Background and career
Óscar Gutiérrez Rubio (born December 11, 1974), better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is also the on-screen general manager of Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). Widely regarded as both one of the greatest luchadors and cruiserweight wrestlers of all time, Mysterio is an inductee of the AAA Hall of Fame, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and WWE Hall of Fame. The nephew and trainee of Rey Misterio, Mysterio began wrestling on the independent circuit in 1989 at the age of 14 before joining Asistencia Asesoría y Administración in 1992. After brief stints with Extreme Championship Wrestling and Wrestle Association R, Mysterio signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1996. In WCW, Mysterio helped popularize lucha libre in the United States, which led to the rise of cruiserweight wrestling divisions, winning the WCW Cruiserweight Championship five times; the WCW World Tag Team Championship three times; and the WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship once. He lost his mask in a Lucha de Apuestas against Kevin Nash, working unmasked until 2002. Following the closure of WCW in 2001, Mysterio wrestled for promotions including Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, the World Wrestling Council, and the X Wrestling Federation before joining World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002, where he resumed wearing a mask. He stayed with WWE until 2015, winning the World Heavyweight Championship twice, the WWE Championship once, the WWE Cruiserweight Championship three times, the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice, the WWE United States Championship three times, and the WWE Tag Team Championship four times, as well as winning the 2006 Royal Rumble. Mysterio departed WWE in 2015, appearing in promotions including New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Lucha Underground, and Asistencia Asesoría y Administración. He returned to WWE in 2018, joined by his son Dominik.
Óscar Gutiérrez was born on December 11, 1974, in Chula Vista, California, a suburb of San Diego. His parents are Mexican nationals Maria del Rosario and Roberto Gutierrez (1948–2024), both from very poor, uneducated backgrounds; Maria was a house cleaner and Roberto was a factory worker. Gutiérrez spent his childhood crossing the border from Tijuana to San Diego each day for school. He dropped out of high school with his parents' approval. He has three brothers.
Gutiérrez made his debut in Mexico on April 30, 1989, when he was 14 years old. He was trained by his uncle Rey Misterio and wrestled early on in Mexico, where he learned the Lucha Libre high flying style that has been his trademark. He had ring names such as "La Lagartija Verde" ("the Green Lizard") and "Colibrí" ("Hummingbird") before his uncle gave him the name of "Rey Misterio Jr." In 1991, while wrestling in Mexico as Colibrí, Mysterio was named "Most Improved Wrestler".
Misterio Jr. began wrestling regularly for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), one of Mexico's largest promotions, in mid-1992. In August 1992, he defeated Mr. Cóndor in a mask versus mask match in Acapulco. In October 1992, he defeated Rocco Valente in a mask versus hair match in Tampico. In November 1992, he defeated Tony Arce in a mask versus hair match in Acapulco. In October 1992, Misterio Jr. defeated Fantasma de la Quebrada in Aguascalientes to win the Mexican National Welterweight Championship. His reign lasted until February 1993, when he lost to Heavy Metal in Mexico City. In April 1993 at the inaugural Triplemanía in Mexico City's Plaza de Toros México, Misterio Jr. teamed with Misterioso and Volador to defeat Los Destructores. In May 1993, Misterio Jr. defeated Bandido in a mask versus mask match in Querétaro City. In September 1993, he defeated Vulcano in a mask versus hair match in Monterrey. In January 1994, Misterio Jr. teamed with Winners to win a "young stars" tag team tournament, defeating Marabunta and Reptil in the finals. In April 1994 at Triplemanía II-A in Aguscalientes, Misterio Jr. teamed with his uncle, Rey Misterio, and Winners to defeat Los Destructores. In May 1994 at Triplemanía II-B in Zapopan, Misterio Jr., his uncle, and Volador lost to Fuerza Guerrera, his son Juventud Guerrera, and Misterioso. Later that month at Triplemanía II-C in the Plaza Monumental de Tijuana, Misterio Jr. teamed with his uncle and El Torero to defeat Fishman, Fuerza Guerrera, and Pirata Morgan. In November 1994, Misterio Jr. participated in When Worlds Collide, a pay-per-view co-promoted by AAA and the American promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in the United States, teaming with Heavy Metal and Latin Lover in a loss to Fuerza Guerrera, Madonna's Boyfriend, and Psicosis; he later credited the event as the reason WCW noticed him. In early 1995, Misterio Jr. and his uncle were recognized as WWA Tag Team Champions; their reign ended in March 1995 when they lost to the father-son duo of Fuerza Guerrera and Juventud Guerrera in Xalapa. In April 1995, Misterio Jr. teamed with Octagón and Super Muñeco to win the Mexican National Trios Championship in Mexico City. Their reign lasted until July 1995, when they lost to Blue Panther, Fuerza Guerrera, and Psicosis in Monterrey. In June 1995 at Triplemanía III-B in Tonalá, Jalisco, Misterio Jr. teamed with El Hijo del Santo, Octagón, and La Parka to defeat Blue Panther, Fuerza Guerrera, Pentagón, and Psicosis. Later that month at Triplemanía III-C in Ciudad Madero, Misterio Jr., El Hijo del Santo, and Octagón defeated Blue Panther, Fuerza Guerrera, and Psicosis. In May 1996, Misterio Jr. was unable to wrestle at Triplemanía IV-A due to it coinciding with his wedding; his best man, Psicosis, also missed the show. In June 1996 at the World Wrestling Peace Festival in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in the United States, Misterio Jr. teamed with Último Dragón to defeat Heavy Metal and Psicosis. Later that month at Triplemanía IV-B in Orizaba, Misterio Jr. teamed with Oro Jr., Super Caló, and Winners to defeat Halloween, Kraken, Mosco de la Merced, and Perro Silva. In July 1996 at Triplemanía IV-C in Ciudad Madero, Misterio Jr. faced Juventud Guerrera in a "winner gets the loser's car" match, with Misterio Jr. defeating Guerrera following assistance from Konnan. Misterio Jr. ceased appearing regularly in AAA in October 1996, several months after signing with World Championship Wrestling.
Misterio Jr. debuted in Paul Heyman's Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) promotion in 1995. He debuted on September 16, 1995, at Gangstas Paradise, defeating Psicosis, who was also making his ECW debut. A feud between the two began, which included a two out of three falls match at South Philly Jam and a Mexican death match at November to Remember. Misterio Jr. went on to have a series of matches with ECW newcomer Juventud Guerrera during early 1996. At Big Apple Blizzard Blast in February 1996, he successfully defended his WWA Welterweight Championship against Guerrera. He wrestled his final bout for ECW at Big Ass Extreme Bash in March 1996, defeating Guerrera.
Misterio Jr. made his first appearance in Japan on December 13, 1995, as part of Genichiro Tenryu's Wrestle Association-R (WAR) promotion, losing to Psicosis in a bout in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo as part of the Super J-Cup show. He returned to WAR in April 1996, teaming with Último Dragón to face other cruiserweight wrestlers including Psicosis, Damián 666, Lion Do, and Yuji Yasuraoka in a series of tag team matches. In July 1996 at WAR's 4th Anniversary Show, Misterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera for the WWA World Welterweight Championship. (His reign lasted until February 1997, when he lost to El Hijo del Santo in a match promoted by Promo Azteca.) Misterio Jr. made his final appearance with WAR in December 1996 at "Ryōgoku Crush Night!", unsuccessfully challenging Último Dragón for the J-Crown.
