Rey Mysterio Discusses WWE Restoring His Mask Gimmick in 2002

– During a recent appearance on No-Contest Wrestling, WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio discussed transitioning to WWE in 2002 and coming back wearing his iconic mask even though he was previously unmasked in WCW in 1999 and had been wrestling for two years without the mask. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Rey Mysterio on thinking he would wrestle maskless in WWE: “When the company closed down and WWE picked me up, I’m thinking in my head – ’cause I was already wrestling for two years without the mask — I’m thinking, ‘Okay, I got to figure out what gear I’m going to bring to WWE.”

On WWE wanting him to use the mask again: “Maybe a couple of days before my debut, they were like, ‘What mask are you wearing?’ The office did. I’m like, ‘What do you mean, what mask? I’ve been wrestling without a mask.’ [WWE said] ‘Oh, no, no, Vince wants you to come back with the mask. I was like, ‘Nobody told me anything.'”

On bein gproud of that moment: “That was kind of at the time a trendsetter because anyone that lost their mask in Lucha Libre, that’s it. They know who you are, you can come back maybe a year later with a different name, [and] mask. Nobody will know who you are. But for me to have lost it, come back with the same name and wear the mask, it became something cool, something new. And I’m kind of proud of that moment.”

As previously noted, Mysterio is currently out of action and recovering from a torn groin injury he suffered during his match on SmackDown before WrestleMania 41. The 50-year-old Hall of Famer hopes to be ready to return to the ring by August of this year.