Spoiler On Austin Theory Debuting New Ring Gear During 12/22 WWE RAW

WWE Superstars can go through any number of personas throughout their careers. Most of them shake up their ring gear, and now it’s Austin Theory’s turn.

The December 19 edition of WWE SmackDown went down at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This was a special night, because they also taped RAW for the day after Christmas, and we have full spoilers. During the night, Austin Theory had a chance to debut some new gear. He rocked longer pants, that almost looked a bit tactical in nature, with some pockets. We will, obviously, get a better look at his gear when the episode airs.

Austin Theory was revealed to be the mystery man who was wearing a mask that assisted The Vision so many times before. After that, it was off to the races for Theory as he returned with a new angle, and he had Paul Heyman with him at ringside.

During the taping for the December 22 episode of RAW that already went down, Austin Theory had a chance to shake off that ring rust for real. He got in the ring for the first time since his hiatus started.

In that match, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio faced Bronson Reed and Austin Theory in a tag team match. The contest ended with Austin Theory pinning Rey Mysterio, giving The Vision the win to close the episode of RAW. This also set up Theory for a lot of momentum by pinning the WWE Hall of Famer.

If you didn’t know, Austin Theory has been out of action. He was sidelined in mid-2025 with an undisclosed injury, which led WWE to quietly move him off their active roster, a normal step for talent who aren’t cleared to compete. He stayed under contract the whole time, and his absence came after his team with Grayson Waller ended, with Waller later linking up with The New Day.

Now that Austin Theory is back, and with The Vision, it’s anyone’s guess what 2026 will look like for him. He has certainly waited long enough to make that return to the fold.

What’s your take on Austin Theory’s return to WWE television? Were you shocked to see him return? Let us know what you think in the comments section!