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HARTFORD, Conn. — Sometimes, the old saying sums it up best: What goes around, comes around. One month after defeating Rey Mysterio in less than a minute, United States Champion Samoa Joe was dethroned by the legendary luchador at WWE Money in the Bank in similarly sudden fashion, with Rey notching a flash pinfall that was so out-of-nowhere, it took both champion and challenger a second to register what had happened.
The maneuver that sealed the match was a hurricanrana powerbomb reversal, though an instant replay revealed the true source of Joe’s fury: Not that he had lost, but that the ref had seemingly missed a raised shoulder that should have registered as a kickout. Nonetheless, the decision stood, and Joe — purple-faced with both anger and a battered nose — made sure everyone in sight lived to regret it. Not only did The Samoan Submission Machine bulldoze Rey and his beloved son, Dominick, he picked The Ultimate Underdog apart with sentons and urinages while Dominick watched on in helpless terror.
There is, of course, some poetry to the idea of Rey winning at all. It’s long been proven that he’ll climb any mountain, given time and opportunity, but the circumstances of the win don’t bode for the typical victory lap that accompanies The Ultimate Underdog’s grittiest triumphs. Clearly, this is less a storybook ending than a prelude to something darker. Yes, Rey Mysterio is United States Champion. Before long, he may wish he wasn’t.