WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio recently spoke with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri for an in-depth interview covering all things pro wrestling. During the discussion, Mysterio commented on the stretcher spot with Big Show at Backlash 2003:
“I remember we had gone over it and that was the plan. When I was strapped onto the stretcher, everything seemed cool. I said ‘How much can it hurt? The stretcher is hitting first and I’m attached to it, so I won’t feel it.’ Well, we never thought about what happens when you hit. Because of the weight, there was no way Big Show could hit the pole and hold onto me. So that whole weight and the momentum, as soon as we hit, I went straight down. As I was strapped onto the stretcher, my head went ‘boop’ and I hit first. That hurt. That in itself hurt very much.”
On wrestling CM Punk and Eddie Guerrero in triple threat in 2002:
“Eddie during that time was away from WWE and was getting ready to return to WWE. It was my first time meeting and working with Punk. Overall, there was a connection. An immediate connection. We were all on the same page. We wanted to have a good match and we wanted to put it out there. I never would have thought that Punk was going to end up in WWE after some time. Obviously, that’s our goal. So it was stupid of me not to think it could happen one day. But overall, I was getting ready to sign with WWE. I signed some short months after. When you put a match together and we’re all in that spirit of working and putting on a good show for the fans, that’s when things come out to a tee. That was that style of match. I very much enjoyed working with Punk. Obviously, with Eddie I’ve always enjoyed being in the ring with him. To be able to pull off some of the moves we did that night, especially being the first time working with Punk and him being there, everything was on point that night. I enjoyed that night very much and, every now and then, I go back and revisit that match.”
On Eddie Guerrero’s persisting legacy:
“I feel an enormous amount of pride. To a certain degree, I feel I need to do that representation as well. The bond that Eddie and I had, that connection, was incredible. It was beautiful. Not only in the ring but outside of the ring. I have to say it was probably even deeper outside of the ring. The knowledge I received from him was enormous and beautiful. I feel a large amount of pride every time the fans yell out the “Eddie” chant or “Viva La Raza.” It’s beautiful to know that his presence is still around and will be around until wrestling dies. Which will be never.”
Why he took his mask off when giving speech after Eddie’s passing:
“The mask in lucha libre is very sacred. It’s something that we protect and we cherish. Especially when it’s within generations of a family. When it’s generational and you’re carrying the name of your father or someone who came before you — in my case Rey Mysterio Sr. and Rey Mysterio Jr. — you even protect it with your life pretty much. I remember during that incident, I wanted the fans to hear Rey Mysterio but I also wanted them, in a way, to know who was behind the mask and the feelings I felt. Because the connection that I felt with Eddie in the ring was beautiful, incredible. But the connection we had outside of the ring was even deeper.
On what Eddie Guerrero would say about Dominik Mysterio’s run:
“I have to say this and my wife is going to kill me, but I’ve told her several times, ‘Did you cheat on me with Eddie? Because Dom — I don’t know.’ And she says, ‘Yeah, and I never told me!’ I yell, ‘No!’ I truly believe that Eddie is getting a kick out of this and, to a certain degree, Eddie has been in Dominik’s corner from the beginning. It’s very special and it’s very sentimental to see my son’s growth and to see every now and then a little Eddie-ish in his character and his development and the way he carries himself. To a large degree, there is a lot of pride when I see him and it reminds me so much of moments that I lived with Eddie myself watching him work. There is no comparison in the work, I’m just talking about little things that he does that is so Eddie-ish. It can be as simple as the mullet. Sometimes when I see pictures of them, it’s just scary.”
On the early critics of Dominik’s run with Rey:
“I told my son this before he even started wrestling. Not even just me, I know one of his trainer’s Lance Storm, when he was up in Canada training, he told him as well. ‘There will be a lot of comparisons made between you and your father. You let them come in one ear and out the other. You stick to your path and you stick to your goals. You do what you believe is the best thing for you. Take advice, at the end of the day, you dissect the advice and figure it out.’ So I’ve never paid attention to negativity in my career or my life. I’ve always pushed that aside or shaken it off. I do remember telling Dom a couple of times, ‘Hey, just keep going. Keep going and doing what you feel is right.’ Obviously, when he joined the Judgement Day, a lot of the advice was no longer coming from me. We were separate and he was doing his thing. I think that was probably the best thing that could have happened. He didn’t have his dad yapping in his ear telling him ‘try this’ or ‘try that.’ He was figuring it out on his own, which is what should be done. When you let your kids off the leash and they’re taking off, you expect them to find growth and figure it out. I think Dom, in a way, the people who surround you make a huge impact on your life. He’s surrounded by great people. Finn, Damian and the people he was working as well. Usos, Roman and Edge. All these people gave him advice. He was able to take the right ones and ignore the negativity that was bringing brought up.”
On who should retire him, if not Dominik:
“Obviously, the perfect scenario is that Dom would be the right person. And not necessarily to retire me but put what matters most to be on the line and that’s my mask. It’s something I’d be willing to do. If I had to pick another opponent, I truly believe that because we tapped into our roots, Santos Escobar is someone I would most definitely like to face.”
What will spur him to retire if the jitters never go away?:
“I think the only factor would be — and I said this at my Hall of Fame speech — repaying my wife for all those years that she had to sit at home on her own and look out for the kids. Take them to school, take them to football practice and cheerleading. To make up for all that lost time which you can’t get back. The only thing you can do is repay with extra time.”
Talks about the pull-up shelf botch:
I’m waiting to hear the line. Once I know I have to come in, I’m just in full concentration. But I’m pulling and listening and suddenly, ‘Crack!’ and down I go. It was such a memorable moment. At the same time, after the laughs came out we said ‘Okay.’ I never thought this was going to be used as a blooper. Obviously, they did and it was a very cool moment. It was iconic for me.”
You can check out the complete interview below:
