Austin Theory’s road to triple champion begins with Bobby Lashley

Without Vincent Kennedy McMahon, can Austin Theory sustain his meteoric rise?

Against the power of the All Mighty, does he stand a chance without management on his side?

The kid is extremely talented, no doubt. His moves are crisp, his execution second to none. He’s got the potential.

But he’s gone far astray from what seemed like his natural milieu the first time I saw him, less than a dozen matches into his career. Trained by indie legend AR Fox at the WWA4 academy, a school that besides Theory and Fox himself, has turned out the likes of Apollo Crews, Jonathan Gresham, Alan “5” Angels, Leon Ruffin, AC Mack, he seemed like a natural successor to AR as king of the indie high flyers.

Instead, in the WWE system, he began casting himself in the mold of Randy Orton, cold and calculating and all too happy to grab a reverse chinlock and settle in. A successful strategy to be sure, but he lacks the explosiveness he once had, and it shows no signs of returning now that he sees himself as the second coming of John Cena.

Heir presumptive to the throne of The Guy, overconfident young Austin had Vince in his ear telling him that the spot was his, all he had to do was sit under his learning tree and take it.

Compare with Lashley. Yes, once upon a time Lashley was the golden child himself, overpushed and underwhelming, coasting on his physique and the strength it implies, but the golden lure of MMA stardom drew him away. Iron sharpens the iron, and his time shootfighting and working Impact and Japan forged him into the world-beating superstar he always had the potential to be, the Walking Armageddon, the All Mighty.

Lashley now is what Theory thinks he already is, a natural star with violence in his heart, a man who can take any wrestling promotion in the world and put it on his shoulders and carry it as The Guy without breaking a sweat, but that don’t come easy. That’s work and sweat and tears and blood, body mind and soul all forged in the crucible of combat sports.

That ain’t something you can shortcut by cozying up to daddy and stamping your feet, and now daddy’s gone and you’re all alone, sweetheart.

Win, lose, or draw, cash in or cash out, Austin Theory’s gonna learn some lessons on SummerSlam night, y’all.

Can the All Mighty hold the line or will Austin Theory complete step one of his plan to be a triple champion by the end of SummerSlam?