Starting out as an independent wrestler in Tijuana, Rey Mysterio is now an international superstar who has wrestled with many of the most notable promotions throughout history. As a multi-reign champion in both WWE and WCW, Rey is revered by fans for his exciting high-flying style. He is arguably one of the most recognizable Lucha wrestlers of all time and was paramount to helping to make Lucha-style wrestling popular in the United States.
Consistently prevailing against both literal and figurative challenges despite his small stature, Rey's legacy as a successful cruiserweight wrestler can not be denied. Rey Mysterio Behind the Mask reveals much about this veteran wrestler's rise to fame.
11 He Started Training At Age Eight
Rey Mysterio knew he wanted to be a wrestler at a young age, thanks in large part to his uncle Rey Misterio, a widely respected Mexican wrestler. In addition to his success as a wrestler, his uncle ran a wrestling school and promoted shows in Tijuana. It didn't take much convincing for young Rey's parents to allow him to begin training at his uncle's school.
At eight years old, Rey was the youngest student in the class by far. Although everyone knew that Rey was only allowed to participate due to his uncle's influence, students and teachers alike took him seriously.
10 Taking On The Family Name Is an Honored Mexican Tradition
In Mexico, it's a sign of respect for the son of a wrestler to take his father's name. Because his uncle was like a second father to him, Rey intended to use the ring name Rey Misterio Jr., but his uncle felt he wasn't ready. Instead, Uncle Rey gave him the name Colibri, or hummingbird, because of his small stature and high flying abilities.
It was as Colibri that Rey first garnered popularity and success as a wrestler in Mexico. Following a big win two years later, his uncle finally joined Rey in the ring to announce that Colibri would be known as Rey Mysterio Jr. going forward.
9 He Left Home At Age 17 To Wrestle In Mexico City
At the time that Rey began wrestling, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) was the largest and oldest wrestling promotion in Mexico. CMLL had a weekly broadcast on Televisa featuring all the biggest names in Mexican wrestling, much like the powerhouse WWE has become today.
At age 17, Rey received a call from a fellow wrestler to come to Mexico City and join a stable of defecting superstars to launch a new promotion, Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion (AAA, known today as Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide). Even though he still had a year left of high school, Rey's family gave him permission to pursue his wrestling career. Because CMLL had such a monopoly on televised broadcasts, it took many months of negotiation before AAA was able to begin airing their own shows.
8 His Name Changed Due To A Spelling Error
In Spanish, Rey Misterio translates to Mystery King. When Rey joined WCW, it took a while before he noticed that the promotion was spelling his last name as Mysterio on his merchandise instead of Misterio.
Rey understood that the mistake was likely due to the English spelling of the word mystery. Although the change wasn't intentional, the spelling has stuck with him ever since.
7 Rey Mysterio Is An Adventurous Eater On The Road
Rey Mysterio is an adventurous eater who is willing to try anything. While on the tour, he delighted in ordering escargot and other culinary delicacies for his fellow wrestlers. Knowing they might object, he would wait to tell them what they had just eaten until after they agreed the dish was tasty.
Although some of his favorite foods are more familiar, many American fans would likely blanche at his particular fondness for fried tarantellas, a specialty in certain parts of China.
6 He Almost Had A Date With Tommy Dreamer
When Rey first joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), he was riding in an elevator with Paul Heyman when he was spotted across the room by Tommy Dreamer. Due to Rey's long locks and short, slim stature, Tommy mistook Rey for a lady he might like to date.
Although it was common for men and women to hang out in the locker room together during his ECW days, Tommy rapidly lost interest when he learned the hot chick was actually Rey Mysterio.
5 The Story Behind His Rosary Tattoo
As Rey explains in his book, faith is an important part of his life and he is a devout Catholic. For a while, it was even a trend for fans to gift him rosaries, leading to a large and unique collection of prayer beads.
Rey said he never felt right traveling without his rosary and one day while on tour he realized he forgot his prayer beads at home. To ensure that he would never feel unprotected again, he got a tattoo of a rosary around his neck.
4 He Has A Lot Of Hometown Pride
When Rey was signed to the WWE, many of his fellow wrestlers were coming up with names for their move sets and finishers. As a proud Mexican-American, he wanted to pay homage to the West Coast and especially San Diego.
The 619, one of Rey's most famous moves, is named for San Diego's area code. Rey clued in the announcers, so they could put the move over with phone puns like "he's dialing it up" or "the 619 is back in service." In addition, Rey regularly wore the numbers on his gear and even has 619 tattooed on his arm.
3 He Shot A Machine Gun In Iraq
When Rey was in Iraq to perform for the troops, he was met with a lot of enthusiasm from the soldiers posted overseas.
After befriending one troop in particular, he asked if he could shoot the soldier's machine gun. The soldier got clearance from his superiors, but they told him to only shoot one round. Instead, Rey's glove got stuck in the gun and he sprayed bullets everywhere. Luckily no one was hurt, but Rey's machine gun privileges were quickly revoked.
2 Masks Are No Joke For Mexican Wrestlers
For Mexican wrestlers who wear masks, they go to great lengths to keep their true identity a secret. To see a luchador without his mask is a great honor. Additionally, losing a mask in a match is a career-altering tradition that is treated with the utmost respect and delicacy. Once a luchador loses his mask, they are usually reintroduced to the world under a new ring name.
In 1999, Rey lost his mask in WCW in a tag team match against Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. For a while he wrestled without it but was convinced to bring it back again once he signed to WWE, feeling certain that the tradition would be treated with more respect.
1 He Predicted His Son's Wrestling Career
In 2005, Rey's son Dominik Mysterio was incorporated into a feud with Eddie Guerrero. Although Rey begged him not to reveal the secret, Eddie announced that Dominik was actually his son and that Rey had only adopted him. To help fuel the drama, Dominik appeared several times on SmackDown, stuck in the middle of a custody battle that culminated in an intense ladder match at SummerSlam. Although Dominik was shy at first, Rey saw that he was a natural actor in front of the camera.
The book was published in 2009 when Dominik was only 15. After recounting the details of his feud with Eddie and Dominik, Rey stated his hope that his son would be interested in wrestling one day, ultimately predicting Dominik's future debut in the WWE nearly 10 years later.