WWE United States champion Austin Theory is one of the fastest-rising stars in the promotion.
The 25-year-old has been on the main roster for almost three years, but his stock has risen meteorically, especially in the past year or so. Since Vince McMahon took a selfie-obsessed Theory under his wing, the youngster has been through a rollercoaster of fortunes and arguably got even better under Triple H.
Due to his fast rise to success, wrestling style, and look, The Now has drawn comparisons to both Randy Orton and John Cena. The Viper and Cenation Leader found success in WWE at a similarly young age and mastered the company's preferred wrestling style effortlessly. The current US Champion has been touted as the future face of the company.
With the former Mr. Money In The Bank heavily rumored to clash with Cena at WrestleMania 39 and Orton reportedly nearing a return, we ask which of the two future Hall of Famers he shares more similarities with.
Here are three signs WWE may see Austin Theory as the next John Cena and two why he's the new Randy Orton.
#5: New John Cena: Austin Theory was handpicked by Vince McMahon to become the face of WWE
Both John Cena and Austin Theory won Vince McMahon's favor early in their careers with their presentation, work ethic, and skills. This prompted Mr. McMahon to groom them as the next faces of WWE, although he went about establishing them in vastly different ways. While The Chairman mainly antagonized The Champ on screen to boost his babyface sympathy, he made The Now his protégé in an effort to propel him to top heel status.
While McMahon was ousted before he could see out his plans for Theory, it was clear (and was widely reported) that he saw the youngster as the second coming of Cena. It's easy to see why, as the duo share similar boyish looks and incredible physiques. When the man in charge sees you as the new John Cena, you are likely to be molded into the new John Cena.
#4: Next Randy Orton: Like the 14-time WWE World champion, Austin Theory has found success as a cocky upstart heel
While Austin Theory's look and physique are reminiscent of a young John Cena, his early career trajectory mirrors that of Randy Orton. Both men won major titles in WWE at a young age, setting records in the process that still stand today. Orton is still the youngest World Champion in company history, while Theory is the youngest US Champion and Mr. Money in the Bank of all time.
Both came into prominence as cocky upstart heels with a knack for overconfidently stepping up to much more accomplished superstars and getting away with it. With great backing (Evolution for Orton, Mr. McMahon for Theory), they faced and defeated top stars of their time like Mick Foley and Bobby Lashley.
Their ability to thrive in these roles came from their shared talent for garnering heat with arrogance, cockiness, and underlying grit that fans simply love to hate. In terms of getting on fans' nerves with obnoxious bragging and using their privilege to win titles, a young Austin Theory was cut from the same cloth as Randy Orton.
#3: The United States title is a very important part of both John Cena's and Austin Theory's early WWE careers
#USChampion @_Theory1 awaits the return of @JohnCena live in Boston next week on #WWERaw! 👀 pic.twitter.com/987ptpmVAd
— WWE (@WWE) February 28, 2023
Austin Theory and John Cena are both firmly entrenched in the modern history of the United States Championship. The 16-time World Champion is also a record five-time US Champion under the WWE banner, having many legendary memories with the title. Who can forget his iconic win over The Big Show at WrestleMania 20, the legendary spinner design of the title, and the weekly Open Challenge in 2015?
The iconic mid-card title was his first taste of gold in the company, as it was for Theory shortly after WrestleMania 38. The Champ's legacy was built upon his work as a US titleholder, and The Now's career seems to be headed the same way. It remains to be seen whether the current champion will scale the same heights as his legendary counterpart after achieving similar early career success.
#2: Next Randy Orton: Austin Theory has also picked up a habit of feuding with WWE veterans
CALL HIM KID ONE MORE TIME.@WWERollins @_Theory1 #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/vHaR5PJNkk
— WWE (@WWE) November 29, 2022
The "Legend Killer" gimmick was one of Randy Orton's greatest versions, establishing him as a real threat after his world came crashing down as a cocky upstart. Once he began putting veterans of the business like Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker on the shelf, he stepped out of Evolution's shadow and became his own man. He was thus legitimized and taken seriously by the WWE Universe as someone that could compete with the best in the business.
Austin Theory is not yet a legend killer, but he's also shedding off the "Chairman's pet" reputation by holding his own against the veterans like Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley. Now that he's seemingly destined to feud with Cena, Theory could define his rise by defeating legend after legend until he takes on the "Legend Killer" mantle.
His journey is Orton-esque, and should The Viper ever return to the ring, it would be a cool passing-of-the-torch moment to see them face off. Could Triple H be using his former Evolution teammate's trajectory as a template for pushing Theory? Could "The Now" be the man to retire Edge later this year? Only time will tell.
#1: Austin Theory has based some aspects of himself on John Cena
Austin Theory has made it known that he grew up watching WWE and idolizing John Cena. Like many 2000s kids, Theory admired Cena's ability to win at all costs, but The Champ's love of bodybuilding is what rubbed off most on him. He thus grew determined to make it to the company and be just like his idol, which he's well on the way to achieving.
Apart from sharing physical similarities with the Cenation Leader, Theory has recently been using the veteran's catchphrase "The Champ is Here!". Should they feud at WrestleMania 39, maybe Cena could pass on some moves and catchphrases to the younger man, properly ordaining the latter as his successor.