WWE Día Del Rey (First Entry): Mysterio Wins WWE Championship, Loses to Cena

Big Nasty will be keeping a running diary of a major developing storyline involving legendary Luchador Rey Mysterio Jr.  Mysterio's contract is set to expire in early 2012, and WWE is reportedly looking to place major emphasis on the tenured superstar leading up to SummerSlam. 

With CM Punk currently on an ambiguous semi-hiatus (for now), WWE VP of Talent Relation's next line of duty will be to re-sign one of WWE's biggest stars today in Rey Mysterio Jr. 

Mysterio Jr., while easily taken for granted due to his small frame and low maintenance style of going about his business, has been a longtime key to WWE's success in a red hot Mexican market. 

With Mysterio's unforgiving parade of knee surgeries and age now beginning to catch up to him, WWE has planned for the future by signing and pushing Mexican acts in Alberto Del Rio and Sin Cara. 

The Alberto Del Rio experiment has gone as planned thus far.  Sin Cara?  Not so much. 

In fact, the recent drug test failure of Sin Cara may lead to his cataclysmic demise in the WWE after just a few short months.  Carageddon would surely create more cause for WWE to keep their longtime star aboard as there were previously not-so-subtle plans in place to have Sin Cara (who has long since been compared to Mysterio dating back to his days in Mexico as the electrifying Místico) replace Mysterio as the resident masked Luchador in the WWE.

Now look who has come crawling back. 

With over half a dozen former world champions either leaving the road or quitting the company outright for an assortment of reasons, Laurinaitis gets more heat with every door that hits a popular star in the backside on the way out. 

With CM Punk being just the latest example (or scare) in a revolving door of world champions walking out on the company, there are now rumbles that Laurinaitis' job is in jeopardy.  It would be no surprise if Laurinaitis was fired should Mysterio, who has been described as being 50/50 in terms of staying, springboard his way out of the WWE. 

To begin what will likely be a lengthy negotiation process, WWE has begun booking Mysterio strongly after several weeks of him being the "job guy" in a string of No. 1 contender's matches. 

After an impressive showing in the WWE's tournament to crown a new WWE Champion last week, following Punk's departure, Mysterio now finds himself in the finals opposite the Miz.

The dawning of a new era for the WWE is set to commence tonight on RAW with Triple H in charge, and it'll be interesting to see if WWE goes through with crowning a new WWE Champion or does what they did with the SmackDown Championship that never materialized. 

***

HAMPTON, Va. - July 25. We start immediately with a shot of the new WWE Championship, which is surprisingly a replica of the old spinner belt.  This may be an indicator that whoever wins this tournament finals match will be big-footed in some fashion. 

Rey Mysterio is introduced first, followed by Miz.  The match started out as a back-and-forth affair with the Miz eventually gaining control when he countered a hurricanrana attempt.

As Mysterio attempted to get into the match, he would be cutoff by the heel Miz who did a nice job of getting heat on himself.  

The WWE announcers continued to emphasize the WWE Championship being the most important thing in the world right now, which was a bit overkill but a nice touch.   

The match came to a stalemate when Mysterio sent Miz into the stairs with a head scissors from the apron. 

WWE comes from a commercial break only for Miz to be back in control, connecting with a neckbreaker followed by a rear chinlock.  Mysterio began yet another comeback after countering the Miz by throwing him into the turnbuckle. 

Mysterio's third, most furious, comeback attempt was stopped by the Miz by way of a DDT. 

Before Miz could enter into a serious rhythm, Mysterio countered with a rollup attempt, followed by a subsequent failed 619 attempt.  The failed attempt led to a unique sitout powerbomb by Miz, who used the top ropes before slamming Rey. 

After Miz missed a running knee while Mysterio laid in the tree of woe, Miz countered with a 619 followed by a huge splash for the win. 

A frustrated Miz blasted Mysterio from behind before leaving, halting the celebration of Mysterio's first WWE Championship win. 

Enter Alberto Del Rio. 

The Money in the Bank winner hit the ring armed with a referee and his elusive Money in the Bank briefcase.  Before the bell officially rang, however, Mysterio connected with a flying cross body to the outside, forcing Del Rio to retreat before cashing in ins briefcase. 

Mysterio was met with a champagne bath by the boys in the back, followed by a showdown, turn congratulatory handshake with John Cena. 

Mysterio was interviewed by Josh Matthews who he told that all his hard work had paid off.  He then told his wife and kids that "daddy was coming home with the title."

Mysterio's historic and well-deserved win will now serve as the continuation of an unfolding storyline that will imply CM Punk who won a similar, more prestigious, WWE Championship just two weeks ago. 

Only time will tell how long this new WWE Championship lasts, but for now, Mysterio has become a catalyst for an exciting kickstart of another new era in the WWE. 

Follow Big Nasty on Twitter @ThisIsNasty.

UPDATE:  Rey Mysterio agreed to defend the WWE Championship against John Cena in the RAW main event.  After an entertaining match that included many twists and turns, John Cena came out on top to become your new 11-time WWE Champion. 

Cena's celebration was cut short when CM Punk made a surprise return wearing the WWE Championship.  The two had a brief staredown with each trumpeting their belts, and RAW went off the air.