and the youngest champion under the WWE banner. On the May 9 episode of
Raw, Theory lost in his first title defense against
Cody Rhodes by disqualification after interference from Rollins, but as championships cannot change hands by disqualification, he retained the title. He successfully defended the title against
Mustafa Ali on the May 30 episode of
Raw and at
Hell in a Cell on June 5. At
Money in the Bank on July 2, Theory lost the United States Championship to Bobby Lashley, ending his reign at 75 days. Later that night, he was added to and won the Men's
Money in the Bank ladder match, making him the youngest superstar to win the Money in the Bank contract in WWE history, as well as being the first Money in the Bank winner to lose a title and win the contract on the same night. At
SummerSlam on July 30, Theory failed to regain the United States Championship from Lashley. Later that night, he attempted to cash in his Money in the Bank contract during the
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Last Man Standing match between Brock Lesnar and
Roman Reigns, but was hit with an
F-5 by Lesnar before he could officially cash in. In August, his name was reverted to Austin Theory. At
Clash at the Castle on September 3, he again attempted to cash in his Money in the Bank contract during the main event, only to be knocked out by
Tyson Fury before he could officially do so. On the November 7 episode of
Raw, Theory cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Rollins for the United States Championship, but was unsuccessful, partially due to interference from Lashley.
United States Champion (2022–2023) at
WrestleMania 39. On November 26, at
Survivor Series WarGames, Theory defeated Rollins and Lashley in a triple threat match to win his second United States Championship. He retained the title against Rollins and Lashley on the January 2 and
23 (in a
No Disqualification match) episodes of
Raw, respectively. At the
Royal Rumble on January 28, 2023, Theory entered at #25, but was eliminated by eventual winner Cody Rhodes. At
Elimination Chamber on February 18, Theory successfully defended the title against
Bronson Reed,
Damian Priest, Johnny Gargano,
Montez Ford and Rollins in an
Elimination Chamber match, marking the first time the title was contested inside the
namesake structure. On the following episode of
Raw, he retained the title against
Edge in an open challenge after interference from
Finn Bálor. On the March 6 episode of
Raw, Theory challenged the returning
John Cena to a match for the title at
WrestleMania 39, which Cena accepted. On Night 1 of WrestleMania on April 1, Theory defeated Cena to retain the title. As part of the
2023 WWE Draft, Theory was drafted to the
SmackDown brand. At
Backlash on May 6, Theory successfully defended the title against Lashley and Reed in a triple threat match. On the following episode of
SmackDown, he lost to Lashley and Sheamus in a triple threat match for the
World Heavyweight Championship tournament. On the August 11 episode of
SmackDown, he was scheduled to defend the United States Championship against
Santos Escobar, who was rendered unable to compete after Theory attacked him backstage. Theory was subsequently defeated by Escobar's
Latino World Order stablemate
Rey Mysterio in an impromptu title match, ending his second reign at 258 days. The following week, he defeated
LA Knight to become the number one contender for the title, but failed to regain it from Mysterio on September 2 at
Payback.
A-Town Down Under (2023–2025) in 2024. Later that month, after a segment with Pat McAfee and
The Rock, Theory began working with
Grayson Waller as a
tag team, known as
A-Town Down Under. On the October 13 episode of
SmackDown, Theory and Waller challenged Cody Rhodes and
Jey Uso for the
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship in a losing effort. On the January 12, 2024 episode of
SmackDown, Theory faced NXT's
Carmelo Hayes, but their match ended in a
shoot no-contest after both of them landed on their heads from the top rope. WWE later announced that they only suffered face contusions and Theory won their rematch on the January 26 episode of
SmackDown. The next night, at
Royal Rumble, Theory helped
Logan Paul retain the United States Championship against Kevin Owens after handing him brass knuckles. He then entered the Royal Rumble match at #13, but was eliminated by Rhodes, the eventual winner. On February 24, at
Elimination Chamber: Perth, Theory co-hosted The Grayson Waller Effect with Waller featuring Rhodes and Rollins. After imitating The Rock, Cody and Seth attacked Theory while Waller did not get involved, teasing the dissolution of A-Town Down Under. Nevertheless, Theory and Waller won a tag team tournament to qualify for the
six-pack ladder match for the
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at
WrestleMania XL. On Night 1 of WrestleMania on April 6, Waller retrieved the
SmackDown Tag Team Championship for A-Town Down Under to become the new champions. On the April 19 episode of
SmackDown, the SmackDown Tag Team Championship was renamed as the WWE Tag Team Championship and the team was presented with new title belts by WWE's
chief content officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque, and the general manager of SmackDown
Nick Aldis. On the May 3 episode of
SmackDown, they defeated
The Street Profits (
Angelo Dawkins and
Montez Ford) in their first title defense. Later that month, they began a feud with
#DIY (Johnny Gargano and
Tommaso Ciampa), culminating in a title match on the July 5 episode of
SmackDown, where Theory and Waller lost the titles to #DIY, ending their reign at 90 days. They failed to regain the titles on the following episode of
SmackDown, ending their feud. Theory and Waller returned to
NXT in September, challenging
Fraxiom (
Nathan Frazer and
Axiom) for the
NXT Tag Team Championship, but lost their title match on the October 8 episode of
NXT. On the January 24, 2025 episode of
SmackDown, it was announced that A-Town Down Under was transferred to the Raw brand. On the January 28 episode of
NXT, they hosted a special edition of
The Grayson Waller Effect with the new
NXT Champion Oba Femi to see if Femi was "worth the hype." Femi then offered to defend the NXT Championship in a triple threat match against A-Town Down Under at
NXT Vengeance Day on February 15, where Femi retained the title after Waller cost Theory the win. On the July 21 episode of
Raw, Waller aligned himself with
The New Day, after it was reported Theory suffered a legitimate injury, quietly disbanding A-Town Down Under. The following month, it was reported that Theory had been removed from WWE's internal active roster, leaving his status in the company unknown.
The Vision (2025–present) On the December 15, 2025 episode of
Raw, Theory was revealed as the masked man who helped
The Vision (
Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed and Logan Paul) win the men's
WarGames match at
Survivor Series: WarGames. On the December 29 episode of
Raw, Theory was inducted into The Vision by the
stable's manager
Paul Heyman. At the
Royal Rumble on January 31, 2026, Theory entered the match at #15, eliminating La Parka before being eliminated by a returning
LA Knight. On the March 30 episode of
Raw, The Vision (Paul and Theory) defeated
The Usos (
Jey Uso and
Jimmy Uso) in a
Street Fight to win the
World Tag Team Championship. On Night 1 of
WrestleMania 42 on April 18, Theory and Paul teamed with
IShowSpeed in a losing effort against LA Knight and The Usos. == Other media ==