WWE legend Rey Mysterio recently named his all-time Mount Rushmore of wrestlers and put a major focus on the people who have inspired his career. He also added a fifth wrestler who is a must-have.
"My uncle was a big inspiration to me. What he was doing during his time I thought was incredible," Mysterio told Forbes' Alfred Konuwa. "Negro Casas has been a huge inspiration to me, Tiger Mask has been another huge inspiration and Tiger Mask cannot go alone, he has to go alongside Dynamite Kid. I think those right there just inspired me throughout the whole way. Of course, you could never do your top five and not put Eddie Guerrero in there."
Guerrero was a big rival of Mysterio's throughout his career until his tragic death in 2005. Guerrero died as a result of acute heart failure due to underlying atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease while at a hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Mysterio also recently spoke with Complex ahead of Royal Rumble 2021, and discussed the impact WWE has had on hip-hop:
I could be mistaken, but I think Ric Flair opened up that channel for us. You know, he was talking about the bling, that jet flying, the limousines. Most hip-hop rap lyrics relate to a certain lifestyle, you know, to what you like to represent, how tough your life was and how good you're living now. So with that connection, I think that definitely it just became very mainstream. A lot of rappers over the years who grew up watching wrestling as well, you know, have thrown bars in there where they talk about their favorite wrestlers. Still to this day, even with the new generation Lil Uzi [Vert] throws in that Rey Mysterio shout out, which, you know, is that connection. It is definitely like superheroes and wrestling.
[Via]