The Real Reason Rey Mysterio Returned With His Mask in WWE
Rey Mysterio’s mask is a big part of who he is. Fans know him because of it. Today, it is hard to think of him without his mask. But there was a time when Rey was going to debut in WWE without wearing one. He said this himself. At the last moment, Vince McMahon told him to bring the mask back. That one decision changed everything and made Rey’s mask a symbol around the world.
Rey Mysterio was going to debut in WWE without the mask
After WCW shut down, Rey Mysterio was about to join WWE. At that time, he had been wrestling without his mask for two years. In 1999, he had to remove his mask after losing a match to nWo in WCW. So before entering WWE, Rey thought he would continue without it.
Rey shared that while getting ready for his debut, he was only thinking about what gear to wear in the ring. He never thought he would need a mask. But just a few days before his first match, WWE called and asked,
“What mask will you wear?”
Rey was confused. He said,
“What mask? I have been wrestling without it for two years.”
WWE replied,
“Vince McMahon wants you to come in with the mask.”
This was surprising for Rey because no one had told him this earlier.
Rey returned with the mask, breaking the Lucha Libre rule
In Lucha Libre wrestling in Mexico, there is a rule. If a wrestler loses his mask, he cannot come back with the same name and same mask. He must either stay unmasked or return with a new name. But Rey did something different.
He said that it was not normal to wear the same mask again after losing it. But when Vince asked him to wear it, Rey brought it back and made it something special.
He said,
“People usually recognize you once you lose the mask. But I came back with the same name and same mask. People found it different and cool. I am proud of that moment.”
That is why the answer to Why Rey Mysterio wear mask is that his return with the mask was not planned by him, but it became the most important part of his image.
Rey was ready for WrestleMania 41, but an injury stopped him
On April 18, 2025, Rey Mysterio was in a six-man tag team match with Rey Fenix and Dragon Lee against American Made. In this match, he got a groin injury and also hurt his eardrum.
This episode of SmackDown was the final show before WrestleMania 41. Rey was supposed to face El Grande Americano. The plan was for Rey to teach him a lesson for disrespecting Lucha Libre. But after the injury, Rey had to stay off TV.
Since then, he has made only one appearance on June 7, 2025. He opened the AAA X WWE Worlds Collide 2025 event that happened at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Conclusion
Rey Mysterio’s mask became the most important part of his wrestling story. The answer to Why Rey Mysterio wear mask is not just about tradition. It was a turning point that happened because of Vince McMahon’s decision. Every time Rey steps in the ring now, the mask is with him. It shows his journey, his culture, and the identity that fans cannot separate from him.
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