Rey Mysterio

For his uncle, the original Rey Mysterio, see Rey Mysterio, Sr.

Oscar Gutierrez
Born	(1974-12-11) December 11, 1974 San Diego, California
Website	Rey Mysterio.com
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Colibrí Rey Mysterio, Jr. Rey Misterio, Jr. Super Niño Rey Mysterio
Billed height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) (WP:LEW)
Billed weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11.8 st)
Billed from	Tijuana, Mexico San Diego, California
Trained by	Rey Misterio, Sr.
Debut	April 30 1989

Oscar Gutierrez (born December 11, 1974) better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown brand. Despite competing as a cruiserweight for most of his career, he is a former World Heavyweight Champion, as well as a record-setting eight-time Cruiserweight Champion.

Mysterio is known for having a high flying style, which helped kick-start the cruiserweight revolution in the United States, in the late 1990s during his time in WCW.

Career

Born in San Diego, California, Gutierrez trained for pro wrestling with his uncle, who wrestled under the name Rey Misterio. He debuted as a wrestler on April 30 1989 at the age of 14 in a small church in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Technically, he was too young to receive a license, but enforcement was generally low. He began a feud with Psicosis (who had also been trained by Rey Misterio, Sr.) 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.

When Gutierrez turned 18, his uncle allowed him to use the ring name Rey Misterio, Jr.. In Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) he feuded with Juventud Guerrera including a tag match with Rey Mysterio and Rey Misterio taking on Juventud and his father, Mr. Guerrera.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

In 1995, Misterio defeated Psicosis during their debut match on Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). This match was their first real impact in American professional wrestling - although they had previously been seen on the WCW promoted When Worlds Collide pay-per-view. Misterio, along with a number of other luchadores, became a featured attraction in ECW. Misterio would later appear at the first two WWE-promoted ECW One Night Stand reunion shows.

World Championship Wrestling (1996-2001)

1996-1997

Misterio went on to gain fame in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1996, where he was the flagship of the new "Cruiserweight Revolution" in the United States. The spelling of his name was partially anglicized as "Rey Mysterio Jr.", to further market him as a "mystery man." Mysterio had many famous matches with Ultimo Dragon, Dean Malenko, Psicosis, Eddie Guerrero, and Juventud Guerrera. He would go on to hold the WCW Cruiserweight Championship five times.

Mysterio quickly made an impact in WCW with his first Cruiserweight title reign. In October 1997, at Halloween Havoc, Mysterio won his second Cruiserweight Championship from real-life friend Eddie Guerrero in a "title vs. mask" match. The match was so highly acclaimed for its utter fluency and technicality that it was voted Match of the Year. At this point, Mysterio was a staple of WCW's roster.

1998-1999

After much feuding, Mysterio would lose the Cruiserweight title to Chris Jericho at WCW/nWo Souled Out on January 24 1998. After the match, Jericho continued the beating using a toolbox found at ringside. This would put Mysterio on the sidelines for six months before making his return at Bash at the Beach 1998 where he defeated Chris Jericho for the championship. The next night however, the result was overturned and the belt returned to Jericho due to the interference of Dean Malenko.

In 1998, Eddie Guerrero formed a stable known as the Latino World Order (a spin off of New World Order) that included nearly every luchador in the promotion. Mysterio continually refused to join. He was finally forced to join after losing a match to Eddie Guerrero. As the two factions of nWo reformed - nWo Hollywood and nWo Wolfpac - they demanded the LWO's disbanding. Mysterio refused to take off his LWO colors and was physically beaten as a result.

At SuperBrawl IX Mysterio, alongside with Konnan would lose a tag team "hair vs. mask match" against the The Outsiders forcing Rey Mysterio, Jr. to remove his mask. After the match, he phoned his uncle to tell him of the news. Mysterio has publicly expressed his disappointment over being unmasked, "The fans wanted Rey Mysterio with the mask and losing it hurt me a lot. It was also frustrating that it didn't come as the climax to a feud with another masked wrestler, but in a throwaway match."

Mysterio would later become a "giant killer" by scoring upset victories over towering, powerhouse performers like Kevin Nash, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Scott Norton. He would also begin a successful tag team with Billy Kidman and join Master P's No Limit Soldiers. After Master P's departure from WCW, a new stable known as the Filthy Animals formed including Konnan, Eddie Guerrero, Kidman, and Mysterio.

On a 1999 edition of WCW Monday Nitro Mysterio beat Ric Flair via DQ.

2000-2001

Mysterio remained a steady performer, and eventually joined the New Blood faction in early 2000 opposing the "Millionaires Club." Throughout WCW's final months Mysterio and Kidman would then feud with tag teams such as Misfits in Action and Team Canada. Together, they would win the new WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles on the final edition of Monday Nitro before WCW was sold to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 2001. This would be Mysterio's last TV appearance for over a year.

X Wrestling Federation

For a short time Rey wrestled for the short lived XWF promotion.

Independent Circuit

During this time, Rey also made some appearances for the CMLL promotion in Mexico, wrestling without his mask.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2002-present)

2002-2003

In 2002, Rey signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and promos were aired hyping his debut. In WWE, he is known only as Rey Mysterio, with no 'Jr.' suffix (just as Chavo Guererro, Jr. and others are). Vince McMahon also requested that Mysterio wear his mask again. In Mexico, one could be fined or even have their license suspended in lucha libre by the Box y Lucha Commission for this; there, once a wrestler loses his mask, they cannot traditionally regain it. Mysterio began his WWE career on July 25, 2002 on SmackDown! as a babyface, in a match against Chavo Guerrero which Rey would win. After, he joined John Cena and Edge to feud with Kurt Angle and The Un-Americans (Lance Storm, Christian and Test).

On November 7, 2002, Rey won the WWE Tag Team Championship with Edge in a match against Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit, but after losing the titles at Survivor Series to Los Guerreros, they stopped tagging together. At WrestleMania XIX Rey challenged Matt Hardy for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship but was unsuccessful after interference by Shannon Moore. Mysterio finally beat Hardy for the title in June 5, 2003, in a match on Smackdown! that took place in Anaheim. He later lost the title to Tajiri, with whom he feuded with until January.

2004-2005

Rey regained the cruiserweight title on the first episode of SmackDown! in January 2004.

Rey later began to feud with Chavo Guerrero, Jr. then they faced off at No Way Out for the Cruiserweight title. Then he battled Chavo's father Chavo Classic over the Cruiserweight Championship, in which he won back the title. During this time, Mysterio teamed on occasion with Rob Van Dam, or Spike Dudley to face off against the Dudley Boyz, and at one stage won a gauntlet match to get a shot at the WWE Championship title on the SmackDown! after WrestleMania XX. But he lost the title match against Eddie Guerrero.

However, while Rey Mysterio was Cruiserweight Champion, Spike Dudley turned heel after plowing Rey through a table and joined the other Dudleys before taking the Cruiserweight title from Mysterio on July 29, 2004.

Rey continued to team with Rob Van Dam, and won the WWE Tag Team Championship from Kenzo Suzuki and René Dupreé on December 7 before losing the titles to The Basham Brothers a month later after Van Dam got injured. Rey would team up with Eddie Guerrero to win the titles back from the Bashams at No Way Out 2005. In a departure from traditional booking, the new champions did not defend their titles at WrestleMania 21, but instead had a match against each other which Rey won.

This led to a storyline in which Guerrero turned heel and beat him up after abandoning him during a rematch against the heel tag team MNM for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Then after a No DQ match against Chavo, Eddie came out and hit a brainbuster on the steel steps, which left Rey lain on the floor. Eddie was becoming increasingly frustrated that he could not beat Mysterio.

Mysterio during a WWE house show.

Eddie Guerrero and Rey continued to feud, with Guerrero threatening to reveal a secret he and Rey shared involving Rey's son, Dominic. He threatened to go public with the secret unless Rey deferred to Guerrero's authority. Guerrero later revealed that he was Dominic's (kayfabe) biological father. The storyline went that Guerrero knew Rey was having trouble starting his own family, so Guerrero left Dominic as a baby with Rey and his wife Angie to raise. In subsequent weeks, Guerrero threatened to take custody of Dominic, drawing up custody papers and having his lawyer present them to Mysterio. At SummerSlam 2005, Rey defeated Guerrero in a Ladder match for the custody of Dominic.

Rey then became engaged in a brief feud with John "Bradshaw" Layfield with JBL eventually coming out the victor at No Mercy 2005. 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 interpromotional 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 Eddie Guerrero. This began a span of weeks wherein Mysterio, along with friends Chris Benoit and Chavo Guerrero, dedicated their victories to Eddie either by word or by using his moves during his matches; "Eddie" chants continued to follow Rey and Chavo Guerrero in their matches for a few months.

Mysterio participated in the main event of Survivor Series 2005 as part of Team SmackDown! along with Randy Orton, (Eddie Guerrero's replacement), Bobby Lashley, Batista and JBL who defeated Team RAW (Shawn Michaels, Kane, the Big Show, Carlito, and Chris Masters). On the Tuesday after Survivor Series, Mysterio faced Big Show from RAW, 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 & The Big Show in a tag match at Armageddon 2005.

Before Armageddon, Batista and Mysterio defeated MNM to become SmackDown's new WWE Tag Team Champions, 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". Mysterio and Batista lost this RAW vs SmackDown! match when Kane pinned Mysterio after a chokeslam.

On the December 30 2005 edition of SmackDown!, MNM invoked their rematch clause, defeating Batista and Mysterio with help from the returning Mark Henry to regain the WWE Tag Team Championship after an assault on Batista by Henry. Rey and Batista lost a steel cage match in an effort to reclaim the titles the following week, again courtesy of interference by Mark Henry.

2006-2007

Mysterio during his reign as World Heavyweight Champion.

On January 29 2006 Rey Mysterio competed in the Royal Rumble, entering in the number 2 position, and later eliminating Randy Orton to win the match. By winning the Royal Rumble, Mysterio earned a World Heavyweight title shot at that year's WrestleMania. By lasting over 62 minutes in the match, Mysterio also set a Royal Rumble record for longevity and size.

Rey 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 Guerrero.

During the February 3 2006 episode of SmackDown!, an upset Randy Orton interrupted Mysterio's victory speech. Orton challenged Mysterio to a match for his WrestleMania world title shot. As Rey 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 attacked Orton and later accepted the challenge.

Randy Orton defeated Rey Mysterio at No Way Out, illegally using the ropes to get the pin. Having lost the title shot at WrestleMania 22, Rey went backstage with a few members of Guerrero's close family. However, on the next edition of SmackDown!, General Manager Theodore Long added Rey, making the match a Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight title. At WrestleMania 22, Rey faced off against both Randy Orton and then-World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle. Mysterio won the match by pinning Randy Orton using the West Coast Pop to win his first World Heavyweight Championship.

On the April 7 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Rey Mysterio - who was billed as being an "underdog champion" - made his first 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 2006. Mysterio was defeated by Mark Henry and The Great Khali in separate non-title matches before facing Raw's Kane in a match that went to a no contest. Mysterio retained his title against JBL at Judgement Day. JBL lost the US Championship to Bobby Lashley five days later on SmackDown! after being tricked by Mysterio to take on all comers like he 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 won and retained the World Heavyweight Championship, causing JBL to (kayfabe) leave SmackDown, until ECW One Night Stand, when JBL announced he would return as color commentator.

It was revealed that Rey 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 WWE Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms in a Champion vs. Champion match and was defeated by Rob Van Dam at WWE vs. ECW Head to Head on June 7 2006. Immediately after WWE vs. ECW, WWE.com reported that Paul Heyman approached Mysterio about switching brands to ECW. Rey announced on the June 9 2006 edition of SmackDown! that he would stay "home", on SmackDown. At One Night Stand, Mysterio (who was wearing a mask with the letters "ECW" written on the back, despite being a face and booed by ECW fans) retained his title in a hard fought match after he and Sabu were ruled unable to continue following a triple jump DDT through a table from Sabu.

Mysterio would later defend his title against Mark Henry. Mysterio won the match, after Chavo Guerrero came to the ring as the referee was down and hit the "World's Strongest Man" with a steel chair. When the referee regained consciousness, Rey had used a trick of Eddie Guerrero's and pretended to be knocked out and left the challenger holding the chair and eventually won via DQ. Mysterio would then start a feud with King Booker after Booker won a Battle Royal to become the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. King Booker attacked Rey from behind backstage with the help of Booker's wife Queen Sharmell. The attack was not shown live and was during the beating of Mark Henry by Batista. The footage was aired the week later on SmackDown! and was followed by Mysterio attacking the King and his "court."

This rivalry continued for several weeks and saw Mysterio defeating King Booker's royal court member William Regal on an edition of SmackDown!, moments before attacking the challenger and hitting him with a 619 around the steel post. During Saturday Night's Main Event, Mysterio defeated King Booker in a six man tag match and again days later on SmackDown! in singles action. At The Great American Bash, Rey lost the World Heavyweight Championship to King Booker after Chavo Guerrero turned on Rey and hit him with a steel chair, who would also cost him his rematch at SmackDown!. Then on one edition of SmackDown!, Chavo Guerrero challenged Rey Mysterio in an "I Quit" match. In that match, Chavo injured (kayfabe) Mysterio's knee, causing him to take time off wrestling.

Mysterio made a successful in-ring return at SummerSlam 2007, defeating Chavo Guerrero with the 619, after Guerrero had obsessed over Mysterio's return, 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 Friday Night SmackDown!, Mysterio had a "I Quit" match with Chavo Guerrero. Mysterio won the match by hitting Guerrero's knee with a chair repeatedly, winning the match 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 involving Batista) but was unsuccessful in capturing the title..

Rey would then begin 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 Rey. On October 28, after fighting to a no-contest at No Mercy followed by a double-disqualification in a #1 Contender match for Batista's World Heavyweight title on the next SmackDown! program(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 Rey was second to be eliminated), but the rivalry was brought to an abrupt end when Finlay was placed in a feud with The Great Khali stemming from that same pay-per-view.

Mysterio then began a feud with MVP by expressing his disdain over MVP's actions towards his former tag team partner and then-Number One contender for his U.S. Championship title, Matt Hardy. Mysterio was granted a title match at Armageddon, which he won via countout, though he was unable to claim the belt due to the stipulations of the match.

2008

Rey Mysterio re-entered the world title picture when he emerged as victor of the Beat The Clock challenge aired on January 4, 2008, for the chance to face the World Heavyweight Champion Edge at the Royal Rumble. However, he was unsuccessful in winning the championship. WWE.com announced on February 14, 2008 that Mysterio suffered a biceps injury during a overseas tour. He was sent back to the United States that night for evaluation. Despite the injury, Mysterio was determined to face Edge for the title again a No Way Out. He seemed to have the upper hand when he hit the 619 on Edge but his torn bicep slowed him down and Edge pinned Mysterio after a spear in mid air. After the match he was attacked by a returning Big Show. ]].

• • WCW Cruiserweight Championship (5 times)
  • WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Billy Kidman (Last)
  • 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 Cruiserweight Championship (3 times)
  • WWE Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Edge (1), Rob Van Dam (1), Eddie Guerrero (1), and Batista (1)
  • World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Royal Rumble (2006)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him # 4 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1999.
• Tijuana, Mexico
  • Inducted into Tijuana Hall of Fame in 2006
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Rookie of the Year award in 1992
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 1995
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 1996
  • Most Outstanding Wrestler award in 1996
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 1997
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 2002
  • Match of the Year award in 2002 - with Edge vs. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle, WWE No Mercy, October 20 2002
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 2003
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 2004

Luchas de Apuestas record

See also: Luchas de Apuestas

Wager lost/won	Winner	Loser	Where	Date	Note
Mask	Rey Mysterio	Mr. Condor	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	Eddie Guerrero	Winston Salem, North Carolina	9/14/97	-
Mask	Rey Mysterio	Misterioso	Tijuana, Baja California	12/19/97	-
Mask	Kevin Nash & Scott Hall	Rey Mysterio & Konnan	Oakland, California	2/21/99	2

1. ^ Three way match involving Angel Mortal.
2. ^ The match was scheduled to be Konnan & Mysterio vs. Kevin Nash & Lex Luger, but Luger claimed to be injured and was replaced by Scott Hall. The wager was Mysterio's mask vs. Elizabeth's (who was managing the Outsiders at that point) hair. Since joining WWE, Mysterio has begun wearing the mask again, and WWE makes no mention of his ever having lost it. Although, footage of him without his mask on, is aired on WWE's On Demand service, WWE 24/7.

Personal life

Gutierrez has recently announced that he and his wife Angelica have seperated. Gutierrez and his wife Angelica have two children, Dominik (who was involved in the Eddie Guerrero and Gutierrez storyline) and Aaliyah. Mysterio has tattoos of his two children's names on his right and left biceps. He also has tattoos dedicated to his wife 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 Gutierrez who was alleged to have obtained nandrolone and stanozolol. WWE has since made a statement on this situation, mentioning that the allegations preceded the Talent Wellness program WWE launched in February 2006.

Other Media

On the fourth episode of the second season of Heroes, the character Monica sees Mysterio give Randy Orton the 619 on a televised match. 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.

He was the Mexican flag carrier at Manny Pacquiao Vs. Erik Morales3. He was shown on camera early in the pay per view when Morales was entering the arena, during the singing of the Mexican national anthem, and when Morales was entering the ring for the main event.

DVDs

• Rey Mysterio: 619 (2003)
• Rey Mysterio: The Biggest Little Man (10/23/07)

External links

• Official website
• WWE profile
• Oscar Gutierrez at IMDb