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In this past week's episode of RAW, we saw Rey Mysterio challenge Andrade for the United States Championship. Mysterio had lost the championship on the post-Christmas house show at Madison Square Garden to Andrade.
After Andrade pinned Mysterio due to a distraction courtesy Zelina Vega, the retaining champion ripped Mysterio's mask off his face and handed it to Vega. The referee quickly handed Mysterio a towel to cover his face and leave the ring.
Also read: 5 Consequences of Brock Lesnar entering the Royal Rumble
Why does Rey Mysterio wear a mask?
For those who don't know, Rey Mysterio is a luchador. Lucha libre is a form of wrestling that is a part of a rich heritage of Mexico. Wrestlers that practice lucha libre are called luchadors and it is customary for luchadors to contest in a mask. The mask these wrestlers dawn define their characters and gimmicks.
Sometimes, a wrestler that has been scheduled to retire, is unmasked after he has lost his final bout. This signifies that his gimmick or character has ended. The wrestling mask is considered "sacred" by all luchadors. If a wrestler is unmasked intentionally during the match, his opponent can be disqualified for the same.
If a wrestler is unmasked, his top priority is to cover his face by any means. Most wrestlers who sport a mask also do so to separate their professional and personal lives, so that people cannot recognize them in public. A few legendary wrestlers are also buried with their masks when they die.
Who unmasked Rey Mysterio before?
This past week wasn't the first time that Rey Mysterio was unmasked. Multiple Superstars have unmasked the luchador in his career. Mysterio has been unmasked on so many occasions that WWE had published a list about the same.
From this list, Superstars such as Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Kane, Cody Rhodes and Mysterio's best friend, the late, Eddie Guerrero have unmasked the former US Champion. These unmaskings have taken place whenever the feud between Mysterio and his rival has reached a personal level.
Andrade and Mysterio's matches have undoubtedly been rollercoaster rides and the WWE Universe can't seem to get enough. This is a feud for the ages ladies and gentlemen and it will be exciting to see what WWE has to offer next.
Do you remember any time Mysterio was unmasked? Or a Superstar who isn't a part of the list? Let us know in the comments section below!
