Professional wrestling is one of the most interesting hybrids of sport and entertainment in the world. All of the wrestlers are exceptional athletes that are able to perform numerous daring moves and avoid major injuries. They can jump, dodge, climb and coordinate with others to create a nearly perfect show for an audience of millions. What makes professional wrestling special, though is the dramatic aspect of it. All of the characters have their own storylines, backgrounds and inner feuds. It is this fantastic characterization that is the true soul of wrestling. Because of that, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the greatest performers who used masks to complement their TV personalities.
Vader
The first on the list is Big Van Vader, both a face and heel, he is among the most intimidating wrestlers in the entire history. Vader’s red mask that covered his face in strips, only emphasized his enormous physique and mad eyes. Besides weighing 450 pounds, Vader was extremely agile and could perform numerous aerial attacks, which only made him more terrifying. It is in a match with Vader that Foley a.k.a. Mankind, lost a huge chunk of his ear. Though it wasn’t really Vader’s fault, it is the legend that matters.
Ultimo Dragon
The next up is Ultimo Dragon. The first word that comes to mind when you see Ultimo is probably flashy. He was a highly decorated wrestler and one of those who brought on cruiserweight revolution in the 1990s. An extremely capable athlete, Ultimo was well-known for his powerful aerial attacks and his full face mask that barely hid his trademark smile.
Masked Superstar
A powerful wrestler known as Masked Superstar was a strange concoction, no doubt. Weighing at 290 pounds with a lot of muscles, he was quite an agile performer. He complemented his look with a rubber mask that covered almost his whole face except for his eyes, part of his nose and mouth. This terrifying effect that this mask had on his opponents was even more enhanced when contrasted with his calmingly blue eyes. The color of the mask ranged from yellow, to blue or red.
Mil Máscaras
Mil Máscaras was the man who introduced wearing masks into the world of professional wrestling. Before him, it was prohibited to wear masks in such events, so, in a way, he created a whole new movement. Originally from Mexico, a man of thousand masks (to what his name translates) was quite a sensation in the seventies to the point that he even became a poster boy for many wrestling magazines at the time. In Mexico, he is celebrated as an important figure both in wrestling and beyond.
Mankind
Mick Foley, a man of many talents, created several characters for his wrestling needs, including Mankind. The idea was to create a sadistic, unkempt, rugged character that would captivate both with his performance and his appearance. He wore a brown belt-like mask that perhaps showed his masochistic nature. To complete the crazy look, Mankind also used a white dirty sock, which he named Mr Socko and would often converse with. Mick Foley is beyond doubt a capable athlete and a dedicated performer who goes out of his way to give the audience what they want.
Kane
If he weren’t a professional wrestler, Kane would either star as a villain in a superhero movie or would become a serial killer. There’s no third option. Luckily for us, we were blessed to have gained a powerful, though utterly terrifying character in the world of wrestling. Kane’s dark red leather mask is easily recognizable to many wrestling fans around the world. Its frightening aspect is further enhanced by Kane’s brutality in the ring. Come to think of it, he looks like an evil brother of Daredevil, doesn’t he?
Rey Mysterio
Finally there’s Rey Mysterio. Since it was Mexican wrestling that introduced and popularized masks in the USA, it is only natural that the first place should hold one of the lucha libre descendants. There are two characters named Rey Mysterio, one being the current one (formerly known as Junior) and the older one, his uncle. This passing of the mask from one generation to the next is in accordance with the lucha libre tradition of preserving a symbol and not glorifying an individual. There are numerous versions of the mask, but one of the recurring elements is the cross at the top.
American wrestlers have somewhat changed the Mexican tradition of wearing masks while wrestling, but have also improved it and adopted it. The act of wearing masks emphasizes the dramatic part of wrestling and helps both the performer and the audience get into the story. It is certain that this trend will continue and improve, so we can say that we’re pretty excited to see what the future has to offer.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
