First world title reign in a decade, top star nearing retirement - 5 reasons why Rey Mysterio should win the 2023 WWE Men's Royal Rumble
WWE SmackDown this past week was a newsworthy program. Bray Wyatt sent a chilling message to LA Knight, a SmackDown Tag Team Title tournament was announced, and Gunther retained the Intercontinental Championship in a great match against Braun Strowman.
One piece of intriguing and potentially overlooked news from the event is that Rey Mysterio will be participating in the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble Match. This will be one of two 30-person bouts taking place that night.
The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble is set to take place on Saturday, January 28th from The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Could Rey Mysterio shock the world and win the major match in front of thousands of screaming fans? It could be argued that not only could he win, but that he should.
The former World Heavyweight Champion has a lot to offer. Him winning the bout could lead to a renewed rivalry, tell a great story regarding his inevitable swan song, and surprise fans all around the world. Should The Biggest Little Man win the bout? This article will dive into several reasons why he should.
Below are five reasons why Rey Mysterio should win the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble.
#5. Rey is an extremely popular star
One of the most obvious reasons why Rey Mysterio could and perhaps should win the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble Match comes down to something nobody can deny. Both fans and those involved in the business know that Rey is tremendously popular.
Mysterio has been one of the most popular stars of the past 25 years in pro wrestling, with success spanning across various promotions. Wherever he goes, in whatever town or company he's working for, Rey is almost always one of, if not the, most popular stars on the card.
Given the unsettling news regarding Vince McMahon, the rumors of a Saudi Arabia purchase, and beyond, fans want something to be happy about and celebrate. Rey winning the bout could make those fans happy at a time when the company needs the goodwill.
#4. He hasn't been a WWE World Champion for a decade
Rey Mysterio becomes world champion after beating Randy Orton and Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania 22. #WWE http://t.co/aamlty8bi2
Despite Rey Mysterio's small stature, The Ultimate Underdog has managed to create a wonderful career for himself. Throughout his time in pro wrestling, he's won championships of various kinds all over the world, including in WWE.
In fact, Mysterio is a former three-time world champion. He has held the WWE Championship once and the World Heavyweight Championship on two separate occasions. While those accolades are incredibly impressive, his last world title victory came all the way back in 2011.
Not winning a world title for so long is a great motivator for Rey and could be the catalyst to propel him to victory. Mysterio attempting to win the big one again after such a long drought could make for an interesting story that hooks viewers.
#3. Mysterio already has history with Roman Reigns
AND STILL.
Roman Reigns defeats Rey Mysterio inside Hell in a Cell to retain his Universal title https://t.co/XxfvjE5ABc
Rey Mysterio should win the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble for the sake of storytelling. While him attempting to win his first world title in over a decade is exciting, there's an even more intriguing story element potentially at play.
Roman Reigns is the current reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. The Universal Championship, in particular, has been on his shoulder or around his waist for nearly two and a half years. During that time, he's battled numerous opponents, including Rey Mysterio himself.
Reigns and Rey battled once for the title. They clashed on an episode of SmackDown in 2021 inside the Hell in a Cell. This was prior to fans being back and both stars have changed and evolved in the near-two years since. A rematch could be a lot of fun given their past.
#2. Fans wouldn't expect the Ultimate Underdog to win again
Fan expectations can be difficult to navigate in pro wrestling. A company could plan on booking something, but fans are, for whatever reason, expecting something completely different. This can be both a positive and a negative.
Sometimes fans set their expectations too high or desire something that is not currently planned. Subverting expectations, on the other hand, can be part of the excitement of pro wrestling. Rey Mysterio winning the 2023 WWE Men's Royal Rumble Match would certainly subvert expectations.
Due to his lack of major wins in recent years and his size in general, Rey winning the big-time bout in San Antonio, Texas would still surprise the audience. While surprises for the sake of surprises aren't always the right move, they can be a plus at times.
#1. He could soon be retiring from WWE
Unfortunately, time comes for everybody. While many fans believe Rey Mysterio moves around in the ring better than most people half his age, he still has far more in-ring time behind him than he does in front of him.
Mysterio is 48 years old and he's been wrestling for over three decades. He's battled countless injuries and surgeries, especially to his knees. Retirement is likely on the horizon, as much as fans wish it wasn't. Still, he could go out in a big way.
If Rey is set to retire in the near future, returning The Biggest Little Man to prominence by winning the Royal Rumble Match for the second time in his career could help him go out in a blaze of glory before hanging up his boots. Mysterio winning the big match and headlining WWE WrestleMania in his final year or years of wrestling is a great way to go out.