Ranking the top honorary members of 2023 WWE factions
Factions have become a staple in both AEW and WWE over the last four years. AEW had so many that they were able to support a World Trios Championship.
WWE may not have the number of groups that Tony Khan's promotion does, but it has a handful of notable groups.
The top two groups in WWE are The Judgment Day and The Bloodline. While they dominate RAW and SmackDown, respectively, they have also included members who were honorary at one point.
Those stars can add a new dimension to an existing faction and even cause notable tension within the group. Here are the top honorary members of the 2023 WWE factions, ranked from worst to best.
#4. Carlito has been in and out of LWO business
Carlito competed in the 2021 Royal Rumble but did not officially return to WWE until Backlash in May 2023. He arrived as a backup for the Latino World Order as The Judgment Day tried to help Damian Priest defeat Bad Bunny.
While Bad Bunny could also be considered an honorary member, he was around for basically an angle for one premium live event. Carlito received a loud pop and did so again when he joined forces with Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar against Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits at Fastlane 2023.
He was later involved in Escobar's heel turn but was written off of TV via an injury. Carlito gets a good pop, but he has not really done a lot since returning to WWE. It usually requires the right angle, but he could have done something over the summer.
#3. Akira Tozawa has competed as a member of Alpha Academy
Over the last few months, Akira Tozawa has been training with the Alpha Academy. While some fans hope for a more serious push for Tozawa, he excels at everything he is given. His comedic timing is top-notch, and his addition to the former RAW Tag Team Champions has been hilarious.
His side-to-side swivel dance is reminiscent of Daniel Garcia's shimmy in AEW. Tozawa has competed in matches as a trainee, even earning a shot at the Heritage Cup in NXT.
Tozawa's segments are always entertaining and funny, but they are mid-card angles. If he was in a main-event level segment every week, he would be ranked higher.
#2. R-Truth is one of the best comedic stars in WWE history
R-Truth unfortunately injured his leg when he faced Grayson Waller in NXT in late 2022. The former United States Champion returned to WWE programming in a backstage segment during Survivor Series WarGames 2023.
Soon after that appearance, he started popping up in The Judgment Day clubhouse. All members of the group were upset that someone crashed their pad. They kicked him out, but he kept returning week after week. He even apologized for not being able to help out at WarGames.
The dynamics were hilarious as The Judgment Day is a relatively serious group. Truth's words got Damian Priest laughing, and he even agreed to a 'Loser Leaves Judgment Day' match between R-Truth and JD McDonagh.
While the rest of the group hates Truth, his presence may soften up Priest. He could even help turn Priest's face if The Judgment Day disbands.
#1. Sami Zayn was an MVP of 2023
Sami Zayn set the template for what it means to be an honorary member of a group. He started as someone who tried to ride the group's coattails, but he was soon involved in The Bloodline's business. Some members of the group accepted him quickly, like Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
Roman Reigns needed multiple acts of loyalty before officially naming Zayn an 'Honorary Uce.' The whole ride was hard for Jey Uso to buy into, but it was Jey who had Zayn's back when things started to turn.
Zayn's emotional connection to fans, Uso, and Kevin Owens upped the storytelling in the angle, making a pretty good storyline one of the best in WWE history.