Rey Mysterio
Óscar Gutiérrez Rubio, better known as Rey Misterio, Jr. or Rey Mysterio (born December 11, 1974 in San Diego, California) is a Mexican-American professional wrestler currently performing for World Wrestling Entertainment on the SmackDown! brand.
He is a luchador as is his uncle, Rey Misterio, Sr. He debuted as a wrestler in 1991 at the age of 17 in Tijuana, Mexico because he was too young to wrestle in the United States (no athletic commission would give him a license at his young age). There he feuded with another luchador, Psicosis which carried over in to the States and lasted several years. If spelled properly, his ring name translates to "Mystery King" in Spanish.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
In 1995 he and Psicosis went to Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), making their first real impacts in American professional wrestling, outside of the WCW-promoted When Worlds Collide PPV. Their feud stopped for a while after a Mexican Death Match in November 1995 at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia. Rey also appeared at ECW One Night stand reunion by defeated Psicosis
World Championship Wrestling
In 1996, he joined Psicosis in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), continuing their feud on and off for a few years. Rey would find success there, winning the WCW Cruiserweight Championship on numerous occasions.
In 1999 he was involved in a feud with Kevin Nash. During this feud Rey showcased his willingness to put his body on the line to put across a good product when he allowed Nash to launch him into the side of a truck in a brutal fashion. The footage of this incident was shown on WCW TV for weeks to both show the sadisticness of the nWo wrestlers and the heart of the luchadores and more specifically Rey Mysterio Jr.. Their feud culminated in a Caballera vs. Mascara Match (Hair vs. Mask) which Rey lost (to the disgust of many internet purists). Now unmasked, he still found moderate success in WCW with The Filthy Animals until it was sold to the WWF in 2001.
Rey then went back to Mexico to work for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, unmasked, being involved in some high profile matches.
World Wrestling Entertainment
In 2002, Rey was then signed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), but was asked to wear the mask again, which can have one fined and even have one's license suspended in lucha libre by the Box y Lucha Commission because once a wrestler loses his mask, he cannot regain it. However, donning the mask again wasn't Mysterio's decision. In deference to this tradition, when WWE produced the Rey Mysterio: 619 DVD, Rey did not wear his mask during segments shot in Mexico.
A popular performer and multiple-time WWE Cruiserweight champion, Rey has already made his mark in WWE. He is considered a great aerial wrestler and many also consider him a legend in the making. He has held the WCW/WWE Cruiserweight championship eight times, more than anyone else in history.
Feud with Eddie Guerrero
On February 20, 2005, Rey won his third WWE Tag-Team Championship along with long time friend, and former rival, Eddie Guerrero when they defeated Doug Basham and Danny Basham at the No Way Out PPV.
However, in a surprising departure from traditional booking, the new champions did not defend their titles at WrestleMania 21 on April 3, 2005, but instead faced one another, with Rey getting the victory and seeds of a breakup and Guerrero heel turn being planted.
In the weeks WrestleMania 21, Rey and Eddie ran into problems. A series of miscommunications between them resulted in Guerrero costing Mysterio an opportunity to contend for the WWE Championship and Mysterio being attacked by MNM with his tag team partner nowhere to be found. Mysterio tried to assist Guerrero by interfering with one of his matches but Guerrero perceived that Mysterio was attacking him. The duo eventually lost their tag team titles to MNM and Guerrero would abandon Mysterio during their tag team title rematch.
Though Mysterio would beckon Guerrero to fight him the following week, Guerrero refused. During Mysterio's match with Chavo Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero would then come out and chase away MNM and Chavo, only to viciously beat Mysterio, finishing by suplexing Rey back-first onto a set of steel steps. Rey was helped out of the arena by paramedics.
Absent from SmackDown! due to the attack, Mysterio returned at Judgment Day and won a match against Eddie, who attacked Mysterio repeatedly with a steel chair.
Guerrero and Mysterio continued to feud, with Eddie threatening to reveal a secret he and Mysterio share involving Mysterio's son, Dominik, unless Mysterio defers to Eddie's authority. A match was scheduled for the July 24 Great American Bash, with the stipulations being that if Rey won, Eddie would not tell, but If Eddie wins, he would tell. Mysterio defeated Guerrero with his son at ringside.
After the Great American Bash, Eddie Guerrero broke his promise and revealed to the world that he is Dominick's biological father. Knowing Mysterio was having trouble starting his own family, Eddie left Dominick with Rey and his wife to raise. In subsequent weeks, Eddie threatened to take custody of Dominick, drawing up custody papers and having his lawyer present them to Eddie. With Dominick placed in foster care for the interim, SummerSlam 2005, in which Rey defeated Eddie in a Ladder Match for the custody of Dominic.
Rey has also appeared at the ECW One Night Stand reunion defeating Psicosis.
Finishing Moves
- West Coast Pop
- Droppin' The Dime (Springboard legdrop to back of neck / face)
- 619 (named for an area code in Rey's hometown of San Diego)
Signature Moves
- Springboard-Seated Senton
- Bronco Buster
- Crossbody Press/Twisting Crossbody Press
- Wheelbarrow counter (bodyscissors) into moves like a bulldogs, roll-ups and arm drags
- Super Hurricanrana
- Springboard Diving Headbutt Drop
- Apron-Dive Hurricanrana
- Baseball Slide Headscissors Takedown
- Catapult Somersault Huracanrana Suicida
- Missile Dropkick
- Tilt-a-Whirl Headscissors Takedown
- Lou Thesz Press
- Sunset flip powerbomb (leg trap Sunset flip powerbomb)
Championships/Accomplishments
- 3-Time WWE Cruiserweight Champion
- 3-Time WWE Tag Team Champion (with Edge, Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero)
- 5-Time WCW Cruiserweight Champion
- 3-Time WCW World Tag Team Champion (with Billy Kidman, Juventud Guerrera and Konnan)
- 1-Time WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion (with Billy Kidman)
- 1-Time WWC Junior Heavyweight Champion
Mexican Titles
- 1-Time Mexican National Welterweight Champion
- 1-Time Mexican National Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Octagón & Super Muñeco)
- 2-Time IWC Middleweight Champion
- 1-Time IWAS Tag Team Champion (with Konnan)
- 3-Time WWA Light Heavyweight Champion
- 3-Time WWA Welterweight Champion
- 1-Time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Rey Mistiero)
- PWI ranked him # 56 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
Luchas de Apuestas record
| Wager lost/won | Winner | Loser | Where | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | Rey Mysterio | Mr. Cóndor | Acapulco, Guerrero | 8/14/92 | - |
| Hair | Rey Mysterio | Rocco Valente | Tampico, Tamaulipas | 10/18/92 | - |
| Hair | Rey Mysterio | Tony Arce | Acapulco, Guerrero | 11/6/92 | - |
| Mask | Rey Mysterio | El Bandido | Querétaro, Querétaro | 5/28/93 | 1 |
| Hair | Rey Mysterio | Vulcano | Monterrey, Nuevo León | 9/11/92 | - |
| Mask | Rey Mysterio | Misterioso | Tijuana, Baja California | 12/19/97 | - |
| Mask | Kevin Nash & Lex Luger | Rey Mysterio | Oakland, California | 2/21/99 | 2 |
- Three way match involving Angel Mortal
- The match was Konnan & Rey vs. Kevin Nash & Lex Luger. The wager was Rey's mask vs. Elizabeth's (who was managing the Outsiders at that point) hair.
References
- Note: His family name is spelled "Guttierrez" on his main IMDb page. His IMDb bio renders it "Gutiérrez".