Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Rey Mysterio – The Biggest Little Man – Disc Two

Rey Mysterio is still the host of the DVD. He’s remarkably dull in this role.

 

Halloween Havoc
October, 1997

Eddie Guerrero(c) vs. Rey Mysterio, Jr. [Campeonato contra Máscara]
Guerrero’s WCW Cruiserweight Championship and Mysterio’s mask are on the line.

Mysterio was all over Eddie early, but Eddie managed to cut him off by dropping him on the floor. Eddie worked him over for a while. He tore at the mask. Rey hit a springboard moonsault DDT. He threatened to come back after that, but Eddie cut him right off. Rey avoided a baseball slide, hit a plancha, and then made a comeback. The comeback included a tope con hello turned into a hurricanrana. That is still one of the coolest things that I have ever seen in a wrestling match. Eddie fought back and reversed a springboard move into a backbreaker. Eddie went for Splash Mountain, but Rey reversed it into a hurricanrana: 1…2…3!

This was a great match featuring excellent character work by Eddie and some truly fantastic comeback spots by Mysterio. The in-ring chemistry between these two was as close to perfect as you can get. They did not create the epic emotional environment that you would expect, but they did enough for this to be easily considered a great match.
Match Rating: ****

Watch this match here.

 

WCW World War
November, 1997

Eddie Guerrero(c) vs. Rey Mysterio, Jr. [WCW Cruiserweight Championship]
Eddie got control early on. Rey fired back a couple of times, but Eddie maintained control. Rey finally came back after reversing a sunset flip powerbomb to the floor attempt into a hurricanrana. They did some clunky stuff in the ring until Rey hit a moonsault and a springboard legdrop. Rey hit a springboard flip hurricanrana for what seemed like the victory, but Charles Robinson insisted it was a two count. Eddie reversed a Frankensteiner attempt into a hotshot and then hit the frog splash: 1…2…3

A couple of bad botches brought this match down, but this was another fun match overall. I think the general structure of Rey Mysterio matches in WCW is somewhat limiting. His opponent mostly dominates him until the final few minutes. It works, but I feel like they could be aiming for something more at times.
Match Rating: ***1/4

 

WCW Thunder

Juventud Guerrera(c) vs. Rey Mysterio, Jr. [WCW Cruiserweight Championship]
Rey was taken it to Juvi early, but Juvi cut him off fairly quickly. Juvi hit a Deadman suicida. He may have under-rotated on an attempted tope con hello though. Regardless, no one died. Juvi worked him over for a while. Mysterio fought back and hit a Killswitch for a nearfall. He went for a diving hurricanrana, but Juvi reversed it into a powerbomb. Rey avoided a 450 and then hit a snap hurricanrana: 1…2…3!

Rey seemed to bust out a couple of different things in this match , which I appreciated given the repetitiveness of the formula to his WCW matches. Good stuff.
Match Rating: ***1/2

 

WCW/nWo Souled Out
January 1998

Rey Mysterio, Jr.(c) vs. Chris Jericho [WCW Cruiserweight Championship]
This match was much different than anything else on the set. Mysterio was actually in control early on. If anything, he was working over Jericho. Mysterio’s left knee was giving him problems. Jericho finally cut Rey off after dropping him on the ropes. Rey came back and hit a springboard somersault seated senton to the floor. Jericho cut him off again by blocking a springboard move that caused Rey to re-injure his left leg. Rey desperately went for the springboard Frankensteiner, but Jericho reversed it into the Walls. Rey almost immediately tapped out. Fantastic finish.

I really enjoyed this one. They completely got away from the formula that Rey had fallen into and produced something that felt fresh. Jericho’s character was great for this point in his career, and they found a nice way for him to win clean.
Match Rating: ***1/2

 

WCW/nWo Road Wild
1998

Rey Mysterio, Jr. vs. Psychosis
The winner of this match gets a shot at the Cruiserweight Championship at a later date.

Psychosis got control early. Nothing of note happened before then or during the heat. Rey blocked the guillotine legdrop and then made a comeback. Psychosis slowed him down with a pop-up Liger Bomb. Psychosis applied a NERVE HOLD. The heat went on a long time. Rey eventually dumped him to the floor and then made a comeback. Psychosis looked to be coming back, but Rey hit (what I will call) a springboard hurricanrana driver: 1…2…3

This match was completely and utterly lifeless. Everyone should avoid this match at all costs. I know the Road Wild crowds were not the biggest wrestling fans, but these guys seemed determined to not ever bother to try to win them over. A huge fail of a match.
Match Rating: *

 

WCW Nitro
February, 1999

Rey Mysterio, Jr. vs. Blitzkreig
BLITZKRIEG~!

They went back and forth for a while. It was as crazy as you would expect. Rey got control first. He worked Blitzkrieg over for a while. Blitzkrieg crotched Rey but then missed a corkscrew moonsault. Rey then hit a Frankensteiner: 1…2…3!

This match started out awesome, but it dropped off after Rey took over. It just was not as fun. Then it ended in relatively anti-climatic manner.
Match Rating: **3/4

 

Rey Mysterio did some serious re-writing of history in regards to why the DVD went from 1999 Nitro to 2002 WWE. There’s never any talk of his un-masking, and Rey implies that he chose to go to the WWE as if WCW’s closing had nothing to do with it (or mention that it took WWE over a year to sign him). The hilarious part of this segment is that Rey starts it by saying, “Let’s set the record straight.”

 

WWE Smackdown
July, 2002

Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero
This was Mysterio’s WWE debut.

Going from Schiavone, Heenan, ant Tenay to Cole and Tazz is such a drop in commentary quality. Rey runs through some of his offense to start the match. Chavo eventually was able to cut him off with an end over end German suplex. Chavo got the heat for a bit. Chavo hit a gutbuster for a nearfall. Rey managed to send Chavo to the floor, and he then hit a slingshot corkscrew plancha. Back in the ring, Rey hit a seated senton. Chavo came back with a Gory Bomb: 1…2…NO! Rey managed to hit the 619 and the springboard hurricanrana: 1…2…3!

This was a pretty darn good debut for Mysterio in the WWE. (The match was a lot more 50/50 than it needed to be though.) The match itself was pretty basic, but the WWE didn’t have too many guys like Rey at the time, so his offense really stood out as something special.
Match Rating: **3/4

Watch this match here.

 

WWE Summerslam
August, 2002

Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle
Rey actually attacked Angle from behind to start the match. Angle went for the ankle lock early, but Rey got to the ropes. Angle then avoided an early 619 attempt. Angle cut him off right after that though and then worked him over. Rey avoided the Olympic Slam and hit a tope con HELLO on Angle. Angle escaped an ankle lock and hit the 619! Springboard hurricanrana: 1…2…NO! Rey went for a Frankensteiner, but Angle reversed it into an ankle lock. Rey submitted!

Mysterio immediately took the WWE style. It’s amazing that they didn’t think he could be a main eventer based on this match alone. These two made everything seem effortless; I only wish they got a chance to main event PPVs together one day.
Match Rating: ***1/2

 

WWE Smackdown
2003

Matt Hardy Version 1.0(c) (w/Shannon Moore & Crash) vs. Rey Mysterio [WWE Cruiserweight Championship]
Mattitude!

Rey Mysterio’s family was in the front row in case you were wondering who won this one. Both of Rey’s kids would later become a part of storylines (the son with Eddie and the daughter with Punk).

Crash and Moore attacked Rey early and got kicked out for their troubles. Matt was panicked and then ate a springboard seated senton before a commercial break.

Back from commercial, Matt cut off Rey with a low blow. Matt went after the left leg. Rey hit a satellite DDT for a nearfall. Rey tried to go for a Frankensteiner, but Matt reversed it into a diving Side Effect for a nearfall. Rey actually hit a Twist of Fate, which got him a nearfall. Rey managed to stumble well enough to hit a 619. A West Coast Pop turned into a hurricanrana on the floor. Matt grabbed the belt. That distraction allowed Crash and Moore to hit Rey with a double reverse DDT. Matt hit the guillotine legdrop: 1…2…NO! Matt called for the Twist of Fate, but Rey reversed it into a jacknife: 1…2…3!

While this match lacked the athletic excellence that was consistently featured in Rey’s WCW run, it more than made up for it with a well-put-together match. The stuff with Matt’s stable of geeks was timed perfectly and added to the drama down the stretch. The only negative on the match is that the injured leg did not a play a role in the final two or three minutes.
Match Rating: ***1/2

 

WWE Smackdown
January, 2004

Tajiri(c) (w/Sakoda & Akio) vs. Rey Mysterio [WWE Cruiserweight Championship]
They went back and forth early. Rey hit his flipping seated senton dive. After a commercial break, Tajiri worked him over after Sakoda attacked him. Rey fought back with a seated dropkick and a Frankensteiner. Tajiri connected on some kicks, but Rey was generally now in control. Tajiri rolled through a West Coast Pop and applied the single leg crab. There was a clunky ref bump that allowed Akio to interfere. A Tajiri Liger Bomb led to a great nearfall. Rey then got a nearfall with a jackknife pin. 619! Tajiri avoided the West Coast Pop and hit a superkick. He then accidentally sprayed Sakoda with the mist, and Rey took out Akio. Hurricanrana from Rey: 1…2…3!

This was very similar to the Matt Hardy match. Rey had to overcome the interference from the heel stable and rolled up Tajiri for the win. I thought this match was equally effective as that match. The crowd was into it, they had some nifty sequences, and (other than the ref bump) the work was crisp.
Match Rating: ***1/2

 

WWE Great American Bash
June, 2004

Rey Mysterio(c) vs. Chavo Guerrero [WCW Cruiserweight Championship]
Chavo won a battle royal to earn this title shot. I am not a fan of Chavo.

Rey got the first advantage. He went after Chavo’s left arm. Chavo cut him off with a springboard dropkick. He then went after Rey’s left leg. It was very logical, but it was very dull. Working over an exciting high flyer’s leg? Always either leads to a lack of selling or boring. Rey threatened a comeback several times. He finally was slow Chavo down after a plancha. Rey finally made a comeback. The crowd lost interest in this a while ago. Chavo hit the Gory Bomb for a nearfall. Rey hit a 619, but Chavo reversed the West Coast Pop into a single leg on the injured leg. Rey got to the ropes. Chavo went for another Gory Bomb, but Rey reversed it into a loose Yoshi Tonic: 1…2…3

They redeemed this slightly in the last few minutes, but this match had too much boring for too long. Chavo is just not a compelling performer in virtually any way. Thus, doing a long singles match with him is rarely going to work out. I will give them credit though for being consistent with the leg work. Rey mostly still hit his trademarked spots, but he wasn’t flying around like nothing was wrong at least.
Match Rating: **1/2

 

Watch Rey Mysterio matches for free!

Rey Mysterio vs. Jushin Liger

Rey Mysterio vs. Psicosis (one of my favorite ECW matches ever)

Rey Mysterio vs. Eddy Guerrero (considered their best match together)

Rey Mysterio vs. John Cena

Rey Mysterio vs. Batista

Rey Mysterio & The Usos vs. The Shield

Rey Mysterio, John Cena, & Batista vs. Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, & The Big Show

Rey Mysterio & RVD vs. Eddie Guerrero & Booker T vs. The Bashams vs. Luther Reigns & Mark Jindrak

Rey Mysterio vs. Eddy Guerrero

Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero

Rey Mysterio vs. Jamie Noble

 

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Check out a full/organized list of all the wrestling show reviews I’ve done at 411mania.

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

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