WWE’s plans for WrestleMania were thrown into chaos just moments before the show went on air after one major name was pulled from the card.
WrestleMania has, for over 40 years, been the biggest wrestling show on the planet each and every year with wrestlers and fans alike building for 12 months for the chance to work on or attend the event.
With so much riding on the high-profile global event each year, performers are notoriously careful to avoid picking up injuries in the weeks and months leading up to the epic.
Drama well and truly struck for WWE on that front on Saturday night, however, after it was confirmed that iconic performer Rey Mysterio was not medically cleared to compete in his scheduled match.
The 50-year-old has been a huge name in the company since first debuting in 2002 after previous employers WCW were bought out by WWE.
The talented high-flyer has snice won world championships aplenty – around the world and with WWE – and has become one of the industry’s most well-known performers.
Across 15 different WrestleMania performances, he’s shone in stunningly short performances, wrestled the likes of CM Punk and Randy Orton, and captured the hearts of millions of fans.
He was scheduled to wrestle Chad Gable – currently performing under the storyline name El Grande Americano at this weekend’s WrestleMania 41 – but has been cruelly denied that opportunity by an injury blow with devastating timing.
Just 24 hours removed from his Mania match, he wrestled a six-man tag-team bout alongside the LWO against American Made on SmackDown.
Early in the match, the veteran sustained what looked to be a groin or lower-body injury and was seen being attended to by ringside medics while the match continued to its conclusion.
Worryingly, the show went off the air with Mysterio’s sudden absence barely mentioned, leading to natural concern as to his status for WrestleMania.
The masked magician set the record straight on the Mania Countdown show – airing just minutes before WrestleMania itself, where he delivered the bad news.
“It’s unfortunate that I’m not medically cleared to compete tonight,” he admitted in front of thousands of fans waiting for the event’s doors to open.
“As of right now, I don’t have the clearance to compete, but there is a replacement, and that is a good thing.”
Mysterio then delighted the crowd by introducing recent WWE signing Rey Fenix as his replacement.
Lucha star and brother of another recent WWE arrival in Penta, Fenix only made his debut for the company weeks ago on the 4th April edition of SmackDown.
The sensation has wrestled at just three events for WWE to-date, but will take the next, major step in his career by performing in front of an expected 60,000 crowd at WrestleMania.
Some fans couldn’t help but feel for Mysterio, though. One fan posted on X: “I hope Mysterio is okay… shame for him to go down right before Mania.”
Another added: “I knew it… this show is cursed,” while a third said: “So, so disappointed for Rey to miss out on this.”
Neither Mysterio nor WWE confirmed the severity of his injury or how long his in-ring absence might last.
