WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio has always stayed true to his iconic and uniquely designed luchador mask.
Recognized globally as one of the most famous luchadors, Mysterio built his identity around the mask. However, in 1999 during his time in WCW, he experienced a controversial moment in his career. At SuperBrawl IX, after he and Konnan lost a tag team match to Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, Mysterio was forced to unmask due to the match stipulation.
Following WCW’s closure, Rey Mysterio signed with WWE. However, before WWE debut, Mysterio assumed he would wrestle without the mask. As he had been wrestling without a mask for two years.
In an interview with No-Contest Wrestling, he revealed that WWE informed him shortly before his debut that Vince McMahon wanted him to bring the mask back. “When the company closed down and WWE picked me up, I’m thinking in my head – ’cause I was already wrestling for two years without the mask — I’m thinking, ‘Okay, I got to figure out what gear I’m going to bring to WWE,’” he said. “Maybe a couple of days before my debut, they were like, ‘What mask are you wearing?’ The office did. I’m like, ‘What do you mean, what mask? I’ve been wrestling without a mask.’ [WWE said] ‘Oh, no, no, Vince wants you to come back with the mask. I was like, ‘Nobody told me anything.’”
Rey Mysterio says returning with his iconic mask was a great moment
Mysterio explained that his return to wearing the mask was a groundbreaking move at the time. “That was kind of at the time a trendsetter because anyone that lost their mask in Lucha Libre, that’s it. They know who you are, you can come back maybe a year later with a different name, [and] mask. Nobody will know who you are. But for me to have lost it, come back with the same name and wear the mask, it became something cool, something new. And I’m kind of proud of that moment.” [H/T: WrestlingInc]
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