Rey Mysterio had to prove people wrong long before he became one of the most influential names in wrestling history. The WWE Hall of Famer built his career around overcoming doubts about his size, and he recently recalled one major moment where that doubt was right in front of him.
During his appearance on The Later Run, Mysterio looked back on his first trip to Japan in 1995 for WAR. The discussion came up while he was talking about international competition and how wrestling had its own version of a World Cup-style tournament through the Super J Cup.
Mysterio explained that the tournament featured some of the best junior heavyweights in the world, including names like Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho. However, when the promoter first saw him, he wasn’t sure fans would believe Rey belonged in the ring. Mysterio said the promoter doubted him immediately because of his size.
“So my first trip to Japan in 95 at the time was for a company by the name of WAR. And they would host this tournament. It was called the Super J Cup. It was all the junior weights around the world competing for that coveted prize. That’s a very similar relationship to a World Cup, you know, and you had some of the best wrestlers on there. Eddie Guerrero was on it. Chris Jericho was on it.”
He then explained how that opportunity turned into a test for him.
“Overall, that brings me to that thought of that’s representing. Which is incredible because at the time that was my first trip to Japan and the promoter, the owner of the company said, ‘He’s too small.’ I was invited to see if I would be part of — be integrated into that J Cup.”
Mysterio said things got even more direct once they saw him in person.
“When they saw me, they were like, ‘He’s too small. They won’t believe he’s a wrestler.’”
Instead of being fully added into the tournament picture, Mysterio said he was placed on the card in a special match. That gave him the chance to show exactly why judging him by size was a mistake.
“So they added me to the card, but it was like a special match. Right after my match, the promoter said, ‘When can we have him again? I’m going to bring him back.’”
That reaction ended up saying everything. Mysterio walked into the situation being doubted, but once he performed, the same promoter who questioned him wanted him back.
That moment fits perfectly with the rest of Rey Mysterio’s career. He was never the biggest man in the ring, but he turned his speed, creativity, timing, and lucha libre style into a career that changed wrestling forever. From Japan to WCW to WWE, Rey kept forcing people to rethink what a top star could look like..
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
What do you think about Rey Mysterio being doubted early in his career because of his size? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
