Austin Theory Looks Back On Working With The Rock On WWE SmackDown

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Few in the current pro wrestling landscape can boast of having worked with both "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock, but WWE's Austin Theory is one of them.

In a recent interview with "Insight," Theory looked back on his segment with The Rock on the September 15, 2023 edition of "WWE SmackDown."

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"The day starts, I have nothing that day at Smackdown. You know, I'm kind of lingering around, wondering, like, am I doing anything? Haven't heard anything Was it a set-up? I don't know, but it didn't feel like one. But if it was then, wow, you got me," he began. "We had like an hour before the show and I get a call and I end up going to Triple H's office, and he basically gives me the rundown of like, 'Hey, Pat McAfee is coming back, we're thinking you go out there you cut a promo and then kind of get on him, and then we'll have the Rock come out.' And then I'm just like, 'For real? All right."

Theory added that the plans came together very close to the show going on air, with him being asked to figure out what he wanted to say to McAfee under an hour before "SmackDown." He revealed that The Rock wasn't even at the arena 30-40 minutes before the show was to go on the air. 

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The former United States Champion recalled how he came up with the promo directed at McAfee, using his previous experience wrestling McAfee at WrestleMania 38 the year before as a reference.

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Austin Theory then talked about his experience of working with The Rock prior to "WWE SmackDown" going on air. Theory stated that he was ushered into a bus along with The Rock, Triple H, and a few others to figure out the details of the promo, and he remembered the range of emotions that were running through his mind at the time.

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"Next thing I know, I'm with Hunter, Triple H, and Nick Khan, and we're all walking outside. The buses are there and this black car pulls up, like, six people get out, it's so like ... it's just insane to me. Rock gets out and I'm like, 'This is crazy.' He's like the size of a blimp, he looks insane, I'm like 'What is going on?'" recalled Theory.

Theory said that they got onto a bus to discuss the details of the promo, and recalled the surreal nature of working with The Rock.

"He was kind of telling me, like, you know, he's like, 'Man, when we get out there, it's going to be magic. Just feel it. It's going to be good.' And I kid you not, being out there with him, he did like these Jedi mind tricks, like, with his eyes. I just knew when to go, when to say something and just feeling it with him, you know. And he would just ... I don't know, just with his eyes like, 'Boom,' and I was like, 'Oh, man.' It was such an experience and, like, I just felt like so — just on top of my game."

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While he is elated to have worked with The Rock, Theory is slightly miffed about one aspect of the segment: he's upset his Yeezys were thrown into the crowd.