Popular stable set to split? - 4 possible endings to Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar's match on WWE SmackDown
WWE made a big announcement last week regarding the United States Championship. Two Fatal 4-Way bouts were revealed, with the two winners going on to clash. Whoever walked away from that singles match as the winner would then go on to battle Austin Theory for the gold.
The first of the two Fatal 4-Way matches took place last week, with Santos Escobar ultimately defeating Butch, AJ Styles, and Grayson Waller. The second was contested on the most recent episode of SmackDown where Rey Mysterio overcame Sheamus, LA Knight, and Cameron Grimes.
Santos and Rey will now clash next week to determine a new number one contender for Austin Theory's United States Championship. The bout is a unique one, however, as the two stars are both members of the Latino World Order faction.
What will happen when the two LWO stars battle on Friday Night SmackDown? Could a surprising heel turn help one star edge out the victory? Could the bout be interrupted by an aggressive superstar?
Below are four possible endings to Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar's match on WWE SmackDown.
#4. Rey Mysterio may win and move on to a title opportunity
Arguably the most likely scenario for next week's episode of WWE SmackDown will see Rey Mysterio defeat Santos Escobar. Most fans likely believe the master of the 619 will leave with the win thanks to his long and storied career.
Rey is known as The Ultimate Underdog. Despite his small stature, Mysterio has been a major threat in wrestling for over 30 years now. He always finds a way to overcome the odds. His wit, speed, and overall talent has led Rey to multiple world championships.
Losing to a legend like Mysterio shouldn't be looked at as a bad thing by Escobar or by fans of the talented star. Rey is an icon. While Santos has many big wins left in his future, a victory over the WWE Hall of Famer is unlikely to be one of them. Instead, Santos will likely take the 619 and a big splash and Rey will stand tall.
#3. Santos Escobar could defeat his idol and move on to the WWE United States Championship
Who will win the #USTitle Invitational FINALS next week on #SmackDown?
@reymysterio goes one-on-one with @EscobarWWE! pic.twitter.com/2YOOFgecLE
Santos Escobar has had quite the journey since joining WWE's main roster last year. He, alongside Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro were known as Legado del Fantasma. They united with Zelina Vega on Friday Night SmackDown.
While the foursome were originally heels, Santos' respect for the legendary WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio is what led to the crew becoming babyfaces. Together, they united to re-form the Latino World Order. Escobar is always very complimentary of the lucha legend.
With that respect in mind, Santos could take everything he's learned from The Ultimate Underdog and ultimately defeat Rey on Friday Night SmackDown. The former NXT Cruiserweight Champion has a number of high impact moves that could spell the end for Mysterio. In the end, Santos may pin his idol.
#2. Santos Escobar could surprisingly cheat against his stablemate
As noted, Santos Escobar wasn't originally a happy-go-lucky babyface. The Latino World Order has, arguably, softened the Jefe of NXT. Instead of being the ruthless leader of Legado, he has become the number two star in the Latino World Order.
While most wouldn't mind playing second fiddle to a legend like the WWE Hall of Famer, there's a chance that Santos sees this upcoming bout as his chance to take the lead. If he beats Rey Mysterio, his stock in WWE rises to an all-time high.
As of a result of the obvious stakes in the upcoming bout, Santos may push his respect out the window. Instead of having a fair and honest bout with his idol, Escobar may cheat to win, thus turning heel again. In doing so, it could leave the rest of Legado in a tough position. Do they side with a legend or their long-time boss?
#1. Austin Theory may interrupt the match and attack both men
#USChampion @_Theory1 just couldn't resist!
#SmackDown
@FS1 pic.twitter.com/poBGMbES7G
The entire point of the two Fatal 4-Way matches and the upcoming clash of Latino World Order stars is to earn a bout against Austin Theory. A-Town's Finest has been the United States Champion for over 200 days now, having won the belt at Survivor Series WarGames 2022.
Unfortunately, the young WWE star has had a rough time lately. He hasn't been able to get out of John Cena's shadow despite winning at WrestleMania. Many feel his title reign has been underwhelming. Then, on SmackDown, he tried to bully Rey, and Santos made him pay for it. Escobar then shockingly beat Theory in an impromptu bout.
Austin Theory may decide to seek revenge on next week's episode of WWE SmackDown. Instead of either LWO member winning their bout, the United States Champion may interrupt the match and leave both men laying, resulting in a No Contest. From there, both men could go on to fight Theory or a different challenger could rise up.