WCW luchadors losing their masks

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I was dubbing a tape for someone the other day and it had Jericho vs Juvi, it was where Juvi lost his mask. Great match.

 

Was that a good idea when they unmasked their 3 most over cruisers?

 

Juvi...losing the mask might have been good for him. Gave him a whole new personality and gave us "da juice!"

 

Mysterio Jr...I dunno about this one. Rey was way over and losing the mask didn't seem to help him any. Plus it just doesn't mean as much now that it's back on.

 

Psicosis...They only took his mask for the hell of it. He was my favorite lucha worker there and after he lost his mask he just seemed too bland. He lost his in a very meaningless match against Kidman, mask vs hair...and you knew Billy wasn't going to crop it.

 

So years later do you think losing the major masks were worth doing? Seemed to help Juvi. But Rey and Psicosis just didn't appeal to me after that.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Like WCW, you seem to be missing the point. It's not about the way they look, but what the mask represents. It's treated very seriously in Mexico, and there's a reason that Rey Mysterio would get the shit kicked out of him if he went to the wrong places in Mexico, since he's wearing the mask again. They hold significant meaning, and are given the same kind of respect that the WWF gives....ermm, never mind. Losing the mask isn't just a costume change. There's a storied history behind it, and there's not much else I can say except that stating that losing the mask is a big deal would be an understatement. I believe Mike Tenay understood that kind of stuff, of course I could be wrong. Besides, even if he did, I doubt anyone in the company listened. There are many Hair vs. Hair matches in Mexico that are taken very seriously, as opposed to X-Pac and Double J. I mean, remember how scared Ricochet was when he lost his mask Man I had some high hopes for that shit. Needless to say, I was let down.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

No no no...I get that whole thing. I understand what the mask means. What I thought in my head when I was writing was really what I forgot to get in the post.

 

I was wondering if the payoff for losing the mask was worthwhile enough to justify losing the mask and the history that goes with it.

 

It wasn't all about "I don't like this guy anymore," that's not what I was trying to say.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Well, to be honest, it can't be handled properly in North America to justify losing the mask. If they actually got the audience to understand it's importance, than perhaps they might care and pay to see it happen. As it stands, it's just an excuse for...something. Seriously, what was the purpose of WCW taking off their masks? Like in their minds, what did they think that they were going to accomplish? Serious question.

[Guest GeneMean]

I didn't think Juvi losing his mask was too terribly bad for him. He gradually transformed his character and ended up coming out of the whole jerky/stinko/rey feud as the CW champion if I remember correctly.

 

Didn't Rey lose his mask in a meaningless tag match involving Kevin Nash?

[Guest BifEverchad]

I didn't think Juvi losing his mask was too terribly bad for him. He gradually transformed his character and ended up coming out of the whole jerky/stinko/rey feud as the CW champion if I remember correctly.

 

Didn't Rey lose his mask in a meaningless tag match involving Kevin Nash?

Yeah, it was at Superbrawl IX.

A Tag Team match with Rey and Konnan facing Lugar and Nash w/Elizabeth.

 

The Stip: Rey's mask vs Liz's Hair