Austin Theory Says United States Championship Loss Was A Screwjob, States He Was Too Relaxed

Austin Theory comments on losing the United States Championship.

Theory’s historic reign with the title came to an end on the August 11 episode of SmackDown, as Rey Mysterio was able to knock him off in a title match. 

This is the first time that Mysterio has held a singles championship in WWE since 2019, when he held the United States Championship on two separate occasions.

In a new interview with WWE’s After The Bell podcast, Theory said that Mysterio only stepped up to the plate on SmackDown because of a match that the two had back in April, where Theory defeated Mysterio the night after WrestleMania 39.

“I kinda see why he stepped up, I hurt his feelings. He’s a little jealous cause I beat him right after WrestleMania. That victory on Rey, I just beat John Cena, I’m a little sore but I’ll beat another legend. That’s where my mindset was.”

Theory went on to say that his championship loss was a screwjob, as he was originally scheduled to face Santos Escobar on SmackDown, not Rey Mysterio.

“Maybe I was a little too relaxed on SmackDown when [the title change] happened. I still think that was a screw job, but it is what it is. If anyone was going to beat me, It would have to be somebody like that because nobody can really beat Austin Theory.”

Theory’s reign with the United States Championship lasted 258 days, which is the seventh longest reign in the history of the title.

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