10 Reasons WWE Will NEVER Be Able To Replace Rey Mysterio

A living legend of both lucha libre and American pro wrestling, there will only be one Rey Mysterio.

News has recently surfaced that 20-plus year wrestling veteran Rey Mysterio has been released from WWE, ending his 13-year run with the company. Maybe moreso than any other wrestler the company has ever employed, losing the Mexican living legend may be as important as if, say, WWE released The Undertaker. If that statement seems bold to you, pause and consider that it may actually not be at all. WWE's employed luchadores before. Dating back to getting scheduled dates from Mil Mascaras in the WWF to having Eddie Guerrero, Psicosis, Ultimo Dragon, Juventud Guerrera and Super Crazy in the company, lucha megastars have all had runs "up north." However, how many of them ever became iconic performers and pop cultural names able to become World Heavyweight Champion? Rey's a once-in-a-lifetime performer. From his size to his charisma to the groundbreaking nature of his maneuvers and more, he uniquely filled the expectation of what a superhero could be for WWE's youth demographic, yet at the same time was cool enough for teenagers and adults to appreciate him, too. Could Rey Mysterio have been a part of WWE's sudden (and awesome) youth movement? Of course. Moreso than anything else, Rey's greatest impact in WWE has everything to do with the company's future than its present. In performers like Kalisto and Kenta, Rey's legacy is preserved, and it would've been wonderful to see him pass it down. Though WWE's trying they'll NEVER replace Rey Mysterio. Here's why...
Contributor
Contributor

Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.