Corey Graves claims that 25-year-old star is the future of WWE
Corey Graves has been part of the WWE commentary team for a very long time and also runs his own podcast called "After the Bell."
Austin Theory has experienced a lot in WWE over the past year. He tricked Mr. McMahon into handing over a golden egg, went up against Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 38, won the Money In The Bank briefcase and even cashed it in, but was unsuccessful. Now he is the WWE United States Champion.
Although Theory has detractors, he also has supporters, one of whom calls his bouts each week. Corey Graves recently stated that Austin Theory, 25, is the future of WWE on an episode of the After the Bell podcast.
Graves heaped praise on the young star for utilizing the time he's given on TV to the best of his ability:
"If you’re on TV for 3 minutes, you better use every second of that to establish yourself or to further yourself, and that is exactly what Austin Theory has done each and every time he was given an opportunity," he said. "People were upset with him, people didn’t like him, people didn’t take him seriously. Okay, change the mentality, you’re still featured, you’re still getting opportunities, and it’s what you do with those opportunities that really matter in WWE."
Corey went on to say that Theory has all the tools to be the future of the company and will be a major player for years to come:
"Austin Theory is a shining example and I’ve said it once. I might as well say it a million times and I’ll be screaming in the streets one of these days, Austin Theory is the future of WWE, period. It’s going to happen next week, probably not. Maybe by Wrestlemania, perhaps two Wrestlemanias from now, but trust me, the dude’s got the work ethic, the look, the passion and the skill and talent necessary to be a major league player for years to come. I am excited about the future of Austin Theory." (H/T Inside The Ropes)
Graves has been complimenting Theory highly and thinks the current US Champion has a lot of promise.
Corey Graves wants to wrestle again
Since March 2014, Corey Graves hasn't competed in a sanctioned wrestling match. Later that year, WWE revealed that he was retiring due to health problems brought on by the concussions he had sustained over his in-ring career.
He retired at a time when he was no longer part of the active roster, so he missed out on NXT's ascent. However, he flourished in the announcer's booth and developed into one of the brand's most recognizable voices.
But even after all this time, Corey Graves may not be done competing. He revealed his desire to wrestle again in a tweet on November 13, 2021.
"I kinda wanna wrestle again," Graves tweeted.
After seeing Bryan Danielson, Edge, and Christian Cage make a comeback from serious injuries that could have ended their careers, it would be fantastic to see The Voice of the WWE commentary team come back to the squared circle and get what he wants.
Who should Corey Graves fight in the ring, in your opinion? Please tell us in the comments section.