The article discusses 16 times masked wrestlers were unmasked in the world of professional wrestling. The list includes wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio, Kane, Owen Hart, John Cena, Abyss, and others. Each entry provides a brief background on the wrestler and the circumstances surrounding their unmasking. The article highlights the significance of masks in lucha libre tradition and how they add mystique to a wrestler's character. It also notes that some promotions, like WCW, did not always respect the tradition and unmasked wrestlers without proper storyline payoff.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Rey Mysterio is considered one of the greatest luchadors of all time.
2. In lucha libre, the mask is a significant part of a wrestler's identity and is often only lost in a special match.
3. Rey Mysterio lost his mask in a hair vs mask match against The Outsiders in 1999.
4. Kane was unmasked on an episode of Raw in 2003.
5. Owen Hart competed as The Blue Blazer in the WWF.
6. The Blue Blazer eventually lost his mask in a match against El Canek.
7. Kalisto worked in Dragon Gate USA and lost his mask in a match against Johnny Gargano.
8. Sin Cara's original identity was Louis Alvarado, but George Arias temporarily took on the role when Alvarado was suspended.
9. John Cena briefly competed as a masked wrestler named Juan Cena.
10. The Dark Patriot was a masked wrestler who was eventually unmasked by The Patriot.
11. Mr. America was a masked character played by Hulk Hogan.
12. The Black Scorpion was a masked wrestler who stalked Sting in WCW.
13. Abyss was a monster heel character played by Christopher Parks.
14. Eddie Guerrero was forced to unmask in a match against Chris Jericho.
15. Psychosis lost his mask twice, first to Rey Mysterio and then to Billy Kidman.
16. Doom, a tag team, lost their masks in a match against The Steiner Brothers.