7 Times Vince McMahon Wrongly Thought His Top WWE Stars Were Finished

5. Rey Mysterio

Eyebrows were raised when Rey Mysterio signed with WWE in early 2002. At just over five-and-a-half feet tall, weighing less than 200lbs and favouring an atypical WWE style, some expected him to at best fail and at worst be back working the indies within a year. Rey proved the doubters wrong by not only having a great career but also becoming a huge star. A lot of it was down to his marketability, thanks in large part to his mask, along with his undoubted ability to perform in the ring. When wrestling historians look back on the industry in twenty years time, it's hard to see how Rey wouldn't be regarded as one of the greatest ever. Mysteiro was a midcarder up until the death of his close friend Eddie Guerrero opened up a spot for him at the top of the card. Rey was a major draw in burgeoning hispanic markets, forcing Vince McMahon to put the World Heavyweight Title on him. Although his major title reigns were short, Rey could always be relied on to deliver in a main event setting. However, all those years of dives and springboards eroded Rey's already knackered knees. The masked man had to alter his style but remained a top notch performer. In Vince McMahon's eyes, however, he was damaged goods and a poor investment. Rey was deemed to be past-his-peak and WWE would only use him in a severely reduced role, teaming with the likes of Sin Cara on the undercard. Rey officially left WWE this year, after a protracted legal battle, and is a hot ticket in Mexico and on the indies. He's making more money as a freelancer than he was in his last few years in WWE. There are rumblings that Luch Underground and TNA both want to sign the 619 master to lucrative contracts and build their respective brands around him, proving that he's anything but finished and that WWE and Vince McMahon probably could have used him a lot better during his last few years in the company.