Mysterio retains title, but can he keep it?

It was a 619 and a frog splash that allowed a bloodied Rey Mysterio to vanquish JBL and retain the World Heavyweight Championship at Judgment Day. But now that Mysterio's retained his title, can he keep it?

Nope. The king of mystery might have eked out a victory on Sunday, but he'll lose his championship sooner rather than later.

In the world of sports entertainment--where storylines trump victories--the ability to put asses in seats is more coveted than any corkscrew moonsault, no matter how impressive.

Hard workers like Rey Mysterio and Chris Benoit may once be crowned champion, but they won't hold the strap four times like Shawn Michaels, six times like Kurt Angle or ten times like the King of Kings, Triple H.

What makes these multiple-time champions stand out from the pack?

They excel in the following four traits, ranked from least significant to most.

4.) Attendance
"Half of life is just showing up," the old adage goes. The same holds true in wrestling. How can fans connect with a wrestler if they hardly see him? Fans will clamor for a wrestler when he is popular. Until then, a wrestler must endure homesickness and injury and show up to every event.

3.) Looks
Nothing says champ like a well-exercised chest coupled with 24-inch pythons. After all, if the champ is the high hog at the trough, he should look the part.

On a subconscious level, the champ represents the He-Man in all of us. He should look like he could kick your ass and your friends' asses too. That's why watching Batista makes me cheer and seeing JBL makes me feel like doing sit-ups.

2.) Wrestling Ability
Despite the pyro, caricatures and outrageous storylines, wrestling is about well, wrestling. It's about two greased up guys trading holds and throwing haymakers until one of them stays down for three. Good wrestlers usually become popular superstars. Unfortunately, wrestling ability alone isn't enough to keep most fans' asses in their seats.

1.) Mic Skills
It's what turned average wrestlers like Stone Cold, and Hulk Hogan into household names. Mic skills are a wrestler's ability to make fans care about his storyline. More importantly, mic skills make fans care about the wrestler himself.

Wrestling matches may be fun to watch. But it doesn't take long for fans to figure out they're watching the same match over and over again.

But mic skills make matches special. They are why we were on the edge of our seats when Kurt Angle battled Shawn Michaels. They're why we still talk about Rock v. Hogan despite the shoddy wrestling, and why we'll always remember Eddie Guerrero.

Rey Mysterio is a punctual champion with a unique look and exciting wrestling style. But he's as interesting to talk to as your Aunt Ruth. He can't outwit JBL and acknowledges that his championship reign will be likely short-lived. Oh, and he's about the size of your kid brother.

Mysterio was given the title probably for his hardwork, and to honor Guerrero. But with fans' growing acceptance of Guerrero's passing and a personality like dry wall, it's only a matter of time before Mysterio drops the strap.

To whom? If past weeks are any indication, anyone.

Agree? Enraged? Indifferent? Fine! You tell the 'net what it takes to be a multi-time champ! And join us next time on Sports Entertainment in 500 words.