Rey Mysterio's Potential WWE Return Would Be Needed Boost After WrestleMania 32

Bringing back Rey Mysterio after WWE WrestleMania 32 would be an opportune way to keep the buzz going following the marquee event.

Once all the confetti is swept up and the ring is taken down at WrestleMania, WWE's level of star power is going to go down. Undertaker will likely step away from the spotlight after his latest match. Brock Lesnar may be hibernating, too. Should Triple H lose the world title, his role is likely to diminish.

Giving Mysterio one last run would boost Raw and SmackDown, wisely mixing a future Hall of Famer into a roster rife with emerging stars.

That's a situation that could develop before long. Mysterio's recent issues with Mexico's AAA promotion have thrown his name into the WWE rumor mill.

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet reported that "Mysterio is in the midst of a contract dispute with AAA and we're told it's the reason he's been nowhere to be found on their recent shows." The problem is apparently first and foremost about money.

Mysterio was reportedly not getting paid for dates he worked.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc), he may be able to get out of his contract to return to WWE. In addition, the report noted that some of Mysterio's friends within WWE don't believe he will last long with Lucha Underground, which is associated with AAA.

All this could certainly lead to a Mysterio-WWE reunion, but not right away.

He will be wrestling Kurt Angle on March 20 at a UR Fight mixed event. He'll be in Dallas on WrestleMania weekend, but working for someone else. WrestleCon announced that Mysterio will appearing at the event in April:

Welcoming Mysterio back sometime after all that is smart business. He wouldn't need to be a workhorse. He would just need to be a supplement to the roster. As Grahame Herbert of WhatCulture wrote, "A nice little run before retiring and taking a spot in the WWE Hall Of Fame is what makes sense."

Mysterio remains one of WWE's most popular performers. And with a roster still to be depleted by injury in the spring and summer, adding a huge name like his would give the writing team a wealth of options.

Kevin Owens needs a high-profile rival to continue his climb up the company ladder. Just as Chris Jericho has helped keep the spotlight on AJ Styles after his arrival, Mysterio could do that for Sami Zayn or Finn Balor as they make their way up from NXT.

Credit: WWE.com

Otherwise, a changing-of-the-guard matchup could await the former WWE champ.

Having him face Kalisto at SummerSlam is a dream matchup. The comparisons between the two stars are commonplace. Justin LaBar of Chair Shot Reality is one of many who believe Kalisto may be the next Mysterio:

Kalisto's stock has been rising of late, but he's not yet a star. WWE could catapult the current United States champ forward by having him knock off Mysterio. This would be WWE's chance to deliver on the luchador-versus-luchador match that never came to pass between Sin Cara and Mysterio.

That's a marquee bout that would instantly elevate SummerSlam.

Have Mysterio be on a five-man squad at Survivor Series. Let him make Battleground feel more special. WWE is better off in each case, as Mysterio can help build the bridge to the future by showing current stars respect and losing to a few of them along the way.

Slowed down by age and not nearly as electric as he once was, Mysterio isn't the performer he used to be.

His name still holds weight, though. The audience is still invested in the fan favorite.

WWE would be smart to take advantage of Mysterio's reported conflicts with AAA to better its own business. There is never a surplus of star power in the squared circle, and harnessing Mysterio's before he retires is a no-brainer.