Rey Mysterio

Óscar Gutiérrez Rubio (December 11, 1974) is a Mexican-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he performs on the SmackDown brand. Gutiérrez was trained by his uncle Rey Misterio, Sr. and wrestled early on in Mexico where he learned the Lucha Libre high flying style that has been his trademark. Despite weighing only 175 lb (79 kg) Gutiérrez has achieved success wrestling in both the heavyweight and cruiserweight weightclasses, as well as tag team competition. Gutiérrez originally worked for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) in Mexico, from 1992 to 1995, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), from 1995 to 1996 and World Championship Wrestling, from 1996 to 2001, as Rey Misterio, Jr./Rey Mysterio, Jr. but dropped the "Junior" from his name when he began working for the WWE in 2002.
Mysterio is known for having a high flying style, which helped kick-start the cruiserweight wrestling revolution in the United States in the late 1990s during his time in WCW. In WCW, Mysterio won the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship five times, the WCW World Tag Team Championship three times and the WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship once with Billy Kidman as part of the Filthy Animals (Kidman and Mysterio were the only Cruiserweight Tag Team Champs before WCW closed.) In WWE, Mysterio has won the WWE Championship one time, the World Heavyweight Championship two times, the WWE World Cruiserweight Championship three times, the WWE Tag Team Championship four times and the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice, making him the 21st person to win the Triple Crown Championship. Mysterio was also the winner of 2006 Royal Rumble.
==Professional wrestling career==
===Early career===
Óscar Gutiérrez was born on December 11, 1974. He was trained by his uncle Rey Misterio, Sr. and made his pro debut in 1989 in a Flyin Mexican church. He began a feud with Psicosis using the ring name Colibrí (Spanish for hummingbird). The feud lasted several years, continuing even after Mysterio's career moved to the United States of America.
===Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (1992–1995)===
In Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), Mysterio feuded with Juventud Guerrera. Mysterio's uncle Misterio, Sr. also took on Juventud in a tag match: Misterio, Sr. and Mysterio, Jr., taking on Juventud and his father Fuerza Guerrera.
===Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995–1996)===
After AAA, Rey Mysterio Jr. along with Juventud Guerrera and Psicosis were contacted by Paul Heyman to sign a contract for ECW in the states.
===World Championship Wrestling (1996-2001)===
====Cruiserweight division (1996–1999)====
Rey Mysterio, Jr. made his WCW debut on June 16, 1996 at The Great American Bash, challenging Dean Malenko for the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship, which Malenko retained by cheating to win. At Bash at the Beach, he defeated longtime rival Psycosis in a number one contender's match to earn another shot at the Cruiserweight Title. The next night on the July 8 edition of WCW Monday Nitro, he defeated Malenko to win his first Cruiserweight Championship. He reigned as champion for three months, which included title defenses against the likes of Ultimate Dragon, Malenko, and Super Caló before he lost the title to Malenko at Halloween Havoc. After his first Cruiserweight title reign ended, Mysterio challenged Ultimate Dragon for the J-Crown Championship, but was unsuccessful in his title match at the 1996 World War 3.
====Giant Killer and Unmasking (1999)====
In 1999, after the two factions of nWo reformed – nWo Hollywood and nWo Wolfpac – they demanded that the LWO disband. Mysterio refused to take off his LWO colors and was attacked by the nWo as a result. This led to a match at SuperBrawl IX where Mysterio and tag partner Konnan lost a "Hair vs. Mask match" against Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, forcing Mysterio to remove his mask. After the match, he phoned his uncle to tell him the news. Mysterio has publicly expressed his disappointment over being unmasked:
Mysterio later became a "giant killer" by defeating large opponents such as Kevin Nash, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Scott Norton. He faced Nash at Uncensored in a match where Lex Luger interfered and helped Nash in winning the match. Although he participated in several notable matches with some of the heavyweight top card wrestlers, it was made very clear to him that he would never receive a push to become a main eventer. This was due to Eric Bischoff utilizing cruiserweights as alternative, mid-card entertainment as opposed to the more conventional style that led WCW programming. As one of the top wrestlers in the cruiserweight division, Mysterio would go on to voice his disdain in regards to not being pushed.
The next night on Nitro, he defeated Billy Kidman to win his fourth Cruiserweight Championship. Two weeks later, both men teamed with each other and defeated Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship, making Mysterio a double champion. Mysterio successfully defended his Cruiserweight Title against his tag team partner Kidman at Spring Stampede before losing the title on the April 19 edition of Nitro to Psychosis in a Fatal Four-Way match that also involved Juventud Guerrera and Blitzkrieg. On the following edition of Nitro, he defeated Psychosis to win his fifth Cruiserweight Championship. At Slamboree, Mysterio and Kidman lost the World Tag Team titles to Raven and Perry Saturn in a Triangle match, also involving former champions Benoit and Malenko.
====No Limit Soldiers; Filthy Animals (1999–2001)====
In the summer of 1999, Mysterio teamed with long time friend Konnan, becoming members of Master P's No Limit Soldiers, feuding with the West Texas Rednecks. At The Great American Bash, they defeated Rednecks members Curt Hennig and Bobby Duncum, Jr. in a tag team match. At Bash at the Beach, they defeated the Rednecks in a four-on-four Elimination tag team match when Mysterio pinned Hennig. After Master P's departure from WCW, Mysterio formed a stable with Eddie Guerrero and Billy Kidman known as the Filthy Animals. The three wrestlers soon began a feud with The Deadpool. The Filthy Animals defeated the Dead Pool in a six-man tag team match at Road Wild and at Fall Brawl. On the August 19 edition of Thunder, Mysterio lost the Cruiserweight Title to Lenny Lane.
On the October 18 edition of Nitro, Mysterio and Konnan teamed up together (after Konnan joined the Filthy Animals) to defeat Harlem Heat for the World Tag Team Championship. Mysterio, however, was injured during the match and was sidelined due to injury. Billy Kidman substituted for Mysterio and teamed with Konnan during their title defense against Harlem Heat and The First Family, in which the Filthy Animals went on to lose the title back to Harlem Heat.
Mysterio returned in the spring of 2000 and remained a steady performer, eventually joining the New Blood faction in early 2000 opposing the Millionaire's Club. On the August 14 edition of Nitro, Mysterio and Juventud defeated The Great Muta and Vampiro to win the World Tag Team Championship. They were stripped of the title, however, after Ernest Miller pinned Disco Inferno with the stipulation that if he pinned Disco, Mysterio and Guerrera would be stripped of the title. The Filthy Animals then feuded with the Natural Born Thrillers in the fall of the year. At Fall Brawl, the Filthy Animals fought the Thrillers to a no contest in an elimination tag team match. Mysterio reformed his tag team with Kidman and the two challenged for the World Tag Team Championship in a Triangle match at Halloween Havoc, facing the champions Natural Born Thrillers and the Boogie Knights, where the Thrillers retained.
At the beginning of 2001, the Filthy Animals feuded with Team Canada, to whom they lost in a Penalty Box match at Sin. At SuperBrawl Revenge, Mysterio unsuccessfully challenged Chavo Guerrero, Jr. for the Cruiserweight Title. Kidman and Mysterio participated in a Cruiserweight tag team tournament for the newly created WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship and advanced to the final round where they ended up losing to Elix Skipper and Kid Romeo. On the March 26 (and the final) edition of Nitro, they defeated Skipper and Romeo in a rematch to win the Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles before WCW was sold to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
===Independent circuit and Mexico (2001–2002)===
After WCW closed Mysterio still received a paycheck from WCW owners Time Warner but was allowed to work for independent promotions and still receive his salary. Mysterio wrestled for the short-lived X Wrestling Federation (XWF) promotion. During this time, he also made some appearances for the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) promotion in Mexico, wrestling without his mask. In 2001, Mysterio competed with Eddie Guerrero and CM Punk in a three-way match for the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship, a match Guerrero won.
===World Wrestling Entertainment (2002–2015)===
====Debut and Tag Team Champion (2002)====
In June 2002, Mysterio signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and promos were aired hyping his debut simply as Rey Mysterio. Mysterio made his WWE debut on the July 25, 2002, edition of SmackDown! as a fan favorite in a match against Chavo Guerrero, which Mysterio won. He eventually began a feud with Kurt Angle, which culminated in a match at SummerSlam that Angle won after forcing Mysterio to submit to the ankle lock. Later on he formed a tag team with Edge; the two participated in a tournament for the newly created and SmackDown!-exclusive WWE Tag Team Championship. They lost to Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in the finals of the tournament at No Mercy. After they failed in winning the title, Mysterio and Edge defeated Los Guerreros in a number one contender's match on the October 24 edition of SmackDown! to earn a title shot. On the November 7 edition of SmackDown!, they defeated Angle and Benoit in a two out of three falls match to win their first Tag Team Championship. They were the shortest reigning champions in the title's history with a reign of 13 days as they lost the tag titles to Los Guerreros in a Triple Threat Elimination match that also involved former champions Angle and Benoit at Survivor Series. After losing the title, Edge and Mysterio went their separate ways to focus on their singles careers.
====Cruiserweight Champion (2003–2004)====
On the March 6, 2003 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio defeated Tajiri and Jamie Noble in a Triple Threat match to earn a shot at the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. At WrestleMania XIX, he challenged the champion Matt Hardy for the title but lost after Shannon Moore interfered. On the May 22 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio defeated Shannon Moore and Crash Holly in a Handicap Elimination match to become the number one contender for the Cruiserweight title. On the June 5 edition of SmackDown!, he defeated Hardy to win his sixth Cruiserweight Championship. Mysterio's Cruiserweight reign ended when he lost the title to Tajiri on the September 25 edition of SmackDown!. On the January 1, 2004 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio defeated Tajiri to win his seventh Cruiserweight Championship. After a successful title defense against Jamie Noble at Royal Rumble, Mysterio lost the title to Chavo Guerrero at No Way Out. At WrestleMania XX, Mysterio took part in a Cruiserweight Open for the title but lost as Chavo retained the title.
On the June 17 edition of SmackDown!, he defeated Chavo Classic for a record-setting eighth Cruiserweight Championship. He successfully defended the title against Classic's son Chavo Guerrero at The Great American Bash. While Mysterio was Cruiserweight Champion, Spike Dudley turned heel after plowing Mysterio through a table and joined the other Dudleys before winning the Cruiserweight Title from Mysterio on the July 29 edition of SmackDown!. At Survivor Series, he participated in a Fatal Four-Way Match for the Cruiserweight Title involving the champion Spike, Chavo Guerrero, and Billy Kidman. Mysterio lost when Dudley pinned Guerrero to retain.
====Feud with Eddie Guerrero (2005)====
After an unsuccessful attempt at regaining the Cruiserweight Title, Mysterio formed a tag team with Rob Van Dam, and went on to win the Tag Team Championship from Kenzo Suzuki and René Dupreé on the December 9 edition of SmackDown!. They successfully defended the title against the former champions at Armageddon, before losing the title to the Basham Brothers on the January 13, 2005 edition of SmackDown! after Van Dam was injured. Mysterio then teamed up with Eddie Guerrero to win the Tag Team Championship back from the Bashams at No Way Out. In a departure from traditional booking, the new champions did not defend their title at WrestleMania 21, but instead had a match against each other which Rey won. Three months later, at ECW One Night Stand, Mysterio faced and defeated long-time rival Psychosis for the first time in nearly five years.
The match at WrestleMania was part of a storyline in which Guerrero turned on Mysterio and beat him up after abandoning him during a match against MNM for the Tag Team Championship. Then after a no disqualification match against Chavo, Eddie came out and slammed Mysterio on the steel steps, displaying Eddie's increasing frustration with being unable to defeat Mysterio. Guerrero and Mysterio continued to feud, with Guerrero threatening to reveal a secret he and Mysterio shared involving Mysterio's real-life son Dominik, unless Mysterio deferred to Guerrero's authority. Guerrero later revealed that, in the storyline, he was Dominik's biological father. The storyline went that Guerrero knew Mysterio was having trouble starting his own family, so Guerrero left Dominik as a baby with Mysterio and his wife Angie to raise. In subsequent weeks, Guerrero threatened to take custody of Dominik, drawing up custody papers and having his lawyer present them to Mysterio. At SummerSlam, Mysterio defeated Guerrero in a ladder match for the custody of Dominik. On November 13, 2005, Eddie Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room in Minneapolis, Minnesota. That same day at a WWE "Super Show" where SmackDown! and Raw were both taped, Mysterio gave an emotional speech about Eddie, and in a show of respect removed his mask (though he put his head down, so no one could see his face). Mysterio went on to defeat Shawn Michaels in an inter-promotional match later that night. After the match, Michaels and Mysterio hugged in the ring and Mysterio pointed up to the sky, crying, in memory of Guerrero.
Mysterio participated in the main event of Survivor Series as part of Team SmackDown! along with Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, Batista, and JBL who defeated Team Raw (Shawn Michaels, Kane, The Big Show, Carlito, and Chris Masters). After Survivor Series, Mysterio faced Big Show in a match billed as "David vs. Goliath" in a SmackDown! special show. The match stemmed from Mysterio eliminating Big Show at Survivor Series and ended as a "no contest" when Big Show's tag team partner Kane interfered in the match. Mysterio continued to feud with Raw's World Tag Team Champions, even finding a tag team partner in World Heavyweight Champion Batista who, along with Mysterio, would be set to face Raw's Kane and The Big Show in a tag match at Armageddon. Before Armageddon, Batista and Mysterio defeated Mysterio's longtime rivals MNM on the December 19 edition of SmackDown! to win the Tag Team Championship in a match they both dedicated to Eddie Guerrero. Now the Tag Team Champions, Mysterio and Batista's match with Big Show and Kane was billed as "Champions vs. Champions." At Armageddon, Mysterio and Batista lost this "Raw vs. SmackDown!" match when Kane pinned Mysterio after a chokeslam. On the December 30 edition of SmackDown!, MNM invoked their rematch clause, defeating Batista and Mysterio with help from Mark Henry to regain the Tag Team Championship. Mysterio and Batista lost a Steel Cage match in an effort to reclaim the titles the following week, again courtesy of interference by Henry.
====World Heavyweight Champion (2006)====
At Royal Rumble, Mysterio won the 2006 Royal Rumble match after entering at the number two spot and lastly eliminating Randy Orton to win the match. By winning the Royal Rumble, Mysterio earned a World Heavyweight title shot at WrestleMania 22. By lasting over sixty-two minutes in the match, Mysterio also set a Royal Rumble record for longevity. Mysterio dedicated his performance at the Royal Rumble to Eddie Guerrero. After his win, he was congratulated by Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Chavo Guerrero, and Rob Van Dam – all close friends and family of Eddie. During the February 3, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, an upset Orton interrupted Mysterio's victory speech, challenging Mysterio to a match for his WrestleMania world title shot. As Mysterio looked upward for guidance on this decision, Orton verbally attacked him and the memory of Guerrero, saying "Eddie ain't in heaven, Eddie's 'down there' – IN HELL!" Mysterio proceeded to attack Orton and later accepted the challenge. Orton defeated Mysterio at No Way Out after illegally using the ropes to get the pin. On the next edition of SmackDown!, however, General manager Theodore Long added Mysterio to the title match, making it a Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight title. At WrestleMania 22, Mysterio defeated Orton and then-World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle, pinning Orton after a 619 to win his first World Heavyweight Championship.
On the April 7 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio – who was billed as being an "underdog champion", made his first successful World Heavyweight title defense against Randy Orton. Mysterio went on to retain his title again during a WrestleMania rematch on SmackDown! against Kurt Angle, three weeks later. The week before the title defense took place saw the start of a feud between the then-United States Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Mysterio. The rivalry kicked off after JBL stated he deserved the World Heavyweight title during his celebration of becoming the U.S. Champion. The feud with JBL saw Mysterio face off against any opponent of JBL's choosing in the three weeks leading up to his title match against Mysterio at Judgment Day. Mysterio was defeated by Mark Henry and The Great Khali in separate non-title matches before wrestling Kane to a "no contest"; Mysterio retained his title against JBL at Judgement Day. The feud intensified when JBL lost the U.S. Title to Bobby Lashley five days later on SmackDown! after being tricked by Mysterio to take on all comers like he himself had. This led JBL to vow that if he did not win his rematch against Mysterio, he would quit SmackDown!. In the main event of the evening, Mysterio retained the World Heavyweight Championship, causing JBL to leave SmackDown!, until ECW One Night Stand, when JBL announced he would return as a color commentator.
It was revealed that Mysterio would have to defend his title against ECW wrestler Sabu at One Night Stand. In the weeks leading up to his title defense, Mysterio defeated Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms in a Champion vs. Champion match but was defeated by Rob Van Dam at WWE vs. ECW Head to Head on June 7. At One Night Stand, Mysterio (who was wearing a mask with the letters "ECW" written on the back, despite being a fan favorite was booed by ECW fans) retained his title in a match after he and Sabu were ruled unable to continue following a triple jump DDT through a table from Sabu.
Mysterio began a feud with King Booker after Booker won a Battle Royal to become the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. Booker attacked Mysterio from behind backstage with the help of Booker's wife Queen Sharmell. The next week on SmackDown!, Mysterio gained revenge by attacking Booker and his "court". This rivalry continued for several weeks and saw Mysterio defeating Booker's court member William Regal on an edition of SmackDown!, moments before attacking the challenger and hitting him with a 619 around the steel post. At The Great American Bash, Mysterio lost the World Heavyweight Championship after Chavo Guerrero turned on Mysterio and hit him with a steel chair; Chavo cost Mysterio his rematch the following week. This culminated in a match at SummerSlam where Mysterio lost to Guerrero after Vickie Guerrero tried to stop both men from fighting but accidentally knocked Mysterio off the top turnbuckle. On the following edition of SmackDown!, Vickie turned heel on Mysterio after she hit him in the back with a steel chair and gave him an injury, thus, siding with Guerrero. Mysterio then defeated Guerrero in a Falls Count Anywhere match at No Mercy. Subsequently, Guerrero challenged Mysterio to an "I Quit" match. In that match, Chavo injured Mysterio's knee, using the match to write Mysterio out of the storyline for a while to get knee surgery.
====Return and Feud with Chavo Guerrero (2007–2008)====
Mysterio made his in-ring return at SummerSlam, defeating Guerrero with the 619, after Guerrero obsessed over Mysterio's return as well as wanting to injure Mysterio again.
On the August 31 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio won a "Championship Competition" to become the number 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Batista and Finlay. On the September 7 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio had an "I Quit" match with Chavo Guerrero, which he won after hitting Guerrero's knee with a chair repeatedly in a similar manner to which Mysterio had been put out of action. Mysterio then began a feud with The Great Khali, which would lead to a match at Unforgiven where he would face Khali for the World Heavyweight Championship; the match was eventually made a Triple Threat match also involving Batista, but was unsuccessful in recapturing the title.
Mysterio then began a feud with Finlay, an opponent chosen by JBL. The rivalry was marked as "Fight vs. Flight", a competition between the two contrasting fighting styles of both wrestlers – Finlay's physicality, versus the high-flying Mysterio. On October 28, after fighting to a "no contest" at No Mercy, followed by a double-disqualification in a number one contender's match for Batista's World Heavyweight title on the next SmackDown! (The Undertaker would succeed the pair), he defeated Finlay in a Stretcher match at Cyber Sunday. During this feud, he conceded one match to Finlay on an episode of SmackDown! and was part of the winning team at Survivor Series which consisted of both wrestlers on opposing sides (although Mysterio was second to be eliminated). The rivalry ended after Survivor Series as Finlay turned face.
He re-entered the world title picture when he emerged victorious in the Beat the Clock challenge for the chance to face the World Heavyweight Champion Edge at Royal Rumble. However, he was unsuccessful in winning the championship. WWE.com announced on February 14 that Mysterio suffered a biceps injury during an overseas tour. Despite the injury, Mysterio faced Edge for the title again at No Way Out. On the February 22 edition of SmackDown!, Mysterio announced that his injury would keep him out of action for at least six months, and he eventually underwent three surgeries within the space of a month.
====Raw and Intercontinental Champion (2008–2009)====
Mysterio made his return on the June 23 episode of Raw, as Mysterio was the first wrestler to be drafted in the 2008 WWE Draft from the SmackDown brand to the Raw brand. On the June 30 edition of Raw, Mysterio came to make an announcement to all the Raw fans which led to a minor fight with Santino Marella. Mysterio made his Raw in-ring debut the next week, pinning Marella after a 619. General Manager Mike Adamle announced that John Cena was injured and that his replacement in the Championship Scramble at Unforgiven was Mysterio. The next week, Mysterio made his return to Raw after an extended absence by attacking Glenn Jacobs, turning back numerous claims that Kane had "ended his career". Mysterio then made his in-ring return at Unforgiven, competing in the Raw Championship scramble match. Later, Mysterio accepted John "Bradshaw" Layfield's (JBL) challenge for Layfield's WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XXV, which Mysterio won in 21 seconds. With this win, Mysterio became the twenty-first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history.
Mysterio was drafted back to SmackDown! during the 2009 WWE Draft on the April 13 episode of Raw, in the process making the Intercontinental Title exclusive to SmackDown for the first time since mid-2002. He then began a long-time feud with Chris Jericho, resulting in Mysterio defending and retaining his title at Judgment Day. At Extreme Rules, Jericho managed to unmask Mysterio and pin him for the Intercontinental Championship, however his face was never shown, as he covered it. As a result, Mysterio and Jericho were booked in a Title vs. Mask match at The Bash, in which Mysterio was victorious after tricking Jericho with a second mask. On August 2, WWE announced that Mysterio would be suspended for 30 days, effective September 2, for violating the company's Wellness Policy. In an interview with Mexican newspaper Record, Mysterio stated that he was suspended for a drug he was using for his knee and arm. Mysterio stated that he had a prescription for the drug, but was unable to produce it in time to prevent his suspension due to being on vacation and doing a promotional tour. On the September 4 episode of SmackDown (taped on September 1), Mysterio lost the Intercontinental Championship to John Morrison.
====Return to SmackDown, 2nd World Heavyweight Championship Reign, and feud with Alberto Del Rio (2009-2011)====
Mysterio returned from his suspension at Hell in a Cell to face Chris Jericho and Big Show for the Unified Tag Team Championships with former tag team partner Batista, but they failed to win the title after Mysterio was pinned by Big Show. At WWE Bragging Rights, Mysterio was unsuccessful in winning the World Heavyweight Championship. In a Fatal Four-Way match with Batista, CM Punk, and then-champion The Undertaker, Mysterio broke up Batista's pin on Undertaker, leading to Batista losing his temper. After the match, he attacked Mysterio. This led to Batista entering into a dramatic change of attitude, stretching into an ongoing storyline in which Batista turned heel. Mysterio faced Batista at Survivor Series where Batista delivered three Batista Bombs on Mysterio leading to the referee stopping the match. Mysterio and Batista faced off during a later Smackdown episode that saw the Undertaker interfere in the match when he attacked Batista. A few weeks later Mysterio successfully defeated Batista to win a shot at World Heavyweight Championship. Mysterio faced Undertaker for the World title on December 25, 2009 but Batista interfered resulting in a disqualification. On January 1, 2010 Mysterio participated in a "Beat the Clock" tournament. During Batista's "Beat the Clock" challenge, Batista was about to beat Mysterio's time that he had got earlier in the show, but Mysterio pulled the referee out of the ring while he was counting for a pin resulting in Batista losing the challenge as time ran out. Later on, it was announced that Mysterio and Batista would face each other the following week to become the number one contender. During that match, both were seemingly knocked out by The Undertaker after the lights went out, resulting in a no contest. The following week in a rematch, Mysterio managed to win the title shot for The Undertaker's World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble by defeating Batista in a Steel Cage match. At the Royal Rumble, The Undertaker successfully defended the title against Mysterio, putting an end to the storyline between Mysterio, Batista, and The Undertaker.
Following the Rumble, Mysterio qualified for an Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. In the weeks leading up to the Elimination Chamber, Mysterio began a feud with CM Punk that also involved Punk's "Straight Edge Society" (SES: Luke Gallows, and Serena). During the Elimination Chamber match, Mysterio eliminated Punk from the match, but ultimately lost the match when he himself was eliminated by John Morrison. In the weeks following the Elimination Chamber event, the tension between Punk and Mysterio rose after Mysterio interfered in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, causing Punk to lose. During the on-screen celebration of Rey Mysterio's daughter's ninth birthday ,the SES showed up, taunting Mysterio and challenging him to a match at WrestleMania XXVI as well as a match right there and then. Mysterio declined to answer as he escorted his family away from the arena while Punk declared that Mysterio was a coward. Later in the night, during Luke Gallows' match against Kane, Mysterio returned to the ring and proceeded to attack Punk after the latter interfered in the match, chasing Punk from the arena. Mysterio later accepted the challenge for WrestleMania, making it a street fight. Punk told Mysterio he would have to beat Gallows for him to accept the challenge as a street fight, which Mysterio was unable to do. After the match, Punk said that if Mysterio were to lose at WrestleMania, he would be forced to join the SES. Punk's attempt to convert Mysterio failed as Mysterio defeated Punk at WrestleMania. Five days later on Smackdown, Punk challenged Mysterio to another match at Extreme Rules, and if Mysterio won, Punk would shave his head bald. At Extreme Rules, Mysterio lost to Punk due to interference from a masked SES member, which meant Punk saved his hair on the night. At Over the Limit, Mysterio faced Punk once more with both men reinstating previous stipulations (Mysterio's allegiance to The SES vs Punk's hair.) Mysterio defeated Punk thus resulting in Mysterio shaving Punk's hair.
On the May 28th edition of SmackDown, Mysterio fought The Undertaker to qualify for the World Heavyweight Championship title match at Fatal 4-Way, which he lost but during the match inadvertently injured the Undertaker. On June 4, 2010, Mysterio won a Battle Royal involving the whole SmackDown roster to earn The Undertaker's vacated spot due to the injury, joining Champion Jack Swagger, Big Show, and CM Punk. At Fatal 4-Way, he won the title after pinning Swagger. On July 2, 2010 Mysterio saved Big Show from an attack by Jack Swagger and Cody Rhodes. Later that night, Mysterio teamed with Big Show in a match against Swagger and Rhodes which they won by disqualification. Swagger applied an ankle lock on Mysterio, ignoring the referee's five count as he was intent on injuring Mysterio. The following week Swagger attacked Mysterio during an interview, applying the ankle lock once more. On the following edition of SmackDown he was interviewed, stating that his new ankle brace would help him stand and be able to defend his title at the Money in the Bank PPV against Swagger.
At Money in the Bank, Mysterio defeated Swagger to retain the title, however, Swagger continued attacking the ankle after the match until Kane, who had earlier won the SmackDown Money in the Bank ladder match, came to the ring to chase Swagger away, seemingly to protect Mysterio. However, Kane returned with a referee and cashed in his title shot, defeating Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship in a very short match. Seemingly denying his rematch clause, on the July 20 Smackdown tapings, Mysterio defeated Swagger in a 2 out of 3 falls match to remain the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, earning a title match against Kane at Summerslam. However, during the weeks before SummerSlam, Kane had marked Mysterio as the one who had attacked The Undertaker putting him in a vegetative state (which was a storyline put in place to explain Undertaker's absence due to the injury he had sustained against Mysterio in the Fatal Four Way qualifying match.) Mysterio retaliated saying that Kane was the true culprit. After the match at SummerSlam, which Mysterio ultimately lost, Kane had attempted to put Mysterio in a casket only for The Undertaker to emerge from the casket and ended up clearing his name when Kane was revealed to be the one behind the attack on The Undertaker. The following SmackDown he lost via submission to the debuting Alberto Del Rio.
On the August 20, 2010 edition of SmackDown, he lost a No DQ match to Kane, and afterwards was attacked by Alberto Del Rio on his injured left arm, fracturing Mysterio's wrist and sparking a feud between the two. Mysterio returned on the first episode of SmackDown! on Syfy and confronted Alberto Del Rio, where he hit Del Rio's personal ring announcer with a 619 after Del Rio escaped the ring. On the October 8 edition of Smackdown, Mysterio defeated Del Rio, ending his undefeated streak. On the October 15, 2010 episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown, Mysterio defeated Cody Rhodes making him the second member of the Smackdown Bragging Rights Team.
New COO Triple H announced that WWE Champion Mysterio was going to defend his newly won championship against former holder John Cena. Mysterio lost his WWE Championship in the Raw main event to John Cena.
After losing his title rematch to then-WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio, Rey was injured by Del Rio. Rey would return briefly at the 2011 Slammy Awards to give former rival CM Punk the Superstar of The Year award. On the August 8 episode of Raw, Mysterio was attacked by The Miz, giving him a storyline injury. At SummerSlam 2011, Mysterio competed in a 6-man tag team match with Kofi Kingston and John Morrison to defeat The Miz, Alberto Del Rio, and R-Truth. The next night, Mysterio was unsuccessful in his rematch against Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship.
====Injuries and various tag teams (2011-2015)====
Mysterio suffered an injury in late August 2011, and a storyline was put in place to write Mysterio off the television, by blaming Alberto Del Rio. Mysterio returned at the Slammy Awards to present the Superstar of the Year Award to CM Punk. On April 26, 2012, WWE reported that Mysterio had been suspended for 60 days due to his second violation of the company's Talent Wellness Program policy and that his suspension would expire on June 25.
After an absence of almost a year, Mysterio returned on the July 16, 2012, episode of Raw, saving Zack Ryder from his old rival, Alberto Del Rio. Four days later on SmackDown, Mysterio returned to in-ring action when he teamed up with World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus to defeat Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler by disqualification. On August 19 at SummerSlam, Mysterio unsuccessfully challenged The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship. During the match, Mysterio suffered a legitimate concussion, rendering him inactive for a week, but he returned to SmackDown on the August 31 episode. On September 16 at Night of Champions, Mysterio failed again to capture the Intercontinental Championship from The Miz in a fatal four-way match, also involving Cody Rhodes and Sin Cara.
The following night on Raw, Mysterio and Sin Cara teamed up to defeat Epico & Primo in a tag team match, after which they were attacked by the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil). In October, Mysterio and Sin Cara entered a tournament to determine the number one contenders to the WWE Tag Team Championship, defeating Epico and Primo in the first round and the Prime Time Players in the semi-finals. Mysterio and Sin Cara were set to face the team of Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow on the October 15 episode of Raw, but the match was postponed due to Mysterio legitimately suffering from effects of the stomach flu. The final took place the following week, on October 22, where he and Sin Cara were defeated by Rhodes and Sandow. On November 18 at the Survivor Series pay-per-view, Mysterio and Sin Cara were victorious in a 10-man elimination tag team match alongside Brodus Clay, Justin Gabriel, and Tyson Kidd against Epico, Primo, Prime Time Players, and Tensai. On December 16 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Mysterio and Sin Cara were defeated by Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) in a number one contenders Table match for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Two days later on SmackDown, Mysterio was sidelined with a storyline injury when he and Sin Cara were attacked by The Shield. This was used to write them off television, as Mysterio was taking some time off, and Sin Cara underwent a knee surgery. Mysterio returned on January 27, 2013, at the Royal Rumble, entering the Royal Rumble at number fourteen but was eliminated by Wade Barrett. On the following episode of SmackDown, Mysterio and Sin Cara defeated WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) in a non-title match. In March, Mysterio took another leave of absence due to a legitimate knee injury, explained in storyline as an attack by Mark Henry.
After eight months, Mysterio returned at a WWE live event on October 17, 2013, and returned to television as part of the Spanish commentary team at Hell in a Cell. On the November 18 episode of Raw, Mysterio saved CM Punk and Daniel Bryan from an attack by The Wyatt Family and The Real Americans (Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro), which led to a 10-man elimination tag team match at Survivor Series, but Mysterio's team lost. At TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs Mysterio teamed with Big Show to unsuccessfully challenge Cody Rhodes and Goldust for the WWE Tag Team Championship in a four-way match, also involving Ryback and Curtis Axel, and The Real Americans. At the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 26, 2014, Mysterio entered the Royal Rumble match at #30, but was eliminated by Seth Rollins. At WrestleMania XXX, Mysterio competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal but was eliminated by Cesaro.[168] After a loss against Bad News Barrett the night after WrestleMania Mysterio decided to take to time off to heal a wrist injury.
However, during his hiatus, it was reported Mysterio wanted to leave WWE, but WWE extended his contract without his approval. Mysterio sent a video to AAA TripleManía and visited Lucha Underground.
On February 26, 2015, Mysterio profile was moved to the Alumni section, meaning his departure from the company.
===Return to AAA (2015 - 2016)===
Five days later after being released from WWE, it was announced on March 3, 2015, that Mysterio had been re-signed by AAA for the first time since 1995. A few days later AAA announced that Rey Mysterio using his old previously WCW ring name, Rey Mysterio Jr., would team up with Myzteziz in the main event of AAA's 2015 pay-per-view Rey de Reyes ("King of Kings") show on March 18, 2015 against and defeated Los Perros del Mal leader El Hijo del Perro Aguayo and Pentagón Jr. to win the match when Mysterio Jr. scored the pin. Three days later on March 21, 2015, Aguayo died following a freak accident the night before during a tag team match where Aguayo teamed with Manik to face Mysterio and Extreme Tiger. Two months later after El Hijo del Perro Aguayo's death, on May 24, 2015, Mysterio came together with Myzteziz and El Patrón Alberto to form the "Dream Team" for AAA's Lucha Libre World Cup. The trio eventually won the tournament, defeating Johnny Mundo, Matt Hardy and Mr. Anderson in the finals with Mysterio pinning Mundo in a singles sudden death overtime for the win
For TripleManía XXIII, AAA's biggest show of the year, a "dream match" between Mysterio and Myzteziz was announced. Both wrestlers teamed during their time in WWE and AAA but had never competed one-on-one against each other. On August 9 at TripleManía XXIII Mysterio was victorious, submitting Myzteziz with a Fujiwara armbar. After the match, Myzteziz turned rudo and sprayed mist at Mysterio's face and challenged him to a Lucha de Apuestas.
Mysterio has also appeared on a number of independent shows, facing Amazing Red, Ricochet, and PJ Black, among others.
=== Lucha Underground (2015-2018) ===
Mysterio signed with Lucha Underground on December 12, 2015 and appeared on the second season. On January 10, 2016, Mysterio teamed with Dragon Azteca Jr. and Prince Puma to defeat Ivelisse, Johnny Mundo and Son of Havoc and Fénix, Jack Evans, and PJ Black and Cortez Castro, Joey Ryan and Mr. Cisco in a 4-way Trio Tag Team Elimination Match for the Lucha Underground Trios Championship. Mysterio was the second competitor to enter the second ever Aztec Warfare match and was the final elimination by the eventual winner Matanza. On January 31, 2016, at Ultima Lucha Dos, Rey Mysterio defeated Prince Puma in a singles match. Mysterio defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr. in a Loser Leaves Match. On April 9, 2016 Mysterio was in an Aztec Warfare match where he eliminated Matanza Cueto after Mysterio was eliminated by Johnny Mundo.
At the end of Season 3, Mysterio was seen locked inside a cell with Matanza Cueto, implying that he had been killed off and would not be returning for Season 4. It was confirmed that Mysterio wouldn't be returning for Season 4 as he had chosen not to renew his contract with Lucha Underground.
=== New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2018) ===
Rey Mysterio made his New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) debut on June 9, 2018 as part of NJPW's Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall show. Mysterio teamed up with Jushin Thunder Liger and Hiroshi Tanahashi, losing to the Bullet Club team of Cody, Marty Scurll and Adam Page.
=== Return to AAA (2018) ===
On June 3, 2018, Mysterio returned to AAA at Verano de Escándalo 2018, competing in a three-way match for the AAA World Heavyweight Championship against Rey Wagner and Jeff Jarrett, with Jarrett winning.
===Return to WWE (2018–present)===
On January 28, 2018, at the Royal Rumble, Mysterio was a surprise entrant in the Rumble match as part of a one-time deal with WWE entering at number 27, eliminating Adam Cole before later being eliminated by Finn Bálor. On April 27, Mysterio participated in the 50-man Royal Rumble match at the Greatest Royal Rumble. He entered at number 28, eliminating Luke Gallows but was eliminated by Baron Corbin. On June 26, Mysterio was revealed as the pre-order bonus character for WWE 2K19. On September 1, Mysterio was honored on the September 17 edition of Raw, as part of National Hispanic Month. On September 19, it was confirmed Mysterio had signed a two-year deal with WWE.
On October 16 at SmackDown 1000, Mysterio competed in his first WWE singles match since April 7, 2014 where he defeated WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in a WWE World Cup qualifying match.
==Personal life==
Mysterio and his wife Angie have two children, a son, Dominik, born 1997, and a daughter, Aalyah, born 2001. In an interview with The Miami Herald in January 2009, Mysterio revealed that he and his wife are expecting their third child. He has tattoos of his two children's names on his right and left biceps. He also has tattoos dedicated to his wife, Angie. His wife and two oldest children have all appeared on wrestling shows alongside Gutiérrez, including Dominik being in a storyline between Rey and Eddie Guerrero.
On March 19, 2007, Sports Illustrated posted on its website an article in its continuing series investigating a steroid and HGH ring used by a number of professional athletes in several sports. That article mentioned several current and former WWE wrestlers, including Mysterio who was alleged to have obtained nandrolone and stanozolol. WWE subsequently stated that the allegations preceded the Talent Wellness program WWE launched in February 2006. On August 27, 2009, WWE announced that Gutiérrez would receive a 30-day suspension due to a violation of the wellness program. Days later Gutiérrez defended himself in a newspaper interview by explaining the drugs as being on a prescription for his knee and arm. While the Wellness Policy allows for prescribed drugs, Mysterio further contested he had been on a family holiday and subsequently in Europe promoting SummerSlam, giving him only a day to provide the prescription after being notified. He has a cousin who wrestles in the Tijuana area as El Hijo de Rey Misterio ("The Son of Rey Misterio"). He wears a similar mask and ring attire. Gutiérrez's father's name is Roberto Sr., his mother's name is Maria and he has three brothers: Luis, Lalo, and Roberto Gutiérrez; he is the nephew of Rey Misterio, Sr.
Oscar Gutiérrez is friends with Noah "Wuv" Bernardo, of P.O.D. The two met while in high school and P.O.D. performs Mysterio's theme song, Booyaka 619. He is a Roman Catholic, frequently crossing himself before every match and bearing numerous religious tattoos on his body, most notably a cross on his chest attached to rosaries as well as other crosses and allusions to God.
==Other media==
On an episode of the television show Heroes entitled "The Kindness of Strangers", the character Monica sees Mysterio give Randy Orton the 619 at WrestleMania 22. Later in the show, she uses her power to recreate any physical activity she sees to perform a modified 619, similar to Mysterio giving the 619 around a ringpost, to stop a robbery.
Mysterio has been a subject of several DVDs during his wrestling career, including "Rey Mysterio: 619", which was released in 2003, the WWE produced "Rey Mysterio: The Biggest Little Man", which was released on October 23, 2007. He was also featured on the DVD "Before They Were Wrestling Stars: Rey Mysterio Jr" in 2007 which featured matches from his time in Mexico.
Mysterio's name is mentioned in the Wale track "The Cliche Lil Wayne Feature (It's the Remix Baby!)" from The Mixtape About Nothing album. Mysterio also mentioned on the song "Birthday Bitches" by the Insane Clown Posse on their album The Wraith.
== In wrestling ==
*Finishing moves
:*619
:*Droppin' Da Dime (Springboard leg drop, sometimes to the back of the opponent's head)
:*Frog splash (2005- adopted and used as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero.)
:*Springboard seated senton
:*Springboard splash
:*West Coast Pop (Springboard Hurcanrana into a pin)
:*Super Hurcanrana - WCW
:*Tornado DDT - WCW / ECW
*Signature moves
:*Air Mysterio (Hurcanrana to a cornered opponent, with the assistance of a steel chair or a tag team partner)
:*Armbar
:*Arm drag, Bulldog, DDT or a Frankensteiner, as a wheelbarrow bodyscissors counter
:*Arm drag spin
:*Arm wrench inside cradle
:*Diving or a split-legged moonsault
:*Leg-feed Enzuigiri
:*Multiple crossbody variations
:*Reverse
:*Running
:*Springboard (Sometimes from the second rope)
:*Leg trap sunset flip powerbomb
:*Mysterio jumps onto an opponent's shoulders and then twists around into a pinning Hurcanrana
:*Roll out counter to a sunset flip (Followed by a high speed roundhouse kick to the side of the opponent's head)
:*Tilt-a-whirl Headscissors takedown
:*Wheelbarrow (Counter into a Bulldog, DDT, Arm drag or an inverted headscissors takedown)
:*Baseball slide (Sometimes transitioned into a headscissors takedown)
:*Modified Bronco Buster
:*Diving Hurcanrana (Sometimes off the ring apron)
:*Headscissors DDT or Headscissors reverse DDT
:*Slingshot or Springboard somersault (Seated senton onto a standing opponent outside of the ring, sometimes followed by a hurricanrana)
:*Spinning wheel kick (Sometimes while springboarding)
:*Springboard sitout facebuster
:*Standing shiranui
:*Suicide dive (Sometimes into a tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedown)
:*Lou Thesz press
:*Tilt-a-whirl or top-rope headscissors takedown
:*Victory roll
*Nicknames
:*"The Ultimate Underdog"
:*"The Biggest Little Man"
:*"The Giant Killer"
:*"El Super Duper Niño"
*Entrance music
:*"March of Death" by Jimmy Hart
:*"Psyko" by Konnan and Mad One
:*"619" by Jim Johnston and Chris Classic (WWE Anthology)
:*"Booyaka" by Mad One and Rey Mysterio
:*"619 Booyaka" by P.O.D. (This version was later made more personal as he collaborated with the Christian nu metal band P.O.D., also from San Diego, California, to create a new version of "Booyaka" entitled "Booyaka 619", which P.O.D. performed live at WrestleMania 22. The studio version is included on the Wreckless Intent album, however, while used as an entrance theme, the intro was replaced with that of the original "Booyaka". Since Mysterio's return from injury, the introduction from the original "Booyaka" has been removed, and the P.O.D. introduction is played instead for Mysterio's entrance.)
==Championships and accomplishments==
*Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
**Mexican National Trios Championship (1 time) – with Octagón and Super Muñeco
**Mexican National Welterweight Championship (1 time)
**AAA Hall of Fame (Class of 2007)
*Destiny World Wrestling
**DWW Championship (1 time)
*International Wrestling All-Stars
**IWAS Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Konnan
*Lucha Underground
**Lucha Underground Trios Championship (1 time) with Dragon Azteca Jr. and Prince Puma
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him #4 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1999
**PWI ranked him #53 in the 2023 PWI Top 500 Wrestlers
*Tijuana, Mexico
**Tijuana Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)
*World Championship Wrestling
**WCW World Cruiserweight Championship (6 times)
**WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Billy Kidman
**WCW World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Billy Kidman (1), Konnan (1), and Juventud Guerrera (1)
*World Wrestling Association
**WWA Lightweight Championship (3 times)
**WWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rey Misterio
**WWA Welterweight Championship (3 times)
*World Wrestling Council
**WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*World Wrestling Entertainment
**WWE Championship (1 time)
**World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
**WWE Intercontinental Championship (2 times)
**WWE United States Championship (3 times)
**WWE Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Edge (1), Rob Van Dam (1), Eddie Guerrero (1), and Batista (1)
**WWE Cruiserweight Championship (3 times)
**WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Dominik Mysterio
**Royal Rumble (2006)
**Twenty First Triple Crown Champion
**Twenty-first Grand Slam Champion
**WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2023)
*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
**Best Flying Wrestler (1995–1997, 2002–2004)
**Best Wrestling Maneuver (1995) West Coast Pop
**Match of the Year (2002) with Edge vs. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle, WWE No Mercy, October 20
**Most Outstanding Wrestler (1996)
**Rookie of the Year (1992)
**Worst Feud of the Year (2008) with Kane
==External links==
* WWE.com Profile
* Rey Mysterio profile at CAGEMATCH.net
* Rey Mysterio on Twitter
* Facebook Page
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