HIGHLIGHTS
- A new rumor has surfaced about the identity of the masked man attacking WWE superstars
- The mystery character has targeted CM Punk, LA Knight, and Rey Mysterio in recent weeks
- Wrestling insiders have weighed in on the storyline and its connection to The Vision
Is it Austin Theory? Is it Seth Rollins? Is it Montez Ford? One of the biggest questions being asked amongst fans and pundits in the WWE universe is who’s the masked man attacking legends and stars like LA Knight, with each attack consistently favoring The Vision?
What’s The Latest Rumor About The Masked Man?
The latest rumor suggests WWE has used a different person to play the role of the masked man to throw fans off. The first attack happened at Survivor Series and everyone–including me–was convinced Theory was the man wearing the mask and in all black.
The most recent attacks happened on Raw when the masked man or men took out Rey Mysterio and Knight. According to wrestling insider Bryan Alvarez, “in an effort to throw fans off, it appears at least two different people have been under the mystery man mask.”
Rumors circulated on Monday night–and my own observations led me to agree–that one of the attacks appeared to be executed by Ford. Him and his tag-team partner Angelo Dawkins have been off WWE programming for a while. However, it seems the Street Profits’ return should be imminent.
The masked man’s movements and even his frame appeared to be someone of Ford’s stature and his level of athleticism–which is nearly unmatched in WWE.
It’s a smart move if the goal is to keep fans guessing and prevent anyone from definitively identifying who’s under the hood based on body type or movement alone.
The mystery character first showed up during the Men’s WarGames Match at Survivor Series in San Diego. Whoever it was scaled the cage and hit CM Punk with a curb stomp while mimicking other Seth Rollins mannerisms. That had everyone convinced it was either Rollins himself or someone being directed to impersonate him.
I covered the most recent attacks on Raw where Mysterio and Knight were taken out. The attacks have been consistent in one way—they always seem to benefit The Vision.
What’s The Backstory With Austin Theory?
According to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, Theory was indeed the guy under the mask at some point. Paul Heyman reportedly wanted to bring Theory into The Vision to help make him a star while also protecting Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed from having to take pins.
Theory would have been more involved in the WarGames storyline had Jacob Fatu not gotten injured. That injury sped up the Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre feud since the original plan was to have Fatu vs. McIntyre set up the subsequent show. With Fatu out, Rhodes moved into the WarGames team, and McIntyre made far more sense as the focal point than Theory.
I wrote about who Austin Theory is and where he’s been a few weeks back when the speculation first heated up.
Could The Reveal Happen At Saturday Night’s Main Event?
Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 would be a logical place for something to happen.
The show is already stacked with John Cena’s retirement match and multiple champion vs. champion bouts. Adding a masked man reveal or another attack would only pile onto what’s shaping up to be an eventful night.
I’m glad WWE has thrown a seed of doubt into this storyline. Simply running Theory out there and having him revealed perhaps at SNME would be anticlimactic.
If we saw some sort of attack from the masked man on Friday, perhaps with another WWE superstar playing the role–even Rollins himself–it might really create some serious intrigue. Rollins was at a Los Angeles Lakers game on Wednesday night with his wife Becky Lynch and he wasn’t wearing a sling.
As it is, let’s just hope the reveal isn’t dragged out too long. I would love to still care by the time the masked man’s identity is revealed.
