Feud following huge betrayal & heel turn - 4 directions for Rey Mysterio after his WWE King of the Ring first-round loss

Rey Mysterio is an incredible and iconic pro wrestler both in and out of WWE. He started his time in wrestling in Mexico and mastered lucha libre. Over time, the undersized athlete then began taking over the United States through Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling.

Mysterio then joined the biggest wrestling company in the world in 2002. While fans had high expectations, nobody expected his World Wrestling Entertainment run to quite take off the way it did. In fact, it was so successful that he's now a Hall of Famer.

The former world champion recently attempted to accomplish one of the rare feats that he hasn't yet accomplished. The masked star wanted to become the 2024 King of the Ring. Unfortunately, he lost to Kofi Kingston in an opening-round bout.

Now that Rey has failed in his pursuit of the crown, many are curious about what is next for the legendary performer. This article will take a look at a handful of directions his career could take on the red brand following his upsetting defeat.

Below are four directions for Rey Mysterio after his WWE King of the Ring first-round loss.

---

#4. He could feud with Carlito after the "cool" star's heel turn

Carlito is arguably a WWE legend. He first debuted on the main roster around two decades ago. Upon doing so, he won the United States Championship. Over time, he later captured the Intercontinental Title and tag team gold.

After being away from WWE for over ten years, Carlito returned in 2023. He did so as a babyface and as a member of the Latino World Order. Things took a shocking turn recently, however, as Carlito turned heel by attacking Dragon Lee backstage and hid the fact that he was the one who did it.

Rey Mysterio must be furious that Carlito betrayed Dragon Lee, the Hall of Famer himself, and the entire Latino World Order. As a result, Rey and Carlito could feud on Monday Night RAW for the coming weeks and months.

---

#3. Rey Mysterio could challenge Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Title

Sami Zayn is one of the most beloved performers in WWE. Despite not looking like your stereotypical pro wrestler, he has had a nearly 25-year career that has captivated fans. He is also the current Intercontinental Champion.

The Underdog From The Underground certainly has his work cut out for him. He is currently feuding with not one, but two stars of WWE Monday Night RAW. In fact, he will be defending his prized title against both Chad Gable and Bronson Reed at the 2024 King and Queen of the Ring.

If Sami manages to retain his title, there is a chance Rey Mysterio will challenge him for the gold afterward. In fact, there's even a chance that the Hall of Famer will add himself to the three-man feud and turn it into a Fatal 4-Way.

---

#2. Dragon Lee and Rey could become a full-time tag team

The World Tag Team Titles are the main set of belts for tag teams on the red brand. The WWE Tag Team Titles are on SmackDown and the Women's Tag Team Titles go across both shows. As a result, the World Tag Team belts are a key part of the red brand.

The current champions are R-Truth and The Miz. The duo, collectively known as Awesome Truth, won the World Tag Team Championship back when they were still known as the WWE RAW Tag Team Titles via a WrestleMania Ladder Match. Now, the group is looking for new challengers.

Two members of the LWO could step up and challenge the champions. Given Carlito's exit and Cruz Del Toro's injury, it would make sense for Rey to team up with Dragon Lee. The pair have been united a lot in the last six to eight months, so their being together in a tag team scene just makes sense.

---

#1. He could chase after Damian Priest and the World Heavyweight Championship

Judgment Day

Judgment Day is the most dominant faction on WWE Monday Night RAW. Despite that, the group has had some setbacks. Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio are both injured and Rhea even lost her title. Still, not everything is going bad for them at the moment.

Damian Priest recently had a lot of success. He won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. In the time since then, the WWE performer has already successfully defended the belt against Jey Uso.

Still, Priest will need a challenger soon. Rey Mysterio, being a multi-time world champion, could be the one to step up and fight The Archer of Infamy. The pair would likely have a great title match and Rey would only help elevate Damian further.