It seems like we have Vince McMahon to thank for Rey Mysterio being the most recognisable mask-wearing wrestler in history.

For two years prior to signing with WWE, Rey Mysterio wrestled without his signature mask in WCW after being forced to unmask in 1999. 

Rey Mysterio assumed that he'd continue to wrestle without his mask after signing with WWE in 2002, but Vince McMahon seemingly had other ideas.

Speaking with Bleacher Report, Mysterio revealed that Vince McMahon insisted that he wore a mask in WWE, which the former WWE Champion has he was revealed about:

“It was actually WWE who brought that up, or in this case, Vince McMahon,” Mysterio said. “I was doing my training a week prior to my debut and I was in OVW. I forgot who approached me at the time, but they said, ‘The company wants to know what type of ring attire you’re going to use for next week.’ I said, ‘What I’ve been using.’ I was using the Scott Steiner, “Big Poppa Pump” chain around the head, like a gladiator chain, and a vest that went along with it. Baggy pants. They were like, ‘Where’s the mask?’ I said, ‘I haven’t been wrestling with the mask.’ ‘No, no, no. Vince wants to see you with the mask.’ 

Mysterio explains that he was then forced to change his whole gear, which he notes "became historical" from that point forward:

I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Thank god you told me now. Now I have to have an outfit made with the mask.’ That’s when I changed my whole gear. Back in WCW, I was using the old-school tights where they stuck to my leg. When I started with WWE, I started wearing the baggy pants, which were very similar to what I was using prior to WWE when I was unmasked, and I added the mask to it. It became historical at that point because that’s where Rey Mysterio really kicked off and put on the map in WWE.”

Rey Mysterio has long been a huge money-maker for WWE, with his masks often doing very well in terms of merchandise, so it seems like Vince McMahon made the right call on that note.

If you've ever wondered what Rey Mysterio actually looks like without his mask, you can find out by clicking here.