8 Things You Didn't Know About Rey Mysterio

2. He Refused To Lose To Dolph Ziggler

With a number of debilitating injuries requiring major surgery under his belt (quite literally in the case of his recurring knee problems) it seemed to many that Rey Mysterio was getting ready to hang up his mask by 2009. Yet 'the Ultimate Underdog' defied all medical logic, and not only resumed his in-ring career, but continued to excel as one of the best in the business.

Rey claimed the Intercontinental Title with an emphatic, 21 second victory over JBL at WrestleMania XXV, after which he entered into a feud with Chris Jericho. The pair traded the title back and forth, as any doubts over Mysterio's continuing contribution to the business crumbled like his supposedly broken-down body.

After his blistering turn with Y2J, it was time for Rey to give the rub to the nascent Dolph Ziggler by dropping the strap at Night of Champions. One snag: the champ refused to lose. It was an unusual situation; Rey, a consummate professional, was not known for being bullish with his booking. However, he simply felt the time wasn't right for the Spirit Squad's Nicky, and had been promised a long reign with the strap. He did drop the strap to John Morrison a month later, however.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.