Rey Mysterio Reveals Who Created His Iconic WWE Entrance

Want to know who to thank for Rey Mysterio's 'pop-up' entrance? THIS GUY.

Dean Malenko
WWE.com

Take a bow, Dean Malenko.

Rey Mysterio has revealed, via an interview with WWE's 'The Bump', that ex-WCW favourite Dean was the man who invented his flashy 'pop-up' entrance back in 2002. Former four-time Cruiserweight Champ and current AEW producer Malenko spoke up during meetings before Rey's company debut.

Vince McMahon and other members of WWE's creative team wanted to do something special for Mysterio, but they had no clue how to make his entrance stand out. It was Dean who suggested that they encapsulate his high-flying style by letting the promotion's hardcore fanbase know exactly what they were about to bell-to-bell.

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That. Is. Genius.

The best wrestling entrances around set the tone for what's to come. For example, The Undertaker's slow walk and mannerisms complemented his original in-ring style. Malenko figured that leaning on Rey's ability to fly around the place would be a great idea, and he was right.

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Mysterio is thankful to Dean for speaking up in the first place and giving him one of the most eye-popping visuals on WWE programming before he'd even established himself as one of the most exciting performers on the roster.

What a story.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.