Santos Escobar Turns on Rey Mysterio and The LWO

Highlights

• Rey Mysterio passionately calls for a rematch, believing Logan Paul's victory was facilitated by brass knuckles.
• Santos Escobar betrays Rey and turns heel, violently attacking him and expressing remorse before attacking again.
• Carlito's role remains ambiguous, hinting at potential manipulation, but it is Santos who ultimately reveals his true villainous colors. Intrigue and conflict within the LWO faction promise an intense storyline.

In a dramatic turn of events on this week's SmackDown, Rey Mysterio and the LWO took center stage to address Rey's recent loss of the United States Championship at Crown Jewel. Expressing his belief that Logan Paul's victory was facilitated by brass knuckles, Rey passionately called for a rematch. This plea summoned Carlito out from the backstage area, who made it clear that blame should be placed on Santos Escobar, not Logan Paul.

After Santos left in a huff, Rey went after him. The segment turned to a promoted singles match between Carlito and Bobby Lashley and the bout ultimately resulted in chaos outside the ring as The Street Profits clashed with the LWO. Exploiting the distraction, Lashley executed a spear, initiating a post-match beatdown on Carlito. Santos, witnessing the assault, callously refused to intervene. When Rey attempted to rescue Carlito with a chair, tensions flared between Rey and Escobar over their allegiance to the LWO family. Santos pleaded Rey not help Carlito, but Rey refused.

In a shocking twist, Santos Escobar betrayed Rey Mysterio by blindsiding him after Rey had come to Carlito's aid. Expressing remorse, he let Rey get back to his feet. Mysterio then admonished Santos before Santos ultimately went after Rey again. As he was beating on Rey and trapped his leg in between the ring and the steel steps, he said, "I love you, you were my hero, you made me do this." Zelina Vega came to Rey's aid and her impeccable performance heightened the emotional impact of Santos' heel turn.

RELATED: How The LWO Has Given Zelina Vega New Life On WWE's Main Roster

Is It Just Santos That Is Turning Heel?

The narrative surrounding Carlito's role in all of this remains ambiguous. It was odd that he didn't come to the ring with the group to start the show. From there, his initial accusation against Santos hinted at potential manipulation. That said, it was Santos who ultimately revealed his true colors, embracing a villainous persona. The unfolding storyline promises further intrigue and conflict within the LWO faction.

The intense developments within the group will keep fans curious about what comes next. Kevin Owens hinted that Santos is going to get what's coming to him and that he'll have to deal with the repercussions of such a shocking betrayal.