619… 619… 619… Booyaka Booyaka… Its been 16 years since RF VIDEO sat down with Rey Mysterio and he’s back for only one company, the King of the Shoots, RF VIDEO! This exclusive tell all interview took place only a few days after his WWE contract expired, and it is very emotional.
As soon as our cameras turned on we started talking about his final days in WCW and what really went on behind the scenes when he found out that the end was near for WCW and that WWE had bought them out. Rey goes into detail on how he was picked up by the WWE and what the transformation was like for him to becoming a WWE superstar. What were his initial meetings like in WWE and what process did he have to go through, like his time in OVW, before being called up to TV.
During this interview with Rey, we cover every one of his major storylines while he was in the WWE and Rey discusses in great detail all of his main event matches that he participated in from TV’s and PPV’s including his initial run with Kurt Angle and Chavo Guerrero. Did he like teaming up with Edge early on? What were his thoughts on being back with his friends Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit in the WWE? You will hear tons of backstage stories on all of his friends, as we go into great detail on the passing of Eddie Guerrero and his thoughts on the Chris Benoit tragedy. Rey has never talked about any of this before publicly until now. This is where the interview becomes very emotional. We spend great time on both of these emotional topics.
Did Rey like being part of the One Night Stand PPV and what were his thoughts on the finish of his match with Sabu? What was it like to work Batista and eventually win the world title at WrestleMania? Rey Mysterio has so many amazing stories about his time in the WWE and this shoot interview brings out the best locker room and road stories that he has ever shared.
Rey has worked with every big name in the WWE and shares stories on them all from John Cena, Undertaker, Randy Orton, CM Punk, Chris Jericho, JBL, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show and the list goes on and on! What were his thoughts on CM Punk quitting the company, what did he think about Alberto Del Rio splitting away from the WWE after the backstage incident, did he think he was treated fairly when he was world champion? These are just a few of the hot topics that we talked about.
Rey talks about his thoughts on other hot topics as well including the wellness policy and his issues that he had with it, his storyline with CM Punk, winning the title to only lose it to John Cena the same night, his injuries that held him back during his last few years with the company and how the company treated him during this time, thoughts on Daniel Bryan’s run, why Sin Cara did not work out in the WWE, the difference between HHH and Vince, and so much more!
Everyone wants to know why Rey wanted to leave the WWE, as it’s no secret that he wanted to get out of his contract, and you will hear the real reasons behind all of that. Rey takes us behind the scenes with his meetings and discusses if he had any real issues with HHH or Vince on the way out. What were his thoughts on the WWE extending his contract when he got injured?
Rey talks about his future plans in AAA and Lucha Underground, and we take a look at his thoughts on the wrestling scene in 2015. We also look back at other key moments of his career, as he gives us a lot of insight on his entire wrestling career from Mexico, WCW and so much of his entire WWE career. We did our homework and left no questions unanswered, so if you’re a true WWE fan and love Rey Mysterio, this shoot interview is a must! This was a total home run for RF VIDEO as we love bringing you interviews with the biggest names in the business and it does not get any bigger than this legend, Rey Mysterio!
We are going to start with the end of your WWE career. You have suffered a number of injuries to your knees as well as other injuries. You were gone for a year going from 2011 into 2012 and you had missed several WrestleMania’s due to injury. Why are you getting so hurt? Is it bad luck? Too much muscle mass? After-effects of all the damage you put on your body all these years? What is going on?
There were reports that when you come back, WWE was actually not paying you a downside and was extending time on your contract. What actually happened there? When did you start hearing about WWE talking of extending time on your contract? Do you think it’s fair that they can do this to you?
You had to return to the ring and suffered another knee injury after a few months. You were out for another eight months. At this point, there was talk that you may be injury prone, especially coming off of the other periods you were hurt. Were you injury prone?
At this point, are you getting heat from WWE over the injuries or are they supportive?
When you return they have you in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania 30. Are you mad they don’t have a better spot for you?
You wrestled your final match against Wade Barrett on RAW the day after WrestleMania and then you were out with another wrist injury. What was the company’s reaction to this?
The story that makes the rounds is that you expected that your contract was going to expire in May 2014 but they extended it due to the injuries. What was your reaction?
Is it true you stopped cashing your WWE checks in protest?
When do you get your lawyer involved?
Who in the company were you trying to talk to; Vince and Hunter? How are they to deal with?
After many months of not being seen, you fly to RAW to meet with Vince; what happens at the meeting?
There was talk they expected you to come back for a final storyline, was there anything to this?
AAA plays a video message from you to fans at Triplemania, what was WWE’s reaction to this?
Were they mad you for visiting Lucha Underground?
How bad were you being pressured to come back?
How did you get them to change their minds and release you in February instead of May?
Is it true you would have been released sooner but Vince McMahon overruled Triple H when H made the call to release you?
Why didn’t WWE make the announcement you were released as they were supposed to?
How do you feel finally being free?
How healthy are you after that long lay-off? Are you past the injury problems?
Now that we are caught up with today, let’s step back in time to the end of WCW.
When did you first realize there were going to be problems with WCW’s health?
Did you think the company was really going under or did you believe it was just typical wrestling drama?
How did you feel when you heard Eric Bischoff was buying the company?
What was the reaction of the locker room when it didn’t go through?
What was your reaction when you learned that all WCW programming was being canceled?
Memories of working the final WCW Nitro taping?
Did you speak with Shane McMahon or other WWE officials about working for WWE that night?
What was the reaction when the locker room realized the company had been purchased by WWE?
Describe the locker room after the final Nitro went off the air.
How did you feel about the WCW Invasion?
You had a contract that kept going after WCW closed. Why do you think WWE didn’t try to buy you out so you could come to WWE sooner? Would you have been interested in doing that?
You went and worked for CMLL a few times before going to WWE; memories of those bouts and why did you go there as opposed to AAA?
Memories of working for Jimmy Hart’s XWF?
Memories of working IWA Mid-South?
That was probably your first time meeting CM Punk, what were your initial thoughts on him? Did you ever expect him to become the star he eventually became?
When did you first learn WWE wanted to bring you in?
What were the negotiations like? Was it hard to get what you felt you were worth because WCW was now gone?
When did you find out WWE wanted you to put the mask back on?
How did you feel about it? Did you think it was a step backwards?
Why did WWE drop the “Jr.” name?
Were you ever worried about it being disrespectful to your uncle?
Memories of going to OVW to get the ring rust out and wrestling there?
When did you first meet Vince McMahon? What were your initial thoughts on him?
How do you compare working for him vs. working for Antonio Pena in AAA or Eric Bischoff?
What were the immediate differences between the WCW and WWE locker rooms?
Describe your first experiences in the WWE locker room and whether the locker room was what you expected it to be in terms of politics?
There were a lot of WCW talents who could tell the locker room was immediately trying to bury them when they moved to WWE. Did you feel this was happening to you? Did it not happen because guys like Benoit, Guerrero, etc. were there and were friends with you?
What were the biggest mistakes you saw new talents making backstage in WWE as they started their tenure with the company?
Memories of your Smackdown debut against Chavo Guerrero in May 2002?
Any idea why you were sent to Smackdown instead of RAW?
During the brand split, there was a huge competition between the RAW and Smackdown brands to show they were superior, what are your memories of that rivalry?
How often did you see the RAW talents while you were traveling and touring with the Smackdown brand?
Paul Heyman was the head writer at the time. You had worked for Paul in ECW. How had he changed in the years since you worked for him?
What was it like as a newcomer in the company? Could you go to the creative team with ideas?
Was it hard transitioning into WWE? Was there anyone you could go to for advice?
Your first program in WWE was against Kurt Angle; memories of working with such a wrestling machine in the ring and memories of him behind the scenes?
Memories of your first night working in Madison Square Garden?
Is that Arena the Mecca like WWE promotes it to be?
What led to you and Edge being put together as a tag team?
Did you feel you were being devalued early into your run?
Talk about what made the three way feud with Los Guerreros & Angle and Benoit?
It had been several years since you were in the same promotion with Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero; describe how they were early on in your WWE run and whether they had changed since you last worked with them in WCW.
After the three-way tag team storyline ran its course, you landed in the Cruiserweight division. How did you feel about the division? Compare how WWE handled it vs. how it was presented in WCW.
Memories of working the following in the Cruiserweight division: Crash Holly, Tajiri, Shannon Moore, Jamie Noble, Spike Dudley, Little Guido, Akio/Jimmy Yang, Billy Kidman
Your first WrestleMania was 19 in Seattle against Matt Hardy for the Cruiserweight title. Memories of being part of WrestleMania for the first time and memories of the bout?
How insane is the WrestleMania week for WWE talents?
Memories of feuding with Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Classic?
Were you surprised when Chavo Sr. was let go?
Memories of the Cruiserweight open at WrestleMania 20? Did you feel the company had kept you in the Cruiserweight division too long at that point?
What led to WWE putting you in a team with Rob Van Dam?
Do you think the company was setting you up for failure by having the team work with teams like Kenzo Suzuki & Rene Dupree?
Memories of feuding with the Basham Brothers on Smackdown?
How did you feel about WWE signing Psicosis and Juventud Guerrero in the summer of 2005?
Do you think WWE was sold a bill of bad goods with them, since neither of them touched upon the potential they had in the mid 1990s?
Would you say it’s fair that WCW’s use of them and other luchadores took the passion out of the business for them?
Why do you think they never regained it in WWE?
What was your reaction when you heard WWE was bringing back ECW for the first One Night Stand?
Thoughts of being back in the ECW atmosphere?
Did you realize during the bout that the fans were booing Psicosis for taking off his mask?
Were you happy with the match that night? If not, why didn’t it live up to your expectations?
Going backwards now to WrestleMania 21, WWE booked you and Eddie Guerrero to win the tag titles, but then had you wrestled each other at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles. What led to WWE doing that?
You and Eddie had one of the greatest WCW matches of all time at Halloween Havoc 1996. Did you think you and Eddie ever hit that level of greatness again? If not, why not? Compare the creative freedom you had in WCW vs. WWE in general and with Eddie?
Memories of the night Eddie turned on you and set up MNM winning the tag titles?
Thoughts on Melina, John Morrison & Joey Mercury as talents?
You begin the feud with Eddie just as the first One Night Stand was taking place; Guerrero wrestles Benoit and loses. Guerrero is one of the few who didn’t embrace their old ECW persona on the show and is said to be angry about doing the clean job, feeling it hurt his heat and your feud. What are your memories of Eddie that day? Do you think it hurt the feud?
Guerrero and Chris Benoit had an argument in the ring after the match and Guerrero stormed out of the building before it was over. What are your memories and insight into this?
Getting back to your feud with Eddie, who was responsible for the creative aspects? Did WWE dictate the direction or were you guys pitching ideas?
What led to the angle where Eddie claimed that Dominic was really his son? How did you feel about Dominic and your family getting involved?
Looking back, how do you and your family feel about it in hindsight?
Eddie was at another level as a heel at that point. What do you think inspired and drove him?
Physically behind the scenes he was hurting badly, why do you think he pushed himself so hard?
Why didn’t he just ask the office for time off?
Memories of the blow-off ladder match to end the feud?
Did you ever suspect Eddie was as bad off as he was?
When did you first learn that Chavo had found him at the hotel?
Memories of the aftermath of Eddie’s death?
Was it right of WWE to ask everyone to work TV that night?
Memories of wrestling Shawn Michaels that night?
Do you think WWE should have canceled the European tour so the roster could attend his funeral?
How did you feel about WWE booking the angle where Randy Orton told you Eddie was in hell?
Who came up with the angle and do you regret doing it?
Did you ever go to Vince McMahon and claim the angles regarding Eddie’s death were too heavy? If so, what was the reaction?
How would you like Eddie to be remembered?
What do you think he would have thought of his wife Vickie getting into the business?
Why do you think WWE gave her a job? Do you think it was guilt over Eddie’s death or to perhaps keep her from suing the company?
How would you rate her improvement over the years?
Why do you think she left the business?
Why do you think Eddie’s daughter Shaul never made it despite several stints in WWE developmental?
Would you want Dominic to get into the wrestling business?
After Eddie died, WWE announced they were implementing the Wellness Policy. What was your first thoughts on this?
Do you believe WWE was ever fair in how they tested talents?
How did the testing change the locker room?
Do you care to comment on your test failures?
Do you think they did it for the good of the wrestlers or just to cover their own asses?
Should pro-wrestlers even be tested given that the sport is a work?
Should WWE talents be fined for smoking pot? Why or why not?
Memories of teaming with and working with Batista?
What do you think of his Hollywood success?
What’s your favorite Batista story?
When did you first learn you were going to win the Royal Rumble and go on to WrestleMania 22 for the World championship?
Memories of going the distance at the Royal Rumble?
The stories at the time were that everyone wanted you to win the World title in honor of Eddie Guerrero and Vince McMahon was cold to the idea What do you remember about that time period and how did you feel knowing Vince didn’t see you in that light?
Memories of wrestling Randy Orton and Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 22?
Did you feel your title win was anti-climactic because the match was so short?
The word making the rounds was that Vince purposely portrayed you as lucky to have the belt and that’s why you were booked against so many monsters at the time, what do you remember about how they used you as champ and were you ever able to, as champion, voice any complaints?
Why did they book you to lose non-title bouts to Great Khali and Mark Henry?
Did you think your title reign was booked to fail?
Do you think they made a mistake in not letting you have a longer reign and seeing what the fans might have thought?
Memories of the Palmer Cannon hazing incident on a European tour where he flew himself home and quit the company? There is a version of the story that you followed him to the airport to try and talk him out of leaving. Your memories?
The reputation at the time was that the Smackdown veterans would go out of their way to target people and harass them. Undertaker, Chris Benoit and JBL were often implicated. Memories of this and why did WWE allow it go on?
Memories of running JBL off Smackdown?
WWE brings back the ECW brand in June 2006. This time you wrestle Sabu. Are you happier with the performance this time?
How did you feel about the non-finish in a deathmatch?
Thoughts on WWE bringing back the ECW brand and why it failed?
Did you think it was right of WWE to bring back the ECW Originals and then really not use them?
Memories on your feud with Booker T for the World title?
Why do you think he succeeded where so many WCW guys failed in WCW?
After losing the title, you feuded with Chavo and were written out due to a knee injury? How bad were your knees bothering you at this point?
How bad were your injuries at this point, because for the rest of your WWE run there were injury issues?
Was it a case of being too reckless when you were young or just the normal wear and tear of being a professional wrestler?
What advice would you give to the next generation of high flyers in avoiding injuries?
Memories of working with the following: Big Show, Mark Henry, Finlay?
Memories of your feud with Edge for the World title?
During the feud you suffered another injury, now a torn bicep. How frustrated were you about the injury?
Talk about trying to come back and going through the series of surgeries to get the bicep repaired.
At this point, we’d like to talk about Chris Benoit. Its been said that after Eddie passed away, Chris was never the same. Would you agree?
What are your thoughts on the Benoit family tragedy? What do you think happened?
Do you think Chris had brain damage?
How do you feel about WWE writing him out of their history?
How should Chris be remembered?
How do you feel about his son wanting to get into the business?
When you returned, you were drafted to RAW. Talk about the differences between the RAW and Smackdown backstage scene.
Who were the locker room leaders on RAW vs. Smackdown?
How much of a locker room leader was John Cena?
Who were the main guys you were hoping to work with on RAW at that point?
Memories of feuding with Kane on RAW?
Memories of working the Elimination Chamber? How rough is it to work in that environment? Is it too dangerous?
Memories of beating JBL in his retirement match at WrestleMania 25?
Do you think JBL should have passed the torch to someone younger as opposed to someone like yourself who was already established?
Were you surprised or relieved when you were drafted back to Smackdown?
Memories of feuding with Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental title?
How has Jericho changed over the years?
Do you think he still has a passion for the business?
You began feuding with Dolph Ziggler. Thoughts on him as a worker? Do you think WWE has made a mistake not pushing him harder?
Memories of feuding with Batista when he turned heel on you coming out of the Four Way for the title?
You had the chance to wrestle Undertaker several times for the World title during this time period, discuss what it’s like working Taker?
You accidentally injured Taker in the ring during that series of bouts on Smackdown. Is there heat on you for it?
You begin feuding with CM Punk who was in the middle of the Straight Edge Society run with Luke Gallows and Serena. Discuss Punk, how he was backstage, and how he was as a worker?
What was the best part of working someone who wanted to be hated so badly by the fans?
Are you surprised WWE never pushed him all the way and went with him as “the guy?”
Do you think it was politics or was Punk missing something?
Are you surprised Punk walked out on the company?
Looking at it from your perspective as someone who’s had issues with the company, do you think he was justified?
How do you think he will do in UFC?
Memories of working with Gallows and Serena?
Memories of the night you shaved Punk’s head?
Memories of winning the World title for the second time at the Fatal Four Way PPV?
A month later, you dropped the belt to Kane at Money in the Bank. Another short title run. Are you let down this time?
Alberto Del Rio debuted in the summer of 2011. First impressions of him and early memories of him in Mexico?
Why did you and him click so well in the ring?
What are your favorite memories and angles from working with Alberto?
Were you surprised when the company let him go for slapping the social media employee?
Had you experienced any racism backstage at WWE?
Memories of working with the following: Cody Rhodes, R-Truth, Jack Swagger, Wade Barrett, Miz, Damien Sandow, and Brodus Clay.
Memories of the CM Punk “pipe bomb” angle?
When Punk won the WWE title and walked out, did WWE try and work the boys that it was a shoot?
Memories of the tournament on RAW where you won the WWE title and then lost it to John Cena the same night? Were you let down or did you know what the game was, at this point?
Why do you think WWE kept only a small group of guys in the main events?
Thoughts on Randy Orton as a worker?
You were out injured again when you failed your second wellness test. How did you end up failing while you are out injured? Why were they testing you at that point?
While you are gone the first Sin Cara debuts for WWE. He’s a highly touted signing and he fails to impress and doesn’t succeed. How does someone who’s one of the hottest acts in Mexico fail to make a splash in WWE? Explain why he didn’t translate, why he got almost instant heat backstage, and whether you tried to help him?
Memories of your short time teaming with him?
Memories of working with The Shield? What were your thoughts on them as workers?
Do you think they can be top singles competitors?
Thoughts on Daniel Bryan’s run with WWE? Why do you think WWE won’t go all the way with him?
Thoughts on the night Pittsburgh booed you when you were #30 in the Royal Rumble, because you weren’t Daniel Bryan? What was the reaction backstage?
Thoughts on The Wyatt Family?
How much did WWE change with Triple H taking control? Explain the differences in the Vince era and the Triple H era.
Do you think they are purposely getting rid of anyone who might speak up for themselves?
Do you ever foresee yourself wanting to work for WWE again?
How about going in the WWE Hall of Fame?
Now that you are free, who are you looking forward to working with in the ring?
Have you been keeping up with the independent wrestling scene?
What do you think of the evolution of the high flying? How do you compare it to your early years in the business?
You were announced as finally returning to AAA at the Rey de Reyes event. How do you feel about returning to AAA?
There are rumors of you working for Lucha Underground soon and you’ve attended their tapings. Thoughts on the product and possibly heading there?
You are already scheduled to work Alberto on the independent scene. How different do you think the matches will be now that you are free of WWE?
You are going to be working a lot with Konnan now that you are free. Why do you remain so loyal to Konnan? What has his friendship over the years meant to you?
How has he changed over the years?
Favorite ribs?
What would you say to Triple H and Vince McMahon right now?
How many more years do you want to wrestle?
Any final messages for your fans?