36-year-old WWE-bound star reveals that he was inspired by Rey Mysterio's forgotten gimmick (Exclusive)

Not many people know this, but wrestling legend Rey Mysterio didn't always go by his current name. While it's true that his uncle was the great Rey Misterio Sr., he had a forgotten gimmick that few know of. A 36-year-old WWE-bound star revealed that he was inspired by this forgotten character.

Sportskeeda Wrestling's Bill Apter caught up with the viral AAA sensation Mr. Iguana. After his sudden surge in popularity during the Money in the Bank weekend, reports, such as one from WrestleVotes Radio, have indicated that Mr. Iguana is WWE-bound.

The 36-year-old Mr. Iguana revealed how Mysterio's forgotten "Green Lizard" gimmick was an inspiration for him. He also named Eddie Guerrero and other legends of the business:

"There was Rey Mysterio Jr., because he started as The Green Lizard. He was the Green Lizard for one or two matches. Then he became the Colibri, and then I watched Eddie Guerrero a lot. He was the main wrestler who was technical, charismatic. I watched a lot of Psicosis, La Parka, mostly, AAA guys." [From 08:42 to 09:30]

You can watch the full video below:

What was the story behind Rey Mysterio's "Green Lizard" character?

The multi-time WWE Champion went on to make a lot of people a lot of money, including himself, as he became a global sensation in WWE.

But several years before that happened, in his early days, he started on a different foot, taking the "Green Lizard" (La Lagartija). However, after a one-off appearance, he went by the name of "Colibri," or Hummingbird. So, what was the story behind it?

In an appearance on No-Contest Wrestling, the WWE Hall of Famer revealed that his uncle, Rey Misterio Sr., gave him the Green Lizard gimmick, but it didn't last long:

"The Green Lizard was a one-time thing. And then after that, my uncle at the time was very good at giving names to up and coming wrestlers. So for me it was the hummingbird, in Spanish, colibri ... And that was my identity for almost two and a half years. And at the time I was very comfortable with that, I was like, cool I'll roll with that. I mean I didn't tell him, but I was thinking in my head I really wanted to be Rey Mysterio Jr, or the son of Rey Mysterio, but Hummingbird it is," (H/T: WrestlingInc)

Ultimately, Mysterio went on a path that many take in Lucha Libre, honoring their family names. As you know, he would go on to become the most popular Luchador in the entire world, with many considering him among the all-time greats. He is currently out of action with a knee injury.

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