Who was the masked man at WWE Survivor Series? The fans are guessing

WWE Survivor Series WarGames ended with pure mystery. As the men’s match wrapped up, a masked figure climbed the cage, locked eyes with CM Punk, then dropped the World Heavyweight Champion with a sharp superkick and a crushing stomp before disappearing from the ring just as quickly as he arrived. According to reports, the man under the black hoodie mask has been identified as Austin Theory, a former WWE United States Champion who had been absent from television since July.

Theory's return was particularly significant given his injury history. He had last appeared at a July taping of WWE Main Event, where he lost to El Grande Americano. Shortly after, his tag team partnership with Grayson Waller quietly dissolved due to an undisclosed injury, and WWE subsequently placed him on the injured list alongside other sidelined talent.

During the WarGames match, the mystery man scaled the cage and immediately confronted CM Punk with a superkick followed by a curb stomp, a move historically associated with Seth Rollins. The attack proved to be the turning point in the contest. Following Theory's intervention, Bron Breakker capitalized on the opportunity by spearing Punk and securing the pinfall victory for his team, which included Brock Lesnar, Logan Paul, and Drew McIntyre.

WWE officials had apparently continued pushing for Theory's return to television in a significant capacity, and his surprise appearance at Survivor Series delivered exactly that. The masked assault not only helped determine the WarGames winner but also set the stage for ongoing storyline developments, as tensions between Punk, Cody Rhodes, and Roman Reigns continued to simmer following the match's conclusion.

Rumours have been swirling for months about Theory and his WWE future. From talk of a possible release to questions about injury or even preparation for a major push, fans have been left guessing what comes next for the man who once defeated John Cena at WrestleMania 39.