Rey Mysterio’s legacy is that he’s one of the greatest professional wrestlers in history. There are few that don’t agree with that. He started when professional wrestling was the land of the giants. He worked his way up, chopping through the redwoods as he made history as not only a multiple time champion, but as a hero to many as he became a fan favorite to the level few have enjoyed.
Along the way, he’s become renown in other promotions aside from the WWE, plying his craft on the Indie circuit like Lucha Underground and others. Where he goes, success and swollen bank accounts follow, as do excited fans as they shower him with appreciation for his efforts.
Lost comrades
It’s easy to think of Rey Mysterio’s legacy and forget about others that spent a great deal of time with him, both as friends and working.
In his case, he once mentioned in a Sports Illustrated article how professional wrestling is both a blessing and a curse. In the world of professional wrestling, we get to see glimpses of their personalities. Those glimpses are what continue to pull us in, whether they’re playful or in your face.
While the death of Perro Aguayo was the subject of that Sports Illustrated article and the wrestling community in general, it was a reminder at how fast things can change.
In Rey Mysterio’s own words, Perro Aguayo was the greatest Mexican wrestler ever, and it was a tragedy that left Rey Mysterio and others shaken.
Being shaken was never truer than when the news of Eddie Guerrero’s passing shook the wrestling world in 2005. Like Perro Aguayo, Eddie Guerrero was in his thirties when he passed, but he died from heart failure due to underlying atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This news was no less tragic than Perro Aguayo, but the influence Eddie Guerrero had on Rey Mysterio’s legacy may be greater than anyone else.
Despite all the hype they spew in their promos, no professional wrestler makes it on their own. For those of us lucky enough to see the many classic matches between Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero, there’s few pairings that were more entertaining whether they wee in WCW or WWE. For those that missed those moment, there are clips or whole matches online to peruse. Trust me, you’ll spend hours marveling at their chemistry and athleticism on the WWE network.
Overall, that seems like a legacy anyone would be proud of, but there’s one final piece.
Rey Mysterio has been wrestling since the late ‘80s, and he may be nearing the end of his competitive days. While it’ll be hard to see him go, not even he can ignore the passing of years. In that, he’s waiting for the last piece of his legacy to take place.
Dominic Mysterio has been training to step into a WWE ring, and he’s expected to make his debut sometime in 2020. He would’ve been in the ring already, but rumor has it that WWE executives didn’t think he was ready yet. Still, better late and safe than never, right?
Rey Mysterio passing the torch was added to the storyline when Dominic talked his father out of retirement, using his desire to debut with Rey Mysterio as leverage.
Is this how it’s going to play out in real life, with Rey Mysterio really retiring?
Maybe, maybe not. Only Rey Mysterio knows for sure.
