Since the early 1960s, masks have been a part of the wrestling attire for many professional wrestlers. Whether it be to conceal their identities or to honor their distinctive wrestling style, masks have clearly played an integral role in helping wrestlers play their part.
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In Mexico, the Lucha Libre style of wrestling has popularized masks so much that some wrestlers even got buried in their masks. From the likes of Rey Mysterio to El Santo, several professional wrestlers in the WWE and other wrestling stables such as ECW and TNA have all donned luchador masks throughout their professional careers. Let us look at the 5 coolest luchador masks and the 5 worsts masks in the WWE.
10 Worst: Juventud Guerrera
The son of a seasoned Lucha Libre wrestler, Juventud Guerrera grew up with a clear understanding of the squared circle and the art of Lucha Libre. From a tender age, Juventud Guerrera’s father exposed the young lad to the unique traditions of the Lucha libre world.
While Juventud Guerrera was an undersized athlete, his exceptional in-ring style saw him capture Mexico before moving to the United States. In America, he wrestled against the likes of Chris Jericho, Ultimo Dragon, and many other highly talented superstars.
9 Best: Gran Metalik
A luchador of the highest caliber, Gran Metalik is a high-flying wrestler who just like Kalisto and Dorado, continues to show much promise. Being a member of the Lucha House Party, Gran Metalik’s career in the WWE has been somewhat overshadowed by his constant role as a workhorse for the company.
Earlier in his wrestling career, Gran Metalik faced several seasoned wrestlers including Alberto Del Rio and Ultimo Dragon. While he made his debut for the WWE in 2016, Gran Metalik remains one of the most underrated superstars in the company.
8 Worst: Max Mini
While Max Mini made his first WWF appearance in 1997, his role in the company was not that significant. In fact, his first appearance for the WWE was out of sheer luck as WWE canceled one of the original matches for Bad Blood PPV after one of the main contestants passed away.
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After his appearance at the 1998 Royal Rumble, Max Mini and the other minis did not feature for the WWE until the company created the WWF Super Astros show. Max Mini’s mask remains one of the worst luchador’s masks in WWE.
7 Best: Kalisto
Kalisto’s agility, speed, and high-flying stunts made him one of the biggest luchadores in the world. Prior to his acceptance in the WWE, Kalisto wrestled in Mexico for the Lucha Libre AAA. Teaming up with Sin Cara saw the duo become the new NXT tag team champions, a run that went for several months. His promotion to the main roaster saw the Lucha libre wrestler capture the United States belt from Alberto Del Rio.
Despite his small size, Kalisto has battled against the likes of Braun Stroman and even has a win in his name. Like Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio, Kalisto’s luchador mask remains one of the best in the wrestling world.
6 Worst: Psicosis
While the WCW and the WWF forced many Mexican wrestlers to pick-up certain stereotype gimmicks, these group of wrestlers still offered the fans a chance to enjoy the beauty of the luchador style of wrestling. Just like many seasoned luchadores wrestlers, Psicosis career officially began in Mexico, while working for the AAA.
Because of his high-flying style, in-ring abilities, and ability to stand out from the crowd, Psicosis became one of Rey Mysterio’s major opponents at the WWE, WCW, and ECW. While he was highly talented, Psicosis was not as smooth as other luchador wrestlers, thus he only lasted in the WWE for one year.
5 Best: Ultimo Dragon
While he is not originally from Mexico, Ultimo Dragon learned how the art of Lucha libre while working in Mexico. As a professional wrestler, Ultimo Dragon managed to become a worldwide sensation by capturing the WCW Cruiserweight championship.
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WWE would sign Ultimo Dragon with the hopes that we were going to have a big impact on Rey Mysterio. However, one year later, WWE would release Ultimo Dragon from its roaster. Apart from being a professional wrestler, Ultimo Dragon is also a renowned actor.
4 Worst: Mil Mascaras
For many fans of the Lucha Libre style of wrestling, Mil Mascara is the Hulk Hogan of this unique and picturesque wrestling style. Unlike most wrestlers with a growth curve in professional wrestling, Mil Mascara's career took off from the word go.
His explosive and high-flying style saw him become one of the top wrestlers in the USA, Japan, and other countries in the world. On top of that, his influence, and the path that he created ensured that he paved the way for other Mexican wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio, Alberto Del Rio, and Eddie Guerrero.
3 Best: Sin Cara
Just like Rey Mysterio and Del-Santo, Sin Cara is also another Luchador wrestler, who managed to carve a name for himself in professional. While his accomplishments cannot be compared to Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara managed to become a worldwide sensation. His most recent feud with Andrade served as a reminder for many wrestling fans of how beautiful the Lucha Libre wrestling style really is.
While Sin Cara possesses a variety of moves, it is quite clear that he experienced difficulties when adapting to the company’s wrestling style. With all these shortcomings, Sin Cara still managed to dazzle and wow the WWE universe with his dives, spins, and breathtaking moonsault. To date, Sin Cara remains one of the best-dressed luchadores in the world.
2 Worst: El Pantera
El Pantera is a seasoned Mexican wrestler who is mostly remembered for his stint in the WWE. Like many other accomplished Mexican wrestlers, El Pantera worked under several other organizations such as the CMLL, UWF, and IWRG.
While he lost his mask in 2006 after losing a mask match, El Pantera continued to don his mask while working for Chikara and on his return to Mexico. Apart from his mask, his entire in-ring attire was all panther inspired. Though his career in WWE did not bear any fruits, many Lucha Libre fans still acknowledge his work.
1 Best: Rey Mysterio
A two-time WWE champion, Rey Mysterio is undeniably one of the biggest Lucha Libre wrestlers in the world. Due to his magnetic charisma and humility, Rey Mysterio managed to win over both adult and young fans alike. What Rey Mysterio lacks in style, he surely fulfills it with his in-ring style and technicality.
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From the likes of Randy Orton to the likes of Brock Lesnar, Rey Mysterio managed to win the WWE universe over by proving his worth in the ring. While he has won his attires in a variety of colors, his well-designed mask has always stood out from the crowd.
