"LWO is going to be on top" - Rey Mysterio sends message ahead of huge match on WWE SmackDown

Rey Mysterio is very confident heading into the finals of the United States Championship Invitational this Friday on WWE SmackDown.

Mysterio defeated LA Knight, Sheamus, and Cameron Grimes in a Fatal 4-Way match last week to advance to the finals. He will be facing his fellow LWO stablemate Santos Escobar on this week's SmackDown to determine the number one contender for Austin Theory's United States Championship.

During the Fatal 4-Way last week, Austin Theory attacked Rey Mysterio while he was ringside for the match. Escobar had already made it to the finals of the tournament but wasn't going to sit backstage as Theory attacked the leader of the Latino World Order.

Speaking today on WWE's The Bump, Mysterio praised Escobar for helping him on SmackDown and noted that LWO will be on top no matter who wins their singles match this Friday night.

"If it wasn't for Santos coming out to run Theory off, I possibly wouldn't have won. So, the fact that he came out to save me, it just shows the type of person that Santos is. It's going to be a very hard match for me on Friday. It is my student, you can say, versus the master. But it is going to be successful, because win or lose, LWO is going to be on top," said Mysterio. [From 51:39 - 52:10]

Rey Mysterio claims 25-year-old WWE Superstar is nervous to face him

Rey Mysterio believes that Austin Theory is nervous about possibly having to defend the United States Championship against him.

During his appearance on WWE's The Bump today, Rey Mysterio was asked why he thought Theory did not want him to win the Fatal 4-Way last Friday night. Austin Theory interfered in the match, but Santos Escobar rushed to the ring to attack the champion.

Mysterio eventually was able to emerge victorious and suggested that Theory didn't want him to win because the young star is wary of his experience in the ring.

"I actually believe that it is probably because of my experience and because I've been United States Champion twice. So, there might be a little bit of nerves that are flowing into Austin's mindset," he said. [From 50:55 - 51:11]

Austin Theory defeated John Cena at WWE WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles to retain the United States Championship. Only time will tell if he will be putting the title on the line against another legend in Rey Mysterio or if Santos Escobar can defeat his mentor this Friday night on SmackDown to earn a shot at the title.

Which LWO member do you want to see challenge Austin Theory for the United States Championship? Let us know in the comments section below.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit WWE's The Bump with a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.