Luchadores Lose Identity in WWE

It has been reported that every one's favorite luchador from Tijuana, Canada has officially signed with the WWE. With the WWE's poor history utilizing luchadores, the question on every fan's mind is "Will the WWE ruin El Generico?" Many fans hope not because they feel he "gets it" when it comes to evoking a reaction from the crowd. Let's take a look into the past at a few luchadores from WWE's history to see how the generic luchador's career may fare.

Eddie Guerrero:

Why not start the list off with the greatest luchador in the history of the WWE? Being the only person on this list to have a lengthy reign with the biggest prize in the WWE, it is no lie that Eddie was great. Along with his WWE Championship, he held nine other championships and was a first-ballot entrant into the WWE Hall of Fame.

I think we can all agree on the fact that Eddie lied, cheated, and stole his way into our hearts before passing away too soon. At least he provided us with many great moments and created a path for future luchadores to follow.

Rey Mysterio:

Rey Mysterio is one of the most successful luchadores in WWE history. He has held gold twelve times over ten years. This includes to reigns as World Heavyweight Champion, a short-lived run with the WWE Championship while CM Punk left after Money in the Bank 2011. Along with his championships, he has won the Royal Rumble match in 2006 while setting the record for longest time spent in the ring for any Rumble match.

Some people say that his success after 2005 has only been because of the passing of Eddie. Even though his death may have had an influence on some of Rey's moments, I still believe that Rey's in-ring ability was the main reason.

The guy can work with anyone on any night. Well, he used to be able to. Now, he seems to be on the verge of retirement. Who knows how much longer he will wrestle?

Even though not every luchador wears a mask, a lot do and they sell well. Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara mask are a hit with young fans. Why would the WWE not want more of these superstars? (Photo/ Morgue File)

Sin Cara:

Speaking of Rey Mysterio doing one more job, Sin Cara is the guy that he needs to do it for. The WWE is well-known for passing the torch between two similar wrestlers. How much more similar can two masked high-fliers get? They both appeal to kids, do flippy things that make people go "Whoa," and fit the underdog role perfectly.

Wait, I feel like I'm missing something else. Oh yeah, they both seem to be injury prone. The only difference is that Sin Cara is still young. Hopefully he can find a way to stay healthy so he can make a big impact down the road. If he does not, he might be the biggest bust in WWE history.

Hunico:

Hunico may never have been brought to the main roster if Sin Cara did not get injured during his initial run. Originally known as Sin Cara (Negro), Hunico put on some fantastic matches with the original Sin Cara. The two meshed very well during their rivalry, but it ended with Hunico losing his mask.

Although it made sense due to him being the fill-in Sin Cara, he could have debuted a new mask. His WWE career has not been the same since. I'm looking for him to return from his injury and make a run.

Chavo Guerrero:

Although Chavo calling himself a "living legend" on TNA was not well-received by fans, it was not too far from the truth. He may be "Eddie's nephew," but he has still made a name for himself. Having seven championship runs in the WWE is not something to be ashamed of for a wrestler. Kerwin White may have been a complete fail, but Chavo was successful.

Mexicools:

The Mexicools were a stable that consisted of three well-known luchardores: Super Crazy, Psicosis, and Juventud Guerrera. Although all three men were extremely talented with their style, they lacked success in their time with the WWE. Juventud held the WWE Cruiserweight Championship twice and was the only one of the three to hold any in the WWE.

Their lack of championship success was not their only downfall. Their entrance involved them riding "Juan Deere" lawn mowers and were not taken seriously.

Juventud was released after having backstage problems, Psicosis was released following an arrest, and Super Crazy asked for his released. The WWE had a chance to make something great with these three men but failed to do so.

Ultimo Dragon:

The last wrestler on this list, Ultimo Dragon is one of the most decorated professional wrestlers in history. Although he is Japanese, his lucha libre style makes him qualified for this list. He may have fulfilled two of his life long dreams (wrestling in Madison Square Garden and at WrestleMania). Be honest, what do you think of when you think of Ultimo Dragon and the WWE? If you said anything except for him slipping during his entrance, I am rather surprised. HUGE miss on WWE's part. Hey, at least he kept his mask.

Looking at the above list of luchadores, it seems that most of them are not used well at all. They earn championships in promotions all over the world, come to the biggest promotion, and get sent to the bottom of the ship. Eddie and Rey are the only two to have tasted consistent success.

If the WWE Network ever comes to fruition and they create the cruiserweight show that is rumored, we may see a change in how they are perceived. Until then, we can only hope that Rey, Sin Cara, and Hunico can give them a reason to trust them.

So where do you see El Generico fitting into the mix? How much success will he taste? Will he keep his generic luchador gimmick? Converse.

"¡Olé"