In 2023, Austin Theory shared an iconic segment with The Rock and has now disclosed what “The Great One” advised him before their exchange.
On the September 15, 2023 episode of SmackDown, Theory confronted Pat McAfee. Shortly after, The Rock made his first WWE appearance in 4 years, shutting down Theory on the microphone and finishing with his signature Spinebuster and People’s Elbow.
During an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Theory reflected on his experience with The Rock in their memorable segment. He didn’t learn the details until about an hour before showtime when he received a call to meet with Triple H. Together, they outlined a segment where Theory would deliver a promo against Pat McAfee, leading up to The Rock’s entrance.
Theory recalled thinking about his previous interactions with McAfee and feeling that he’d been holding back in their past promos. This time, he aimed to take full control and make an impression. He even joked about both him and McAfee wearing similar outfits, using it as part of his roast on McAfee before The Rock’s arrival.
The moment turned surreal for Theory when The Rock showed up, arriving in a black car and heading directly to meet him on the bus. Describing The Rock as “the size of a blimp”.
Here’s what the former United States Champion said about meeting The Rock and what The People’s Champion said to him before their segment:
“So the day starts. I have nothing that day at SmackDown, I’m kind of lingering around wondering am I doing anything? I haven’t heard anything. Was it a setup? I don’t know. It didn’t feel like one, but if it was, then wow, you got me. But I remember we have an hour before the show kicks off. So we were in Colorado, so the time is probably like a couple of hours [back]. So we had an hour before the show, I get a call, and I end up going to Triple H’s office, and he basically gives me the rundown of ‘Hey, Pat McAfee’s 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.’ I’m just like, for real?
Alright! So then they’re sitting there, and then the head writer, he’s like, ‘Hey, there’s not a lot of time left now. There’s like 40 minutes, 30 minutes left. Go figure out what you want to say to Pat and then we’ll figure out the rest, we’ll tell you what you’re doing with Rock when he gets here.’ So I’m like, well he’s not even here, this is crazy.
So I go away and I started thinking in my head. I started thinking too about the last time I was in the ring with Pat McAfee, and how the promos were. I remember he said some things that I couldn’t, I could only say what I was able to say. But I feel like there was some more freedom there for him. So in my mind, I’m like well this is where I’ve got to take it, I’ve got to get it back. So going out there, we had the same outfit on, so I ripped into him about that, you don’t look like me in a tank top. I called him something and then Rock comes out.
Before Rock comes out, kind of going back to when I met Rock, I remember, I came up with what I wanted to say on Pat I was like, Okay, I got it. And then I just get a text, come outside. I come outside, and it was one of the writers, and he said, Come with me. And then next thing I know, I’m with Triple H and Nick Khan and we’re all walking outside. The busses are there, and this black car pulls up, six people get out, 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? They walk over, I think they’re just trying to get us on a bus so this could be private and nobody sees Rock. I think Nick Khan knocks on Charlotte Flair’s bus, and they’re like, Hey, can you get off? She’s like, alright. So she just gets off, and then we get on the bus. Then I just remember I was in the back of the bus with The Rock, and he was kind of telling me ‘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 with his eyes, when I just knew when to go, when to say something, and just feeling it with him. He would just, I don’t know, just with his eyes. I was like, oh man. But it was such an experience and I just felt so on top of my game.”
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