Rey Mysterio (Smackdown)

Intercontinental Champion

June 28, 2009

Rey Mysterio won the Intercontinental Championship - and saved his mask - when he defeated Chris Jericho in a mask vs. title match at The Bash.

Exploding onto the sports-entertainment scene in the mid 1990s, the colorfully masked Rey Mysterio quickly redefined the way the game was played in the ring. From his awe-inspiring West Coast Pop to his trademark 619, Mysterio is on the cutting edge of wrestling excellence. The definitive high-flying Superstar, Mysterio, despite his size, is an innovative underdog that fans of all ages have grown to respect and love.

Rey's impressive Championship resume ranks up there with the all-time greats. His World Championship reign complimented eight Cruiserweight Championships, four WWE Tag Team Championships and one Royal Rumble win.

Becoming a World Champion is something he aspired to do all his life. While growing up in San Diego, Rey Mysterio always wanted to be a wrestling Superstar. As a young teenager, he followed his dreams by training in the unpredictable and high-flying Mexican Lucha Libre style of wrestling. His training and early career in Tijuana, Mexico led him to an even bigger stage - first in ECW and then WCW where he revolutionized the fast, high-impact style you now associate with the master of the 619.

Rey had several memorable matches in his short time with ECW, but his first national exposure came in WCW, where he debuted in early 1996. It didn't take long for Mysterio to make his mark in WCW, as he defeated Dean Malenko in July '96 to capture the first of his eight Cruiserweight Championships.

Rey had many memorable rivalries while in WCW, including ones with Ultimo Dragon, Malenko, Billy Kidman, Psicosis, Juventud, and Kevin Nash. He also recorded the first chapters of storied rivalries which would surface later in his career with future WWE Superstars like Eddie Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero, and Chris Jericho. Mysterio remained with WCW until the company was purchased by WWE in 2001.

Upon his WWE debut in 2002, Rey joined the SmackDown roster and immediately began a rivalry with Kurt Angle. The two battled for several months, eventually taking on partners in their war as Rey & Edge defeated Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship on a November edition of SmackDown.

Rey's next big rivalry was with Matt Hardy over the Cruiserweight Championship. The two battled throughout the Spring of 2003 and wrestled an exciting match at WrestleMania 19. The rivalry reached its peak in June 2003 when Rey beat Hardy for the Cruiserweight Championship on Smackdown.

That same Cruiserweight Championship was the focal point of a long series of battles between Mysterio and Tajiri throughout the second half of 2003. The two exchanged the Championship on multiple occasions before Rey took it for good on a January 2004 edition of SmackDown.

Rey's next challenger for the Cruiserweight Championship was Jamie Noble. Unfortunately for Noble, Rey was able to successfully defend his Championship on each occasion, culminating in another exciting Mysterio victory at the Royal Rumble.

In the Spring of 2004, Rey participated in WrestleMania 20. Madison Square Garden played host to the Cruiserweight Championship Open. Rey fell short as Chavo Guerrero successfully defended his Championship, but the groundwork was laid for Rey's next rivalry.

The rivalry with Chavo Guerrero Jr. consumed the middle months of 2004, as the two battled frequently on SmackDown. The rivalry even saw the appearance of Chavo father, Chavo Classic. A freak occurrence in a handicap match saw Chavo Classic accidentally win the Cruiserweight Championship from his son, only to lose it to Rey Mysterio shortly thereafter. The victory marked Rey's eigth Cruiserweight Championship.

The end of 2004 saw Rey turn his attention to the tag team ranks. Mysterio and his tag team partner Rob Van Dam challenged Renee Dupree and Kenzo Suzuki for the World Tag Team Championships. A late December edition of SmackDown saw Mysterio and RVD capture the Championships and then successfully defend it in a rematch at Armageddon.
The beginning of 2005 saw the start of one of more popular rivalries of the year. Only, it didn't begin as a rivalry. Rey Mysterio and the late, great Eddie Guerrero successfully captured the WWE Tag Team Championship by defeating the Bashams at No Way Out.

The duo defended their Championship successfully through the months leading up to WrestleMania 21. Rey and Eddie split up for one night only at WrestleMania, as they competed against each other in singles action in what was the first ever matchup of Tag Team Champions. Rey won a hard fought contest in which both competitors pulled out all the stops.

The following months exposed the rift between the tag team partners. Rey and Eddie lost their WWE Tag Team Championship to MNM in April 2005. A frustrated Eddie blamed Rey for the loss, and the partners-turned-enemies embarked on the rivalry which took them through the summer, and left an indelible mark on SmackDown. Mysterio won every battle including memorable matches at Judgment Day, The Great American Bash, and a Ladder Match at Summerslam. The Ladder Match was for custody of Rey's son Dominick after Eddie had revealed to the world that he was, in fact, Dominick's father. After months and months of trying, Eddie finally got a win over Rey in a cage match on a September edition of SmackDown.

After an emotional series with Eddie Guerrero, Rey turned his attention towards defending the honor of his home show, SmackDown. At Survivor Series, SmackDown and RAW met in a 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match. With Rey's help, SmackDown came out victorious over RAW, claiming immediate bragging rights between the shows for the year to come.

After Survivor Series, the rivalry with RAW continued for Rey Mysterio as he became the subject of the RAW Tag Team Champions, Kane and Big Show's frustration. Smackdown's World Heavyweight Champion, Batista, came to Rey's rescue, and a match was made between the teams for Armageddon. Just days before on SmackDown, Rey and Batista beat MNM for the WWE Tag Team Championship, making the match at Armageddon a battle of Tag Champions. After falling short at Armageddon, Rey and Batista lost the Championship back to MNM on SmackDown.

The tragic loss of his good friend Eddie Guerrero shortly before Survivor Series seemed to put Rey's focus in a different direction. After Armageddon, Rey decided to pursue a lifelong goal, to win the World Heavyweight Championship, and do it in Eddie's honor. Rey's first crack at the Championship came on SmackDown in a 20 Man Battle Royal for Batista's vacated World Heavyweight Championship. Rey lasted to the final three men, only to be eliminated by Mark Henry.

Kurt Angle would go on to claim the World Heavyweight Championship, leaving Rey just short of his dream.

Rey's next chance to fight for the World Heavyweight Championship came at the Royal Rumble. His goal was the same, to honor his fallen friend by winning the Rumble, and going on to headline WrestleMania 22, just like Eddie had done two years earlier. However, Rey learned early on that it wouldn't be easy as he drew the No. 2, and was forced to start the match against Triple H. Rey would not be deterred, as he courageously defied the odds, winning the Royal Rumble, and in the process, setting a Rumble record for longest time in the ring at well over one hour.

At WrestleMania 22, Rey Mysterio showed the world that dreams really do come true. Coming into the event, no one thought he could walk out of Chicago as the World Heavyweight Champion. Mysterio was no stranger to playing the role of the underdog, so he was right at home when he faced Kurt Angle and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Rey was overpowered early in the match, but he showed persistence and fought back. Mysterio utilized his unique blend of quickness and agility as he soared through the air hitting the Legend Killer with a West Coast Pop into a pinning combination. Just like that, the undersized Mysterio was the World Champion.

As World Champion, Rey Mysterio went through hell and back, and somehow, the biggest underdog Champion in sports-entertainment history endured beatings from Kane, Mark Henry, The Great Khali, Finlay, Kurt Angle and JBL.

Rey Mysterio's dream came to an abrupt end at The Great American Bash as Rey's close friend, Chavo Guerrero, cost Mysterio his livelihood: the World Championship. Seemingly about to strike Rey's opponent, King Booker, with a chair, Chavo swung at Rey and laid out the Champion for Booker to get the win and steal the World Championship. Not only did Mysterio lose his very precious World Championship, but he also lost his closest ally in Chavo Guerrero.

Rey is currently recuperating from a biceps injury at the hands of Big Show.