By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Good Karma Wrestling with guest Rey Mysterio
Hosts: ESPN Chicago’s Jonathan Hood, ESPN Milwaukee’s Gabe Neitzel, and ESPN West Palm’s Brian Rowitz
Twitter: @gkw_wrestling
Interview available at YouTube.com (interview starts at 11:51)
On seeing how his style has impacted current day pro wrestling: “It’s awesome, it’s really awesome. To be able to say I was one of the pioneers that kind of opened up in a way, that style of wrestling. Very thankful for guys like the Kevin Nashs and Scott Halls, that I was able to work with in WCW that gave me the opportunity for people to believe in smaller guys. Not only because of my style but because of my height, I broke that stereotypical type of what a wrestler should look like. I don’t think anybody else in that that time was given the opportunity. So, the fact that I was Hispanic, the fact that I was wearing a mask and the fact that I was doing the style of wrestling that I have been doing for the past 34 years, piled into one, was incredible man. To see now the young bloods that are putting in the work. I see Ricochet and I go “Oh My God, I thought I was pretty good at what I do” and he does things that are incredible.”
Whether he ever imagined he would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame: “No, obviously it’s a desire that one eventually wants to be a part of. Hoping that you did enough to have the honor to be inducted. I’ve always thought it would be really cool if one day, just one day after I retire that I would get to be a part of the legends that paved the way for us. Here we are, days away while still being active. It’s shocking. It’s mind boggling and it’s so surreal that it hasn’t hit me yet and I don’t think it will. I think it will take some time, maybe even until after I retire, it will really hit me. Because I’m still ongoing. But it’s an incredible, incredible honor for me. It’s one of those final treasures that you’re seeking.”
How he overcame the change of having to unmask in WCW: “The fact that when I signed with WWE, they wanted the Rey Mysterio with the mask. Of course, I understood that was for marketing purposes but at the same time I was like ‘yes, I’m coming back with the mask.’ I didn’t even think it was possible. That gave Rey Mysterio a rebirth. During the time in WCW when I lost the mask, I honestly believed that if I wouldn’t have lost the mask, the giant killer wouldn’t have been born. I probably wouldn’t have faced the Scott Nortons, the Bam Bam Bigelows or the Kevin Nashs. That was kind of my breakthrough to be the underdog in the fight against the giants. I think that kind of maybe, I could be wrong, opened up the vision in Vince’s or WWE’s eyes to say, ‘we can do something with Rey over here.’ There was no talent my size that were given opportunities like the ones that they’ve given me over the last twenty years.”
Rey also mentions Ricochet, Dragon Lee, Angel Garza, and Santos Escobar are among some of the young talent that is hungry and looking for the opportunity to make a big break.
It’s so cool how this weekend was so built for Mysterio. Seems like the first time since his return that he’s been treated like a true legend. Getting to work with his family at Wrestlemania, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame by Konnan, wrestling his son who is super over and has to make him so proud. So cool for him, has to have been one of the most special weekends of his professional career