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Losing The Mask Was The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Him!
Rey Misterio Jr. couldn’t believe what was happening. He and Konnan were doing fine in their match against Kevin Nash and Scott Hall at SuperBrawl IX, but then Elizabeth got in the way. Rey had just felled Nash with a springboard backflip from the top rope when Elizabeth distracted the referee, giving Hall the opportunity to nail Misteiro with an Outsider’s edge and place Nash on top of him for the pin.This wasn’t just a loss. It was a life-changing loss. Because it meant that Misterio would have to unmask.
That he did so without complaining was a testament to his sportsmanship and honesty. Misterio, however, had never done anything tougher.
“When Juventud Guerrera lost his mask last year, I kinda shrugged and felt a little bad for him,” Misterio said a few days after unmasking. “He was a wreck. He was depressed for weeks afterward. I really couldn’t relate to his situation. Now that I’ve been unmasked, I realize the mental torture he went through. This mask was an honor bestowed upon me by my uncle, and I feel terrible that this has happened. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to reverse this situation.”
The truth is, he can’t reverse the situation. Not if he wants to remain true to his word.And really, why should he want to reverse the situation? Because as distraught as he was over having to unmask, Misterio will soon realize that losing the mask was the best thing that ever happened to him.
Maybe he realizes it already.
In the weeks after the unmasking, the 5’3”, 140-pound Luchadore scored upset victories over men more than twice his size. One night after losing his mask, Misterio cleanly beat Kevin Nash, who checks in at 356 pounds. On March 1 at Nitro, he humbled Bam Bam Bigelow, who’s a hefty 368 pounds. All attempts by the Wolfpac to intimidate and control Misterio failed, even their attack on him backstage at that March 1 Nitro. The Wolfpac became so impressed by Misterio’s resiliency that it offered him a spot in the group.
“We’ll admit Misterio showed us something when he beat ‘Big Sexy,’” said Hollywood Hogan. “And he also showed us something when he took that mask off after losing at SuperBrawl. Many guys would have folded after losing the mask, but Rey came back stronger.”Still, Misterio freely admits that wrestling without a mask doesn’t feel right to him.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m naked, like I’m going out there totally exposed,” he said. “I’ll touch my face and something will feel strange, and then I’ll realize it’s my face that I’m touching, not my mask. It became a part of me, like a second skin. Not having it is going to take some getting used to.”
Misterio’s performances in the weeks after SuperBrawl were so impressive that, at least from a results standpoint, he seemed not to have a step. Sure, he couldn’t regain the WCW cruiserweight title from Billy Kidman despite many title shots, but he hadn’t been successful at that even with the mask.
The truth about a mask, as anyone, including Misterio, who has worn one will attest to, is that it can become a distraction. At best, it is a statement of a wrestler’s individuality and a show of respect for his heritage. Mexico has a long tradition of masked wrestlers (the most famous being Mil Mascaras, the man of 1,000 masks). At worst, it can become the reason that a wrestler is targeted.
In 1997, then-cruiserweight champ Eddy Guerrero spent a great deal of time trying to remove Misterio’s mask. Although Misterio succeeded in this feud, and ended up winning the title from Guerrero n a mask vs. title match at Halloween Havoc, the fact that he had been targeted is worth mentioning. Misterio had become a target not for who he was, but for what he wore. A mask gives opponents one more thing to shoot for...and the masked wrestler one more thing to worry about.With the mask off, Misterio no longer has to worry about losing it.
“It’s like a man who goes bald,” said Senior Editor Bill Apter. “He doesn’t worry about his hair anymore. When he’s in the process of going bald, it’s all he worries about, but once he’s lost all his hair, it’s over. It’s gone. So why worry about it?”
Opponents frequently tried to rip off Misterio’s mask during matches. This distracted Misterio because he never wanted to give them the satisfaction of succeeding. Rather than simply defending his body, or wrestling, or counterwrestling, he expended a lot of energy defending his mask.
“That’s true,” Misterio admitted. “But losing something you cherish is never a good thing. It’s like saying, ‘I bought an ,000 Jaguar and I was worried about it getting stolen, but then it got stolen, so I don’t have to worry about it anymore."“What happened wasn’t a good thing. I can’t see it ever becoming a good thing. But will life go on? Of course. There was never any doubt about that.”
WC
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Like Father... Like Son
From WCW magazine
December ‘98
There’s a special father-son bond that shines through at a baseball game. Especially if it’s a Major League Baseball game. The National Pastime, complete with hotdogs and peanuts, brings guys together. The cheering. The boos. The beer vendors walking in your way.
As a youngster, before he wore his mystical mask for the first time, young Rey Mysterio, Jr., went to the San Diego Padres games with his dad (Roberto). Mysterio’s three brothers often went as well, especially Lalo, the oldest and most devout baseball buff.
Late this past season, Rey Mysterio, Jr. returned the favor to Roberto, then introduced young Dominik, Rey’s son, to the father-son magic of baseball. Father(s) and son(s) Mysterio visited the Padres, with WCW’s Mysterio guiding the tour through the underbelly of San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium, introducing his dad and his son to the team members.
“I’ve been going to the games as a fan for so many years,” Mysterio said. “It was cool being in the locker room with the team, just hanging out. It was kind of cool that they watch wrestling, that they actually knew me. Not only that they knew me, but that their sons knew me.”
The tradition continues.
Mysterio posed for pictures with the Padres, then signed autographs. He also spoke to slugger Greg Vaughn’s son on a cellular phone, per Vaughn’s request.
“Being in the dugout and just being able to chit-chat with the guys... that was awesome,” Mysterio said. “There are so many mainstream people, from actors to athletes to everyone in between, who are into wrestling. That’s kinds cool. So many of the players told me that they watch wrestling on TV. Then, to hear then say ‘Yeah, I watch you on TV.’ That’s pretty rad.”
Mysterio’s ballpark adventure included a hotdog, turkey sandwich, nachos, peanuts and a cold brew. But no foul ball.
“I have many fond memories of going to games as a kid, (like) bringing my glove just hoping I’d catch a foul ball,” Mysterio said. “When Dominik went to the game, I enjoyed the way he was in to the sport. The fans would stand and cheer after a hit, and he’d do the same. It’s fun, even though he really doesn’t understand the sport.”
Dominik, born April 5, 1997, also has been introduced to pro wrestling. Sort of. In September, Mysterio took his young son into a Tijuana wrestling ring, his first steps inside a squared circle. Dominik sported his own Rey Mysterio, Jr. mask and tights, which he wore last Halloween.
“It’s exciting to see him in that outfit,” Mysterio said. “When wrestling is on, he’ll say ‘lucha’ or see my mask and say ‘papa.’ That’s cool. I hope when he grows up he’ll understand the true meaning of wrestling, even if he doesn’t want to be a wrestler.
“That’s was a special moment, being in a ring with him for the very first time.”
Although the two often wrestle at their San Diego home, young Dominik was scared when he saw his dad wearing his mask. So how does Rey silence Dominik’s cries of fear? With candy, of course.
“I love to be around Dominik, and try to be around him as much as possible. Whether it’s cooking breakfast for him or watching cartoons with him, I love the time we spend together.” Mysterio said.
WC
Biography #1: El Rey Misterio junior
Posted by Stephen Howard Sims on March 04, 1999 at 17:58:48:
Biography of "El Rey Misterio junior"
Oscar González was born December 11, 1974, in San Diego (more precisely, in the old Sharp Hospital in Chula Vista, what I believe is now Sharp-Rees-Stealy Medical Center). Like many Latinos in the San Diego-Tijuana area, with families on both sides of the border, it was not difficult for his mother (who like his father is a native of México) to go across the border to deliver Oscar. In fact, as many of you who know this area well, Oscar joined a growing number of youngsters who live on both sides of the border and grew up bilingual. Oscar attended John L. Montgomery Middle School and then John L. Montgomery Senior High School ("The Aztecs") in the Nestor area of southern San Diego city.
Oscar's uncle is Miguel López González. Miguel is better known as "El Rey Misterio," and is one of the three most famous luchadores of the 70s-80s lucha boom who were born in or grew up primarily in Tijuana (El Texano [Juan Conrado Aguilar Jaregui]and Súper Astro [Juan Castellanos] being the other two). Like many youngsters, Oscar was fascinated with la lucha libre, and as a small youngster, was good at the gymnastic and tumbling skills that make up te flying lucha.
Oscar was practicing in the ring before his 13th birthday. He amazed all with his daredevil stunts. Before long, he was begging his uncle to work matches at the main Tijuana Auditorio. On April 30, 1989 (age 14 years, 4 months, 19 days), Oscar debuted like all youngsters do under a mask. His ring name was "El Colibri" ("or zumbador", or in English "hummingbird") which painted a fine description of his style, always darting and zipping about, seeming to move faster than light.
Oscar, who has always been a tecnico, feuded his first few years with a couple of brothers who worked without a mask. They were "El Caballero Dos Mil" [I don't know his real first name but his last name is Castellanos, who today works as "Fobia"] and "Alex, El Salvaje" [Dionicio Castellanos, who today works as "Psicosis" for WCW]. At one stage of the feud, Rey and a partner won a match where the loser of te fall would lose his mask or hair - in this case it turned out to be El Caballero Dos Mil. This would have been early 1991.
Oscar dropped out of Montgomery High School midway through his junior year (in early 1992) to concentrate on wrestling full-time. Even at just past 17, he figured he'd make it big. By now, he was older and larger enough to be promoted as the nephew of El Rey Misterio, and was called "El Rey Misterio junior."
Scouts from Rey senior to Súper Astro to Konnan to El Misterioso to Heavy Metal (then, Canelo Casas) all raved about Colibri. When Antonio H. Peña Herrada formed AAA on May 4, 1992, he was looking for new stars to promote on TV for Televisa. He was particularly interested in new faces that had not been on EMLL TV. Peña hired Oscar and immediately started pushing him in under card feuds.
In October 1992, a wrestler named "El Fantasma de La Quebrada junior" was working for EMLL. He had gone to Acapulco and won the Mexican National Welterweight Championship from I believe El Pantera II. Unhappy with payoffs, and wanting to be a bigger star, Fantasma begged Peña for a job. Peña was not impressed with Fantasma but did want the national belt. Peña agreed to hire Fantasma if and only if he dropped the belt. Fantasma agreed. In Fantasma's first match in for AAA, on Wednesday, October 28, 1992, in Aguascalients, Aguascalientes, México, he dropped the National Welterweight title to the 17-year-old "Súper Niño," "El Rey Misterio junior." This was not only a huge surprise just on the surface, but stunned CMLL as they had had Fantasma booked for that entire week, including in Acapulco that very night.
Rey got over very well, to say the least, but was still green. Seeing $$ and a future mega-star, Peña groomed Rey for the top. Is first feud was with "Mister Condor" (ex-"Romano Garcia" and soon to be "Goyo") where Rey debuted unbelievable hurracaranas and frankensteiners that defied physics. In his first ever mask versus mask match in early 1993, Rey defeated Condor. Over the next 12 months, Peña programmed him to take the hair of every one of the three Destructores ("El Vulcano," "Tony Arce," and "Rocco Valente"). Though every finish was clean, Rey always won due to outside circumstances due to his size. To finally get to the top, he'd have to feud with guys his own size.
Fortunately, "Psicosis" and "Juventud Guerrera" (Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández) were there. They traded a wide variety titles back and forth for AAA and for Promo Azteca until they all went to WCW in 1996. Thee were so many changes and at so many small shows tat no one has a record of them all. Rey's first title was the WWA World Lightweight Championship, which he won in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, México from Juventud Guerrera on November 30, 1994.
Rey's tour in WCW has been marked by the usual office politics. He kept his mask in a match versus "Eddy Guerrero" (Eduardo Guerrero LLanes) in 1998 but lost it to "Lex Luger" (Lawrence Pfohl) and Kevin Nash on February 21, 1999.
Rey has toured Japan, though not very often and not with much success. My favorite Rey match ever is from AAATripleMania II in Guadalajara (Zapopan) when in an eight man tag were Psicosis, Octagón, Rey, Juventud, Heavy Metal, Lyger, Picudo and I believe Winners (now "Abismo Negro") but memory fades a bit on this one.
Rey's suicide style has always been a major problems and has caused him to miss work and work matches below his best; his desire to please and work hard will probably continue that trend.
Lastly, and without passing judgment, it wold be impossible for me to do a bio on Oscar and not say he has been known to smoke a little pot once in a while….
This information has been gathered from a wide variety of sources but has been typed from memory. It has aimed to be more of a factual biography than a description of style. Anyone wishing to add anything, please do. I apologize in advance for any errors, though I think the factual parts are pretty right on.
Stephen Howard Sims
Thursday, March 4, 1999
about 4:00 p.m. PST
Chula Vista, California
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5 Minutes With WOW
Rettinger Rey
Were you brought up in the wrestling world?
I kind of had the regular family life, but my parents used to travel a lot. When they went on vacation when I was little, I would stay with my uncle, Rey Misterio Sr. Just from being around him so much, being at the shows where he wrestled, watching him train, I grew up with that wrestling fantasy. He trained me, along with other wrestlers, but he had a big influence in my career. It’s kind of like he brought me there. He didn’t push me. I wanted to do it.
For him to let you use his name must have been something.
Yes, that was something very big. I started wrestling with another name. I did that for about a year and he watching my actions in the ring. He never told me, “Once you get ready I’m going to give you the name,” No. As a little kid I always used to tell him, “I want to be Rey Misterio Jr.! I want to be Rey Misterio Jr.!” He said, “Wait, it will be some day.” So I remember my first wrestling show, (he said) “We are going to name you this.” But it wasn’t Rey Misterio Jr. I said, “Ok,” but at the moment I also thought in my head, “Why? Why didn’t he give me Rey Misterio Jr.?” I wrestled with that name for a year and all of a sudden before one of my matches he walked into the ring, right before the bell rang he came up in front of the people, he announced that from now on this person is no longer going to be who he is, he now turns to Rey Misterio Jr. He took off the mask that I had on without letting my face show and he put the Rey Misterio Jr. mask on me. From then my whole career changed. I started to rise. I guess because of the respect of that name and because of the hard work I was doing to build that name up.
How did you develop your wrestling style?
Rey Misterio Sr. was not much into high flying. He was heavy, muscled. Most of his wrestling was very fast, but not high flying. I kind of picked up a little from him and other wrestlers form Mexico City and the high flyers. There are definitely two that I have to mention that I did get a lot of my inspired moves from: Dynamite Kid and Tiger Mask. I just thought they were awesome. They did some incredible stuff in the ring, and I did get very good ideas from them and modified them into my own style of wrestling. I’d say 80 percent of my moves, I just create my myself. I like sitting down before a match, looking at the ring, like a fan would see, like in the bleachers, and figuring out what would be great to do and what I would be able to do. I come up with some pretty crazy stuff.
Discuss the meaning of “Rey Misterio” and the aura of mystery about your uncle.
The name Rey Misterio: “Rey” --kind of being the hometown Tijuana king or being the king of wrestling at his place, and “Misterio” came from having the mystery in wrestling. Every Friday that there would be a show in Tijuana my uncle would wear a different mask with a different outfit--every single time. He wouldn’t come out with same outfit twice. Other wrestlers would wear mask and they change their colors, but Rey Misterio Sr. would change his design on the mask each week. There was one way to identify him, though. “Rey” would be symbolized by a crown on his mask, and “Misterio” by a question mark. So he had the crown and the question mark on his mask always, but the rest of the design of the mask was different. He would change the eyes, he would change the mouth. He would have his hair out, or he would have his hair covered up. He had very many masks.
When you put your mask up in the match against Kevin Nash, there was some chance that you might lose. Were you mentally prepared to unmask?
I paused for a minute and said, “Ok, I’ve got to be ready for this. I know I can lose, but I also have confidence in myself to win.” Anything can happen. It was just a bad night for me. I guess it didn’t hit me until afterwards. I took off the mask, I accepted the loss whether it was bad or whether I got cheated. But it hit me right after I took a shower and I was kicking back in the dressing room. And it struck me--bam, right there, you know. Wow. Nine years of my career with wearing a mask and my whole life of building up to wearing that mask. I’d have to say it was part of me. It still is. It’s not on my anymore, but it still is a part of me. I go back home and I open up my drawers and I see my costumes and I see the masks with the tights and everything, and I miss it. I really do. I miss that Rey Misterio Jr. But that isn’t going to get me down.
Everybody has setbacks in their career and I guess you have to regroup, but the people still love you no matter what.
I guess, like they say, the mask and outfit don’t make the wrestler. It’s the person who carries it.
It must have been the most courageous moment of your life.
It was, deep down inside. I could have said, “Now, I’m not taking it off because I know how I lost and it wasn’t the right way of losing.” I could have won that match, you know. I can’t back down in front of millions of people watching. My commitment was my commitment and the people knew how I lost, so for them it’s like, “They played him. It shouldn’t have been that way. He could have gotten a fair win or a fair loss.” So they know what happened, I know what happened. So I guess that just keeps me going.
You’re part of a new breed of wrestler.
I’m going to go back to the day, that for me, the smallest wrestler I ever saw in the United States was Shawn Michaels. For me, he was doing the high flying maneuvers and he went on to a different level or stage where it made him a superstar, well deserved. Then X-Pac was another of the wrestlers, as he started off as 1-2-3 Kid. I remember he was kind of the light division and he got a big push and I’m glad for him, too. Even though his style and mine are very different (the same as Shawn Michaels) just the body weight kind of put me in the position of, “Ok, let’s bring him in and see how he is.” So, that opened the doors for me. This is like my last chance for getting to where I wanted to get, to accomplish my goal in wrestling. I started in Tijuana, then went to Mexico City, was on TV international, went to ECW, went to Japan. There was no other step that I could go further. My only step was WCW or WWF. WCW opened up the doors for me, and I walked in and I gave it all I got. With my high flying, the people were really into it or they kind of watched it. I don’t know, but they might have said, “Wow, look at this kid. He can give us what we have never seen.” Obviously, I just went out there and like I did in Mexico, like I did in Japan, like I did in ECW. I did my job how I like to do it.
Konnan speaks highly of you.
I’ve got to give much credit to Konnan because I would have been a local wrestler in Tijuana for maybe a long time. Konnan was the one who hooked me up to go to Mexico City, to go to ECW. He hooked me up in Mexico, which is where I made most of my career, which is where I got my name started and where my face was seen for the first time on television and I have got to thank him for that. And I appreciate that because he is always talking about me. He’s always saying what kind of wrestler I am and how good I am. I don’t like bragging about that. I don’t have a big head. My feet are just flat on the earth. I do what I do and if the people like it and they come up to me and they tell me it’s good, you know, I appreciate those comments. But I’m not the kind of person who says, “Did you see what I did? What did you think about it?” I just have to thank Konnan for talking for me.
The diversity of opponents--size-wise, work-wise--how do you adjust?
The very first time I wrestled in WCW they told me my opponent was going to be Dean Malenko. The very first match. And I’ll tell you straight out that I am not a very good mat wrestler. I’ll do my high flying and I can get away with my mat wrestling ‘cause I know holds that I learned when I was first becoming a wrestler. This was my big opportunity, so I watched videos of Dean in Japan and in ECW against Eddy (Guerrero) and against Chris Benoit and I studied them. It was like being back in school. “You’re going to have a test and I’ll give you a week to study so you could everything right and give me 100 percent.” I studied him for so long. I went into the gym where I first began and had a couple of wrestlers teach me some holds and some mat wrestling moves. When I got into the ring with Dean, I gave what I had and I know he gave a lot more because he’s very smart at what he does and a very good wrestler. I didn’t back down. And I kind of feel proud of myself for that. I was prepared. That’s something that I never did in school, but I did it in wrestling.
You have a love of professional wrestling...
This is a sport that has been around me since I was a little baby. It’s in my blood. I can feel it. I’ve lived it. God, I’ve been wrestling professionally for nine years. I can say I’m a young vet in this business, but I’ve still got a long way to go. And like I mentioned before, my last accomplishment was being in a big company in the United States. I am now in here. Now I want to accomplish being on top in this company.
"Un saludo muy afectuoso y gracias por seguirme y apoyarme en mi carrera." (Warm greetings and thanks for following and supporting my career.)
Contact Some of WCW's staff
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Rey On WCW Live!
Rey was on WCW Live! Friday April 16, 1999. Here's what was talked about.
What was the biggest growing point in your career?
When he first started wrestling in Tijuana for a big promotion(AAA) and being on TV. Everytime he moved up the ladder in his career it was something he really appreciated. The very first time he went to Japan to wrestle and in the US for ECW and when he made it in WCW Does he feel as though he needs to top others in high risk moves?
Now its really a matter of taking care of his body and at the same time making it last. He still goes back and watches tapes of himself and wishes he could still do the moves he use to. Now he limits because of his two surgeries. If he was still 100% in the ring he would still do all the crazy moves.
How did he feel when he lost his mask?
After carrying it for nine years it was definitely really hard. It held his identity and let him live a private life. But now he gets recognized on the streets. It doesn't bother him but now its like his whole life has changed completely. It didn't really hit him until after he had showered and was just hangin' out. He never thought that he would lose it.
Probably. Its kind of a hard question for him because in the US a person who shows his face is more marketable, shows more expression.
It was more like a boom hit and shake it off and keep on going and not let it stop you.
What in his mind is the most dangerous thing he has ever done?
In a 3 vs 3 match, him, Venom, and some other guy he can't remember against Psychosis, Juvi, and Mangangue(?). The heels were on the outside and the baby faces(him) were on the apron. He was in the middle. They were going to springboard to a moonsault from the 2nd rope and Rey was going to jump from the top to a moonsault all at the same time. When his partners jumped they accidentally moved the rope and Rey went to the 2nd and ended up doing an arabian press. It was scary at the time.
Who does he think are some of the underrated wrestlers?
Psychosis, Lenny Lane, Lash LeRoux, El Dandy, Super Calo.
What did he think of the giant killer angle?
It was great. He wished they would have kept it up. It was one of the things he really wanted to do. He hopes it comes back. He gets a good feeling out of representing the small people.
Does he look forward to getting in the ring with Lane and Mikey Whipwreck?
Definitely. That's the whole point to change opponents.
What does it mean to mexican fans now that he is in the US, unmasked, and known worldwide?
People in Tijuana were very disappointed when he lost his mask. They practically booed him. But when he came back after awhile it seemed as though they had forgotten and saw that it was the same Rey.
What is his relationship with Jennifer Aniston?
Its dead and gone. In the Enquirer it said that they had met at a show but Rey says he's never met her.
WC
Solving The Mysterio
Rey Mysterio Jr broke into the business in 1990 with a match against Shamu. He was only 15 years old at the time, and had been trained for two years by his uncle, Rey Mysterio.
As a rookie, Rey wrestled using the name Colibri before picking up the name of his famous uncle in 1991.
In 1992, Rey left high school to join the AAA organization and began wrestling on a full time basis in Mexico.
Rey was tremendously successful in Mexico and won the WWA World Welterweight Title four times. He also held the WWA World LIghtweight Title three times, and teamed with his uncle to win the WWA World Tag Team titles in 1995.
Fans in the United States got their first good look at Rey on November 6, 1994 when he appeared on the "When Worlds Collide" PPV, but it was his arrival in ECW the next year that gave him the exposure that caught the attention of fans in this country.
Mysterio made his ECW debut on September 16, 1995 and had a series of matches that caught the attention of WCW management.
Rey made his WCW PPV debut on June 16, 1996 with a loss to Dean Malenko at the Great American Bash, and immediately clicked with fans who were amazed at his high flying moves.
Rey became so popular in WCW that an article in the April 8, 1997 edition of the National Enquirer proclaimed "Friends Star Jennifer Anniston Flips for Incredible Hunk", and implied a relationship between Anniston and Rey. On a recent WCW Live! broadcast, Rey revealed he had never met Anniston.
Rey continued his winning ways in WCW, and is a four time WCW World Cruiserweight Champion, and is one half of the current WCW World Tag Team Champions (with Kidman).
One of the most important days in Rey's career was February 21, 1999. It was the day Rey was forced to remove his famous mask when he and Konnan lost to Kevin Nash and Scott Hall at SuperBrawl IX.
The next night on NITRO, Rey got revenge and shocked the wrestling world with a shocking upset victory over Kevin Nash, and proved that a good little man can beat a good big man. Nash got even a few weeks later at the Uncensored PPV, but Rey had proved his point and had a win against one of the biggest stars in the business.
Already a nine year veteran at the tender age of 24, Rey Mysterio Jr is destined to become one of all time greats. Wrestling fans can look forward to exciting matches from Rey Mysterio Jr for many years to come.
Up Close With Rey Mysterio, Jr.
by Ross Formann
3/4/1999
He's on the biggest win-streak of his career: two.
Well, not just any two. We're talking Kevin Nash and Bam Bam
Bigelow, two behemoths with an incredible weight-advantage.
So few wrestlers have defeated -- by pinfall, no less --
Nash and Bigelow, let alone in back-to-back weeks.
Yes, Rey Mysterio, Jr., is the hottest wrestler in the
sport.
The memory of SuperBrawl's loss -- the tag match with Konnan
against The Outsiders and, of course, his fabled mask -- is
a distant memory.
Rey Mysterio, Jr., has clearly established himself as a
player!
Don't think for a split-second that, just because he's only
165-pounds and stands 5-foot-6, that he's a preliminary
wrestler. Rey Mysterio, Jr., has established himself as a
superstar -- among all wrestlers, not just the
cruiserweights.
"I think I proved myself, that I'm able to wrestle against
anyone, no matter how big or strong they are," said
Mysterio, 24. "This is a rough sport and once I decided to
be a part of it, I realized that I was going to have to face
big guys, bad guys, guys with more experience than me, but
the beauty of it is: when you have matches against veterans
of that kind, you make mistakes and learn from them.
"People have seen me in the cruiserweight division for years
and I've wrestled the best of the best from that Division,
including Dean Malenko, Billy Kidman, Chris Jericho and
Juventud Guerrera. Now it's time to take a step up, into the
Heavyweight Division. I want all the competition I can face.
I want to challenge everyone. That means Lex Luger, Scott
Hall and possibly even 'Hollywood' Hogan. I'm young; I'm
healthy; I have the energy to go all the way."
Mysterio was at his career-low February 21, in Oakland, when
he stood mid-ring on a major pay-per-view and, with Konnan's
help, removed his mask. His wrestling identity, er, mystery
was over.
Twenty-hour later, when Mysterio shocked Nash on Monday
Nitro, Mysterio was sky-high. So was Konnan. So were all the
luchadors.
This past Monday, Mysterio pulled another shocker, upending
Bigelow.
"What a week," Mysterio said of the eight-day span. "It was
a shocking moment when I lost at SuperBrawl -- not
initially, but more so when I was in the locker room. When I
was in the ring at SuperBrawl, I don't really think I
realized what had just happened, what I had just done,
(taking off my mask). An hour or so later, after I had
showered, that's when it really hit me. It was anxiety and a
real sad moment for me. I had grown up with the myth about a
wrestler wearing a mask and here I was, without my mask."
Mysterio said "shock" really set in when he re-played tapes
of SuperBrawl and the Nash match, when he saw himself
mid-ring without a mask.
"It was just amazing that I took off my mask and just
dropped it. That was a tough moment for me. I don't know if
the fans really knew what that meant to me," Mysterio said.
"It was a bunch of emotions at the moment: weird, different,
sad and shocking. I wasn't humiliated; I just felt I could
have done better. I felt we could have won that match."
"If Lex wrestled, as opposed to Scott Hall, I would have
taken advantage of Lex's arm ... and maybe that would have
given me the advantage. But that didn't happen."
So, Rey, what about the win over former World Heavyweight
Champion Kevin Nash?
"Whether he had help or not doesn't matter, Kevin Nash
defeated Goldberg to capture the World Heavyweight
Championship and thus ending Goldberg's undefeated streak.
That win puts me in a good position," Mysterio said. "When
the ref counted to three, I couldn't believe it."
Mysterio and Konnan will team more in the coming months,
Mysterio said. And the new-look to Mysterio will stay.
What about returning to the mask, especially since the
pre-match stipulation was simply remove the mask for that
match?
"I don't know," Mysterio answered. "As a true sportsman, I
bet the mask and lost the match, so I took it off. In
Mexico, if I had lost it, I never would put it back on;
that's the whole idea behind the mask. Personally, I
wouldn't feel comfortable putting it back on because I would
feel awkward; I would feel like a punk, like I was trying to
play the people."
"There's no reason for me to put it back on."
"SuperBrawl was the end of Rey Mysterio, Jr., as you once
knew him. Now there is no mystery to me. Now it's just me,
Oscar Gutierrez."
AKA, The Giant-killer.
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