When did Rey Mysterio consider retiring from professional wrestling?

Rey Mysterio revealed that he was ready to retire back in 2019. He stated that he had lost his passion for the sport at that time before his son, Dominik, began his wrestling training.

Why did Rey Mysterio decide not to retire in 2019?

Rey's motivation for continuing his career shifted once his son Dominik began training. He transitioned from performing in generic matches to focusing on protecting his family legacy and mentoring his son, which revitalized his passion for the business.

How do fans feel about Rey Mysterio staying in WWE past 2019?

Fan reaction is largely split. Some fans are grateful for the extra years of his career and the compelling family storyline he provided, while skeptics argue he remained in the ring too long and that his in-ring quality had noticeably dipped.

What role did Rey play in Dominik Mysterio's career development?

Rey served as the essential catalyst for Dominik's rise in WWE. By serving as the foundation for their real-life family drama, Rey helped Dominik establish himself as a major heat magnet, which eventually fueled the success of The Judgment Day.

What is the primary argument against Rey Mysterio continuing to wrestle?

Some cynical fans argue that Rey should have retired in 2019 to preserve his image as a pristine legend. They believe he remained active simply to help get his son over, resulting in the veteran taking unnecessary physical bumps at age 50.

Rey Mysterio almost hanging up the boots is a gut punch to the fandom

The masked legend almost walked away

Stop everything you're doing and pour one out for the timeline where we never got that absolute clinic of a match at WrestleMania 39 between father and son. Rey Mysterio recently dropped the bombshell that he was ready to call it quits back in 2019, right before his son Dominik started training.

He told the world he was ready to tap out because he just didn't feel it anymore. Can you imagine the hole in our collective hearts if the greatest luchador of all time decided to ride off into the sunset without giving us those extra years of top-tier acrobatics?

The IWC has thoughts, and they are loud

The fan reaction across the forums and socials has been predictably split. You have the purists who are eternally grateful for the extension on his career, and the skeptics who think he stuck around just to put over his kid. It is the classic struggle between legacy and fatherhood.

Some fans on the wrestling boards are pointing out that the shift in Rey's energy was notable around that time. "It makes sense why he looked like he was going through the motions until Dominik showed up," one user commented. "The motivation shift from 'just another match' to 'protecting my legacy and mentoring my own flesh and blood' is basically the best character arc he could have asked for."

Then you have the darker side of the fanbase. There are plenty of contrarians who argue that, while they respect Rey, the 2019-2020 period was a dip in his quality. "He was a shell of his 2006 self," one cynical poster noted. "If he retired before the Dominik angle, we would remember him as a pristine legend instead of watching him take bumps he shouldn't be taking at 50 to help get his son over."

My take: The juice was worth the squeeze

Look, I get the purist argument. Nobody wants to see their childhood hero take a 619 onto a chair while their knees are hanging on by a thread. But you cannot tell me that the recent developments in the Rey saga aren't some of the most compelling TV we've had in years.

The argument for keeping him around is ironclad when you look at the business side of things. Dominik became a heat-magnet so radioactive he belongs in a lead-lined box, and Rey was the essential catalyst for that. You don't get the Judgment Day's peak without the real-life family drama serving as the foundation.

Was the work rate always at that 2005 cruiserweight peak? No, obviously not. But wrestling is about storytelling, and the story of a father reconciling with his wrestling-obsessed son who eventually tried to kill his career is top-tier drama. It is miles better than a generic retirement tour.

However, let's keep it real: the company is currently juggling a massive legal headache, as Janel Grant's latest move proves the corporate side is a total disaster. Rey’s mid-life career crisis is a refreshing, human story in a world of soulless executive depositions. It is a genuine hook in a show that often relies on corporate mandates.

Watching Rey dodge retirement is like watching your favorite aging rock star go on one last tour. Sure, the voice might crack and the notes might be a bit lower than the debut album, but the swagger is still there. If he had quit in 2019, we would have lost years of him defying gravity.

I’m taking the stance that the fans who wanted him to retire earlier are just bitter. Wrestling isn't just about the move set; it's about the connection. Seeing him pass the torch, even if it meant getting hit with it a few dozen times, adds a level of legitimacy to the product that you just can't manufacture in a writer's room.

If the plan was to manufacture Dominik Mysterio as the biggest villain in the industry, there is no way you pull that off without the emotional stakes of their real-life relationship. It was a 300 billion percent success, regardless of the bumps Rey took in the process. We are all just lucky he decided to lace 'em up one more time.