WWE Really Mishandled A-Town Down Under’s Breakup
WWE’s handling of the A-Town Down Under storyline has left many fans disappointed. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller, who formed the duo in September 2023 and captured the WWE Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 40, had shown decent chemistry early on. However, starting in February 2024, WWE began teasing a split that many believed would elevate both stars, particularly Theory, into a new solo push. Fans were eager to see a compelling storyline develop, especially since Theory was being positioned as a contender for the next face of the company someday. He was even handpicked by Vince McMahon himself in 2022. Although instead of progressing with a meaningful storyline, WWE appeared to fumble the narrative, leaving fans feeling misled and frustrated.
The tease of a breakup seemed to lean heavily in Waller’s favor, with the Australian star often having the upper hand in promos and segments, which fueled speculation that he would turn on Theory, thus making him turn face. Theory is a two-time U.S. Champion and Mr. Money in the Bank, and combined with his good looks and youth, made him a prime candidate for a solo push. Especially since he has been getting very favorable reactions from the live crowd on Main Event. Very similar to how Karrion Kross gained more popularity. Although lately, fans feel the bookers do not like Theory for some reason. Is it because he was pushed too heavily under Vince? Do they not see him as a future World Champion? We might never know.
Meanwhile, Waller’s main roster debut against Edge at Madison Square Garden in 2023 marked a significant moment for him, as Edge’s involvement gave Waller a major boost in exposure. He encountered a Hall of Famer in his last year in WWE, in The World’s Most Famous Arena on SmackDown. It seemed WWE was laying the groundwork for Waller to become the breakout star, but the ongoing teasing of a split only put a big halt to both men’s momentum. Fans hoped that this storyline would culminate in a memorable feud or character development, but instead, it has devolved into confusion, disappointment, and sometimes even nothing.
On the July 21st episode of Raw, WWE's booking took a drastic turn that further frustrated viewers. During a segment where The New Day were complaining about not becoming number one contenders for the World Tag Titles, Waller appeared out of frame and offered to help, mentioning that Theory was injured and that A-Town Down Under was finally over. This is by far the most unceremonious way to split a tag team. It did not have any real angle, feud, or storyline payoff. Instead, it felt like WWE was throwing away nearly 500+ days of teasing a breakup that could have been a compelling story. Fans now feel that all the build-up was pointless, leaving the entire saga as a wasted opportunity to elevate both Theory and Waller in meaningful ways. Fans know WWE loves long-term booking, but sometimes it feels like a test to their patience and intelligence. Wrestling fans hold grudges, and it will take a while for them to forget this.
