Mustafa Ali recently returned to WWE television on RAW to begin a feud with Theory. During an interview on the WWE El Brunch podcast, Ali commented on why he returned and wanted this feud with Theory. He said:

“Everything kind of came together last minute and I had been eying the roster up and down. I had been making jokes at Theory and taking shots at him, but the reality of the situation is, a guy like Theory and a guy like me, it’s a situation everyone can relate to. There’s a guy in Theory that is, no doubt, an amazing competitor, but he’s gotten to the head of the line by kissing up to the boss, cutting corners, being the suck up and that corporate employee, the perfect model employee who will tattle behind your back. We all know a guy or girl like that who will do anything to get ahead in the corporate world.”

“Then there’s a guy like me, who will call it down the middle. If I think it’s bullcrap, I’ll say it’s bullcrap. I have to be true to myself at all times. If you look at our careers, that’s been one of the defining factors. Theory has been the youngest United States Champion in WWE history. I’ve been in the company six years and have never held a championship, but I’m widely regarded as one of the best in-ring performers that we have. When you compare the two, that’s the glaring difference and the story we’re trying to tell. One guy is a corporate suck up and one guy is not. When I came back, that’s who my eyes were on, Theory and the United States Championship.”