6 Things WWE subtly told us on RAW: Big mistake made with 4 top stars, Spoiler on King Of The Ring 2021 winner

#3 Austin Theory's push to the top begins on RAW

It was rumored that the two big "future" picks for RAW and SmackDown this WWE Draft were Austin Theory and Ridge Holland - who got sent to the red and blue brand respectively from NXT.

Not only this, but in the recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it was reported that Austin Theory and Ridge Holland are both viewed backstage as potential world champions in the future.

That's why it makes sense that Theory picked a fight with Jeff Hardy first - taking him out after pretending to want a selfie with his childhood hero. He made a statement, and on RAW this week, the two had a match.

It was Hardy's second last week on RAW before moving to SmackDown and he faced and lost to the 24-year-old. He was on the verge of victory, but good timing and a handful of tights helped the up-and-comer pick up his first win on RAW since his return to the red brand.

WWE has positioned Austin Theory well to start with, but even a loss wouldn't have harmed him. A defeat to a legend like Hardy may have been even better, as it would have been a story about a young, arrogant star getting put in his place.

With that said, WWE seems to want to push Austin Theory as a heel, at least at first. So the record books will always show that the former NXT star beat Jeff Hardy upon his return to RAW after over a year.