WWE Raw: Masked Man Attacks Rey Mysterio, LA Knight Twice

Masked Man Attacks Rey Mysterio

Mysterio and Logan Paul butted heads in a backstage segment last week that led to Mysterio slapping Paul — something a lot of fans would love to do. There was no way there wouldn't be a match or some showdown after that.

Mysterio was making his way to the ring for his scheduled match against Finn Balor when Paul ran from the back and attacked him. There was a brief fight, but Mysterio had Paul set up for the 619 when the masked man jumped in the ring and nailed Mysterio with a superkick and a stomp. It wasn't over for Mysterio, though. He was knocked out colder than a banker's heart from a brass knuckle-aided right hand from Paul.

LA Knight Becomes Second Victim of the Night

The masked man wasn't done for the evening. An angry LA Knight challenged Paul to a match for attacking a legend, and once the fight went outside, the masked man delivered a stomp to Knight on the announcer's table, allowing Paul to pick up the victory.

Paul Heyman's Vision — consisting of Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed — wasn't finished with Knight. After Breakker cut a blistering promo challenging CM Punk, The Vision returned to the backstage area, where Reed and Paul ambushed Knight again. Reed delivered a brutal Tsunami to Knight on top of a car, sending a clear message about The Vision's dominance heading into the new year.

Austin Theory Speculation and Legend Killer Parallels

It's still widely speculated that the masked man is Austin Theory, but WWE creative is still trying to misdirect fans into thinking it's someone else. In Knight's promo to set up the match, he referred to Seth Rollins. Considering the recent surgery Rollins has undergone, it's unlikely he's the one clad in black.

That's now CM Punk, LA Knight, and Rey Mysterio who have been attacked by the masked man. Two of those three are considered WWE legends — Knight, while popular, hasn't reached that status yet. Is it possible WWE has two Legend Killer angles going on at once? Randy Orton made his career with that gimmick in the early 2000s, and having the masked man target established names could be the launching pad for whoever is under the hood.

If the masked man is indeed Austin Theory, aligning him with The Vision is a smart decision. Theory has floundered since his United States Championship run ended, and joining a dominant faction with Paul Heyman as the mouthpiece gives him instant credibility.

WWE Missed a Bigger Opportunity With Cena

The timing feels off, though. There was a real possibility of having the masked person somehow insert themselves into John Cena's final match this Saturday, but that window appears to have passed. If Theory is under the mask, using their WrestleMania 39 match as storytelling fuel could have elevated Theory — or whoever it is — to main event level instantly. Gunther is incredibly over and will have an amazing match with Cena, but it feels like WWE missed an opportunity to do something grander with the masked man angle.

WWE Needs to Reveal Identity Soon

Having the masked man on television again was much needed. There's SmackDown and then Saturday Night's Main Event left this week. WWE needs to reveal who this person is no later than Saturday, or fans may begin not to care. Hopefully, we'll see an unmasking and this man in black officially become a member of The Vision, even if the moment for maximum impact has already slipped away.