Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
In the world of Lucha Libre, a luchador’s mask is something that is very sacred. It is a part of their identity and how they make their money and become stars. For a luchador to lose their mask becomes a very big deal. It usually happens in a highly publicized match and event. When a luchador loses their mask, it is usually towards the end of their career or they will transition to a new persona without the mask. Masks are extremely vital to the ways of Lucha Libre….then there was WCW.
Rey Mysterio Jr. was and is one of the more successful luchadors in pro wrestling history. From his early days wrestling in Mexico, to getting a taste of U.S. exposure with ECW, to finally hitting it big when he signed with WCW. Mysterio’s speed, agility and daredevil attitude made him a true attraction within the company. Mysterio wrestled many familiar foes like Juventud Guerrera and Psicosis, and competing against some of WCW’s finest cruiserweights in Dean Malenko, Eddy Guerrero and Chris Jericho.
As Rey’s stock was rising in WCW…fans were accepting him more as a star rather than just another luchador on the cruiserweight roster. Despite becoming a star, Rey Mysterio said that the company didn’t have the foresight to market him and his mask to the fans. There was money to be made in Rey’s mask…but the company simply never gave it a thought. Then, one day backstage, Rey’s career would suddenly change and not exactly for the better.
Mysterio said that Scott Hall saw him backstage and suggested that Rey get rid of his beloved mask. Hall jokingly said that Rey was too pretty to hide his face behind a mask. Mysterio cites that conversation, with the wheels eventually going into motion for him to lose his mask. Rumblings began that Mysterio was going to be unmasked at various points. He said one of the the closest came before his classic match against Eddy Guerrero at Halloween Havoc in 1997. Rey said his heart was in his throat all day fearing the worst…but luckily for him…it never came to fruition.
By 1999, rumblings had gotten louder and it became more a matter of when than if it would occur. While it was obvious that Mysterio was against the move to lose his mask…he did have some backup. His good friend Konnan had gone to bat for Rey and himself was opposed to the idea of Mysterio losing his mask. According to Konnan, there were several heated discussions between he and Eric Bischoff over Mysterio’s mask. The Disco Inferno aka Glenn Gilbertti said that Bischoff was the type of guy that reacts to the last thing he gets in his ear. It was apparent that Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were pushing for it to happen.
The decision was made that Rey would put his mask on the line in a tag team match at the Super Brawl IX pay per view. Mysterio would team up with his buddy Konnan against Hall and Nash in a mask versus hair match. The kicker, according to Konnan was that it wasn’t even Hall and Nash’s hair on the line….but Miss Elizabeth’s. That angered Konnan a great deal. Rey said the only reason he agreed to the match was because he was under a contract and felt obligated to honor it at all costs. To him, it was either do the match, or lose his job.
Years later, Eric Bischoff explained why he made the decision for Rey to drop his mask. He thought that Rey had a very marketable face. In addition to that, Mysterio had great facial expressions which Bischoff felt were key to making a match better…but were hidden behind the mask. He also stated that while he had respect for the Lucha Libre culture…95% of WCW’s audience was based here in the United States. Bischoff felt at the time that he needed to cater to that audience. Regardless if you believe his reasoning or not….the fact was Mysterio wasn’t given a choice and lost his mask at the Super Brawl IX pay per view in a rather meaningless match.
Rey Mysterio said that he felt gutted that night. A large part of his identity was that mask and the meaning behind it. He grew up idolizing his uncle Rey Mysterio Sr and wanting to carrying on the traditions of that mask that his uncle proudly wore. That night, for no real reason other than to market his “pretty face” Rey Mysterio’s career was abruptly changed. Rey in many ways felt he betrayed his uncle and the fans of Lucha Libre.
While Rey Mysterio was given several high profile pushes in WCW without his mask…he never seemed completely comfortable. Bischoff would admit that he never fully grasped Lucha Libre traditions and by taking Mysterio’s mask it was one of the biggest regrets of his career.
After WCW folded and was sold to its rival WWE, Mysterio continued taking bookings, but had to do so without wearing his mask. In Mexico, it was a very big no no to put a mask back on once it was lost in a match. Mysterio continued to honor that rule. That is until Vince McMahon and WWE came calling for his services.
Rey was asked to put the mask back on by WWE and unfortunately Mysterio couldn’t do that. After explaining the situation and the rules of Lucha Libre to McMahon…Vince apparently wrote a letter to the Lucha commission down in Mexico and was given permission for Rey to once again don the mask. There were rumors that a “payment” was made to the commission as well….although Dave Meltzer did say that the strict rules of the commission were not as strict today as was the case years ago. In any case, Rey Mysterio did see a renaissance to his career with WWE back under the mask.