Injured WWE Star Who Was Meant to Replace Drew McIntyre in WarGames Revealed
WWE’s Survivor Series: WarGames delivered one of the wildest main events of the year. But behind the scenes, the lineup for the Men’s WarGames match almost looked very different.
According to a new update, Austin Theory — who has been out of action for months due to injury — was actually the original choice for the heel team spot that eventually went to Drew McIntyre.
Why the Plan Changed
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that WWE’s creative direction shifted after Jacob Fatu suffered an unexpected injury. This forced the company to speed up the storyline between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre by nearly a month.
Because of that change, McIntyre became available for WarGames — and WWE ultimately felt he was a better fit for the match than the recovering Theory.
Was Austin Theory Still Involved at Survivor Series?
Even though Theory wasn’t in the WarGames lineup, fans may have spotted a hint of his involvement.
In the final moments of the match, just as the babyface team looked close to victory, a mysterious hooded figure entered the cage. The attacker superkicked CM Punk, setting him up for a devastating spear from Bron Breakker, who then pinned the World Heavyweight Champion.
Breakker’s shocked reaction suggested he didn’t know who the hooded man was — and many fans believe Austin Theory is a strong possibility.
Theory hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since July 2025, which only fuels the speculation.
Could Theory Join The Vision?
If the hooded figure does turn out to be Theory, it could mark the beginning of a major comeback. A potential alignment with The Vision stable might be the spark he needs after a quiet couple of years on the roster.
Despite his ups and downs, Theory’s résumé is impressive for his age:
- 2× United States Champion
- 1× SmackDown Tag Team Champion (with Grayson Waller as “A-Town Down Under”)
- 2022 Money in the Bank winner
Fans may finally find out his intentions — and his identity — on the December 1 episode of Monday Night RAW.
