WWE Sign EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory
The 22-year-old leads WWE's latest Performance Center intake.
Attentive NXT TakeOver viewers will have caught current EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory in the front row at last week’s event in Toronto, and WWE have now confirmed the hot indie prospect’s signing.
The 22-year-old leads an impressive class of Performance Center recruits that also includes former Mae Young Classic competitor Santana Garrett, Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Rita Reis, two 6’5”/6’6” hosses in Aleksandar Jaksic and EJ Nduka, and former AAA star El Hijo del Fantasma, who has been introduced internally but not publically.
Theory has become one of the rocks on which Gabe Sapolsky’s WWN syndicate relies the most. He has demonstrated remarkable improvement throughout his three years in the business, going from green rookie to loathsome heel in a relatively short period of time, and now sits atop the group’s mountain after taking (and deactivating) the WWN Championship in July.
Austin has been EVOLVE Champion for over 240 days, defending it against the likes of Kyle O’Reilly and Darby Allin.
An atypical indie wrestler stylistically, Theory should prove a great fit in WWE, where his charisma, size, look, and relatively low-impact work will see him flourish. Best of luck to him.