12 Signings That Changed The Wrestling World

8. Rey Mysterio (To WWE)

That jump to WCW may have led to Rey Mysterio Jr. becoming recognised as one of the most intoxicating high flyers on the planet, but it was his signing with WWE in 2002 which really turned 'The Master of the 619' into the face of lucha libre worldwide.

Fully leaning into his soon-to-be iconic mask when it came to promoting the cruiserweight king, it wasn't long before folks could be seen sporting their own versions of that unmistakable headwear in the crowd as the outrageously smooth and daring wrestler's popularity grew.

'Rey-Rey' smashed through the glass ceiling often placed above smaller guys in the business under the WWE banner, eventually convincing big muscle lover Vince McMahon to put the World Heavyweight Championship on him at WrestleMania 22. Sure, the run that followed may not have been as satisfying as that night in Chicago, but 'The Ultimate Underdog' still proved that you didn't have to look or move like your average bodybuilder main eventer to lift the big one.

And it was that uplifting and never-dull rise to the very top after signing that WWE contract in 2002 which notably inspired the likes of Will Ospreay (as seen at 3:16:50 in the WCPW video below) and Ricochet to follow in his footsteps in the years to come, with Mysterio's influence being felt in just about every promotion on planet earth today.