10 Most Shocking Wrestling Unmaskings

WCW's Cruiserweight Division was one of the most critically-acclaimed aspects of the product, with men like Dean Malenko, Ultimo Dragon, Juventud Guerrera, Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Jericho carrying the in-ring portion of the company's output during the Monday Night Wars. Still, the most popular cruiserweight star the company had was Rey Mysterio, Jr., a young high-flyer whose aerial arsenal defied belief.

Mysterio, who was trained by his uncle, the original Rey Mysterio, wore an iconic mask that he kept on during his time in Mexico, ECW, and WCW. Despite the fact that the mask made him a more marketable star, especially to children, Eric Bischoff wanted Mysterio and his fellow luchadors unmasked. Mysterio objected, but ultimately had no choice but to follow his boss's orders.

At Superbrawl IX, Mysterio and Konnan took on The Outsiders with Rey's mask and Elizabeth's hair on the line. When The Outsiders won, Mysterio was forced to take off his mask, exposing his face for the first time in his career.

WCW briefly pushed Mysterio as a giant killer, having him score singles wins over the likes of Scott Norton, Bam Bam Bigelow, and even Nash, but it ultimately did little for his career. Mysterio stayed a cruiserweight star in a dying WCW until the league went out of business. When he came to WWE in 2002, he had his mask back. He immediately became a superstar, and would later win the World Heavyweight Championship.