6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (Nov 14)

4. Theory Rebounds

Austin Theory certainly turned the corner on last week’s worst Money in the Bank cash-in in history in record time.

Fresh off a failed cash-in for the United States Championship on last week’s Raw, Theory made a huge splash Monday night, battering Dolph Ziggler in a hot match that saw fans rallying behind Dolph – mainly against Austin. The match ended in a DQ when Theory brutally attacked Ziggler outside the ring and refused to get back inside, throwing chairs at Dolph at one point.

Then to close out Raw, Theory jumped Seth Rollins seconds after his successful US title defense, laying him out and standing tall at the end.

Even with the quick turnaround and strong booking, it’s hard to go in two-footed on this booking as evidence that WWE under new management still buys Theory as a top guy or even a serious player. They could be building him up for defeat in a few weeks, one final hurrah.

However, the crowd reaction alone against Austin should give them a reason to consider carefully. We’ll see where things go in the next couple of weeks before seriously passing judgment.