WWE: Rey Mysterio has been replaced

WWE legend Rey Mysterio has been replaced for a major event. The Master of the 619 has been out of action due to a groin injury he suffered just before WrestleMania 41. He has made sporadic appearances since then and was announced to be a part of a big event this weekend.

A few days ago, NASCAR announced that Mysterio will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race at Daytona on August 23.

However, Daytona International Speedway noted that The Ultimate Underdog will be replaced by Kevin Owens, who will serve as the Grand Marshal. Daytona notified the change in an Instagram post.

"UPDATE: Stepping in for Rey Mysterio, we’re excited to welcome Kevin Owens as the Grand Marshal for tomorrow night’s #CokeZeroSugar400!," the post read.

WWE in legal trouble after Brock's return? - Check out!

The change comes a day before the event. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is the final race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season.

Kevin Owens has also been out of action due to a neck injury, which kept him out of WrestleMania 41. He underwent a successful neck surgery last month, and a possible return date remains unclear.

Rey Mysterio made an appearance during AAA TripleMania XXXIII

Rey Mysterio missed out on a match against El Grande Americano at WrestleMania 41 due to his injury. However, the former World Heavyweight Champion has been making a few appearances for the promotion.

He showed up for Worlds Collide in June to kick off the show. The event featured stars from WWE and the recently acquired AAA.

Recently, he also appeared during AAA's TripleMania XXXIII. Mysterio had an in-ring segment during which he responded to the crowd's Alberto Del Rio chants, saying that he would bring him back.

Earlier, he had stated that he expected to be back in the ring by August as he continues to recover.

About the author

Sherjeel Malik is a writer at Sportskeeda and covers pro wrestling. He was hooked on the product from the moment he saw The Hardy Boyz jumping off ladders during the Attitude Era. While he comes from an engineering background, Sherjeel’s love for pro wrestling and content writing led him to pursue a career in sports journalism. Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Sherjeel worked at other reputable organizations for five years.

While writing articles, he ensures that he only relies on credible sources for information and covers relevant subjects that do not project an agenda against a particular person or association. WWE legend Paul Heyman once shared Sherjeel’s work on his social media handle.

Sherjeel’s earliest memory of pro wrestling is watching Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker square off for the WWE Title in the main event of a pay-per-view in 1998. His favorite wrestlers are Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy. While he admires Orton for his character work as a heel, he looks up to Jeff because of his unique wrestling style and risk-taking ability.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Sherjeel would like to manage Ken Shamrock and be his mouthpiece. He feels Shamrock’s promo skills prevented him from becoming a main event-level act in WWE. Hence, he would like to help the UFC Hall of Famer get over with fans.

When not writing about pro wrestling, he likes to read classics and fiction books.

Know More

WWE has no solid plans for Rhea? Here's the update!

Edited by Sherjeel Malik