Rey Mysterio Recalls Wrestling Without A Mask In The Dying Days Of WCW

WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio wrestled without his mask for a short period in WCW. While speaking on the "JAXXON Podcast" he revealed that he disliked wrestling without a mask and always fought to never to unveil his face on television. 

"It was actually very weird for me because my whole life I'd been wrestling with the mask... I'm going to have to lose the mask that night which we fought for a long time trying to convince them not to lose the mask but that was at the end of the day that was their decision and they wanted me to lose it. So it felt kind of weird at first, felt like naked."

Mysterio also went into detail about WWE understanding how to market the mask properly in front of the younger generation of fans, and how it became one of the most recognizable pieces of his gimmick. 

"The mask is a huge attraction for the kids, you know superhero vibe," Mysterio said. "They [WCW] really didn't brand the mask the way they should have or they could have. But sure enough, that came right after. Once I signed with WWE, they put those masks all over the place and because of that you know it's one of the most iconic masks around the world." Furthermore, WWE has never pitched the idea of Mysterio losing his mask.

Unfortunately, Mysterio won't be able to add a crown on top of his mask as he lost in the first round of the King of the Ring tournament to Kofi Kingston at a WWE live event.  

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "JAXXON Podcast" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.