[Watch] Unaired footage of former champion after massive Fatal 4-way match on WWE SmackDown

WWE did not air a backstage interview of former Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar after his big win during the show. But the footage shot during the commercial break was later shared on social media.

Santos Escobar locked horns with top SmackDown Superstars in a Fatal 4-Way match to kickstart the United States Championship Invitational. He squared off against AJ Styles, Grayson Waller, and Butch in an intense in-ring battle to advance in the tournament.

The Phenomenal One was close to winning the bout but was distracted by an attack on The Good Brothers backstage by Karrion Kross. Styles left the match to run backstage but was taken out by Grayson Waller on the ramp.

Escobar had enough time to recover and capitalised in the final moments to capture the victory. The match was followed by a commercial break on SmackDown, during which Kayla Braxton interviewed Escobar near the entrance.

The LWO member said it was the biggest night of his career and credited Rey Mysterio for mentoring him. Escobar was quoted as saying:

"First of all, L-W-O. This is the most important night in my career. Also, I want to thank a friend and y mentor, the one that believed in me when no one else would. His name is Rey Mysterio. The United States Championship is coming to Santos Escobar."

Although WWE didn't air the interview during the show, the company shared the video later on social media. Here's the complete unaired footage of the segment from the commercial break:

Top champion dismisses WWE Superstar's big win on SmackDown

Although Santos Escobar believes he picked up the biggest win of his career on SmackDown last week, Austin Theory views the situation differently. The United States Champion is confident that Escobar has a long way to go. Theory also boasted about WWE legends like John Cena, Rey Mysterio, and Edge falling short in their attempts to dethrone him in the past.

Escobar is one step away from earning a title shot against Austin Theory. He will face the winner of a massive Fatal 4-Way match booked for next week, featuring Rey Mysterio, LA Knight, Sheamus, and Cameron Grimes. The tournament would ultimately determine the No. 1 contender who could potentially challenge Theory for the United States Championship at SummerSlam.