WWE RAW star addresses talk that he could be the next John Cena (Exclusive)

Austin Theory says it is “awesome” that many wrestling fans and legends believe he has the ability to become WWE’s next John Cena.

At the age of 24, Theory is one of the hottest prospects on RAW right now. The up-and-coming star recently received high praise from legendary wrestling manager Jim Cornette, who said he “couldn’t find a single flaw” in the youngster’s work.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Riju Dasgupta, Theory also responded to Mark Henry’s claim that he could be the next face of Vince McMahon’s company:

“Hearing that is awesome… I’ve met Mark before. He’s a great guy, I grew up watching him, The Hall of Pain, how destructive he was… just an animal. For him to say those nice things about me, I appreciate that.” [2:22-2:45]

Theory’s current booking and possible future as a main-eventer has been hotly debated over the last few months.

The former NXT star, who often appears in backstage segments with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, appreciates the feedback he has received. However, Theory expressed that as someone who also gets criticized by some fans, he tries not to get carried away by the positive comments:

“But, for me, what helps me keep my head level and what keeps my mind focused is I just keep all comments kinda in that same category, whether they’re positive, whether they’re negative, because just as much positive praise as I get, there’s always negative, you know, people are not always gonna like Austin Theory. It is what it is.” [2:45-3:06]

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Austin Theory is focused on the WWE Elimination Chamber

Bobby Lashley will defend his WWE Championship against five superstars, including Austin Theory, inside the Elimination Chamber on February 19. AJ Styles, Brock Lesnar, Riddle, and Seth Rollins are also due to compete in the match.

Theory, a first-time participant in the Elimination Chamber match, is channeling his energy toward Saturday’s event in Saudi Arabia:

“To me, I just always keep doing what I’m doing, and I don’t change anything. You hear things along the way, good and bad, but you just gotta keep going forward. That’s been my focus and that’s what’s leading me to the Elimination Chamber.” [3:06-3:22]

Theory’s only previous WWE Championship opportunity ended in defeat against Big E on the November 22, 2021 episode of RAW.

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Watch the LIVE coverage of WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 on SONY TEN 1 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi), and SONY TEN 4 (Tamil and Telugu) channels on February 19, 2022, starting with Extraaa Dhamaal Show at 9:30 pm (IST) followed by WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 from 10:30 pm (IST).