Chasing Glory – 619 himself – Rey Mysterio
Release Date: November 26, 2018
Recap by: Caitlin Lavelle
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Rey Mysterio on His Son’s Wrestling Career
Rey says his son Dominic Gutierrez, who is now 21, is currently training to become a professional wrestler. He starting working with Jay Lethal in Florida in 2017, and is now finishing up a three month camp with Lance Storm at the Storm Wrestling Academy in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. From there, Rey says Dominic will, “move on to phase three,” which he says will either be training under Booker T in Houston or somewhere in Mexico City.
Lilian asks whether Dominic will wrestle under a mask. Mysterio says that would be special, but that since Dominic has already appeared on TV and is known to some of the audience, he doesn’t think that will happen.
Rey says his dream as a wrestler and a father is to be able to perform in the ring with his son, and that, God willing, it will happen.
Mysterio says his 17-year-old daughter wants to go to medical school. He explains that, when he met his wife, she was actually in medical school and Mysterio was only 15-year-old.
Mysterio on Growing Up and Crossing the US/Mexico Border
Rey explains that his parents were both born in Guadalajara, Mexico, but met and started their family in Tijuana, Mexico. Rey is the fourth of their four sons. His three older brothers were born in Mexico, but Rey says his parents understood the benefits of being born in the United States by the time they were pregnant with Rey, and decided to cross the border to give birth to Rey in Chula Vista, California. Mysterio says his birth helped his parents and brothers became US Citizens.
For a time, Mysterio says his family lived in San Diego while his father crossed the border to work in Tijuana each day. Eventually, that would change, and the family would move back to Tijuana, with Rey crossing the border back into the US each day to attend school. Rey says he and his mother would sometimes wait for hours to cross the border each morning, and that he would usually sleep in the car, but sometimes had to get out and walk to school when the line was too congested.
Rey and Lilian talk a little bit about the political issues currently surrounding the United States and Mexico border. Rey says he doesn’t follow US politics because it saddens him, and that he can’t imagine how heartbreaking it must be to be separated from your kids or be separated from your family as a child.
Rey talks briefly about training to wrestle under his Uncle, Rey Mysterio, Sr., at the young age of 11, and says that he was by far the youngest student in the school. Rey says he would train every night after school, and that he would walk home at 11 p.m. by himself in Tijuana at the age of 13.
Mysterio on Being Small
Rey says his size was a constant obstacle for him throughout his career whenever he was trying to get his foot in the door or get a shot at a new company, but that this adversity fueled him. Rey credits his strong will and mind with powering him through negativity to accomplish his goals regardless of criticism.
Lilian mentions Zelina Vega naming Mysterio as an inspiration on her Chasing Glory episode, where Vega said Mysterio helped her ignore critics who said she was too small to make it in the wrestling business. Rey says he’s heard similar stories from many people in the industry who have been inspired by his work, and says that’s, “nothing but a blessing,” for him. He says many fans who aren’t in the industry have come up to him at signings and events and told him that his wrestling has helped inspire them to succeed in life, and he’s happy to have given them hope and inspiration.
Mysterio on Why He Left WWE & His WWE Return
Mysterio admits that he didn’t give a detailed explanation as to why he left WWE in 2015, but he says that at the time, he knew his departure was only a, “part time farewell.” Rey says he needed to take a break, rest and be around his family, and to pick up on things he had missed out on while being on the road.
Rey briefly mentions working on the independent wrestling scene, competing at Lucha Underground, and having a run at New Japan Pro Wrestling just before he would make his WWE return. Mysterio says working for NJPW was on his bucket list.
Rey says his 2018 Royal Rumble guest appearance got the ball rolling on his WWE return and, “led everything to where it is now.”
Mysterio on His Current Health & Future Plans
Rey says his body is beat down after 29 years of a solid career, but that he can’t cheat his fans and gives his all anytime he’s in the ring. He says he’s trying to take better care of himself, paying more attention to his eating, training and supplementation, and taking advantage of new technology like deep tissue massage, Chryotherapy and Float Pods.
Mysterio admits that he now wakes up sore every day, and says that one day of wrestling for him now feels like going through an entire European tour. Rey says that he needs to start doing yoga, and that he talked to DDP about this when the two were recently on the Jericho Cruise.
Mysterio doesn’t believe he has anything left to accomplish or prove in the wrestling industry (with the exception of that match with his son), and says he thinks he’s probably within the final 5 years of his career.
Rating: 6/10
There isn’t much to sink your teeth into here, but Rey Mysterio is a likable guy and this is a relatively short, easy listen if you’re looking to kill some time.
Writer Bio
Caitlin is a wrestling fan who hopes to one day discover that she is the illegitimate daughter of Vincent Kennedy McMahon and the rightful Anonymous RAW General Manager. Until then, she’ll keep on living in Orlando, Florida with her husband and son.
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