10 "Next Big Things" In Wrestling Nobody Cared About

10. Austin Theory

Triple H was instrumental in the scouting, signing, and development of so many would-be top WWE Superstars that you forget Austin Theory stood among them. A brash blue chipper, Theory's reign as EVOLVE Champion got the hype train behind across 336 days of hidden gem matches vs. Kyle O'Reilly, JD Drake, and gobs more that saw him come out the other end a carbon copy of what the prototypical WWE Superstar looks like.

But that's precisely why he's failed to get over with the audience.

Staunch WWE supporters don't want a less-chiselled Triple H clone. They want panache and finesse, and while Austin Theory has charisma, he doesn't have a lot of it, meaning he's looked like a chump in promo battles with John Cena and now, fresh off a switch to SmackDown, he's failing to stand out from Pretty Deadly in a trio designed entirely to get Theory over.

His time with the United States Championship has been detrimental to his success, too. Having been involved with the championship since April 2022, featuring in 70.83% of the championship's televised matches with zero stand-out attractions, it wouldn't be a stretch to describe Austin Theory as having devalued the United States Championship amidst GUNTHER's restoration process for the Intercontinental Championship.