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Austin Theory cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in the main event of last night's WWE RAW.
The star was unsuccessful in his quest to become United States Champion, a title that he had already previously won. Theory did make history in his own right, though, as he was the first person to cash in a contract for a mid-card championship
So why did WWE decide to allow Theory to cash in this week on RAW? Why didn't he try at Crown Jewel? The following are just a few potential reasons.
#5. To get Seth Rollins over as a babyface on WWE RAW
Seth Rollins is the top male champion on WWE RAW at the moment, but he has a character now that is so easy to hate. The WWE Universe is unsure if he is a face or a heel, so drastic action needed to be taken in order to get him over as one of the brand's top babyfaces.
This isn't a new concept, as several new stars were sacrificed to get John Cena over on WWE RAW during his career. So it's normal for this to be done for other popular stars.
#4. Theory would never have been able to challenge Roman Reigns
Theory is an up-and-coming WWE talent at the moment, which is why it made sense for him to be Mr. Money in the Bank and find a cheap way to become World Champion. The entire time he's held the contract, Roman Reigns and The Bloodline have gotten stronger and since there are already plans that didn't include Theory, he was never going to have a look in.
Whilst it's sad that he was forced to cash in on a mid-card championship, Theory put on a great show and only lost through interference, which is better than he would have gotten if he challenged Reigns.
#3. Theory's push has come to an end
Theory has struggled to find his feet in WWE ever since Vince McMahon's departure. He was even on a losing streak with the company for several months before it recently came to an end.
The Money in the Bank contract was the only thing that still made Theory relevant. The WWE Universe would come up with their own theories regarding his cash-in and who he would cash in on. This will no longer be the case now, meaning that if need be Theory can have some time off and return repackaged.
#2. Ratings need to improve on WWE RAW
WWE has been up against it over the past few weeks when it comes to ratings, and have had to pull out some interesting swerves and surprises to ensure that they remain ahead of the game on WWE RAW.
Triple H has allowed many released stars to return, to ensure that WWE fans remain on their toes. Now that most of the stars that were released have returned, there need to be new ways to retain the ratings and these kinds of swerves could be the answer.
#1. Triple H is tying up all of Vince McMahon's loose ends
Triple H was left with a company to push forward in the same way that football clubs are handed new managers in the middle of a season. There are usually wholesale changes since the new man at the helm needs to mold the team into one that he knows he can compete with.
WWE is no different, Triple H has been handed a company that has many loose ends since there were once plans for all of the stars he has inherited. The Game has begun tying up these loose ends by retiring the 24/7 Championship and taking away the Money in the Bank contract, which will now allow him to concentrate on his own vision.
Why do you think Austin Theory was forced to cash in his contract this week on WWE RAW have your say in the comments section below!
