Cristian Gonzalez
Rey Mysterio is perhaps one of the most popular Latino wrestlers in the world and in the entire realm of lucha libre. This athlete has become a legend in Mexico, almost as much as El Santo, and he is also one of the most dangerous and respected gladiators in the WWE.
At 47 years old, this athlete is still going strong, being one of the most popular with the public. Charisma has always been one of his great attributes; in addition to wrestling, he has always shown an unbreakable smile through his mask, which has become a symbol that fans wear on their faces regardless of age.
Rey Mysterio: One of the most beloved wrestlers in WWE?
We bring you more of this WWE wrestler’s history, as well as some interesting facts about him.
His characteristic mask, part of his character and that which gives him that extra mysticism to his name, did not come from his father. It was his uncle, the original Rey Mysterio, who gave it to him. His relative was known by the same name as the nephew, or Rey Mysterio Sr.
The Wrestling King had two other names before adopting the name that made him a legend. He took the name “Green Lizard” at the age of 14 after wrestling for two weeks, but seeing his great skills and perhaps not so great stature, he changed it to “Hummingbird.” He used this nickname until his uncle allowed him to wear the family mask. Moreover, he has had variations on his current name: as he’s an heir, he’s often referred to as Rey Mysterio Jr. or Rey Mysterio II.
American professional wrestling promoter Vince McMahon insisted that he return to wearing his signature mask when he signed with WWE after WCW ended, as Rey had lost the mask to Kevin Nash and had already revealed his face to the world.
He is supposed to have dated Jennifer Aniston. If this were true, we could say, “What can’t Rey do?” But what started as a rumor has remained a rumor. During the 1990s, The National Inquirer and other media outlets claimed that these two showbiz personalities were dating, putting him in the center of a media storm. But Rey would always claim that this was a lie with no basis in fact and that they had actually never met, recalling the whole ordeal later with laughter and affection.
This fact hurts the first time you find out about it, but it goes away quickly, so don’t worry. The thing is that Rey did not invent the 619…. That difficult maneuver that comes to mind when you think of the wrestler. This trick, in fact, was invented by Tiger Mask, another legend. But there is no doubt that Rey executed it to perfection and knew how to appropriate the maneuver like no other.
And finally, Rey has an animated series of his own! It is supposed to be released this year by Cartoon Network, and it will be called “Rey Mysterio vs La Oscuridad”. This will be a show that can be enjoyed by new fans, old fans, or even people who have never had anything to do with the WWE. Perhaps, this will be the hook for them to fall in love with the King’s character, as we did.
There is no doubt that Rey Mysterio is a cult character in the WWE and his legacy will go down in history, both for his talent in the ring and for his personality and charisma that crossed borders.
