"I wish he was still here." - Rey Mysterio reflects on Eddie Guerrero and Lucha Libre

Lucha Libre is now an important part of American wrestling, and wrestling in general, thanks to the popularity of the high-flying style. In the 90s, it was the first time that the wrestling style was becoming popular in the American market. The rise in popularity was largely due to wrestlers like Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, and Dean Malenko, who incorporated it in their repertoire.

Looking at the current wrestling scenario, during his appearance on WWE's The Bump (h/t Wrestling Inc), Rey Mysterio revealed that he wished that Eddie Guerrero was still there to see where Lucha Libre had reached.

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Rey Mysterio on Lucha Libre in wrestling and Eddie Guerrero

Rey Mysterio opined that he felt the match between wrestlers like himself and Eddie Guerrero helped the fans to accept the new wrestling style that was being introduced. Rey Mysterio went on to talk about how Santos Escobar is now a Cruiserweight Champion again after 23 years of Mysterio's match at Halloween Havoc against Eddie Guerrero.

"I think it definitely opened up the viewership for the fans. They were accepting this new style that was coming in. [I also] think it opened the gateway for future generations yet to come. To say we have Santos Escobar, another Latino that is a Cruiserweight champ after 23 years-- I think the direction that we put on that match definitely has been a barrier opening for younger talent."

Rey Mysterio also revealed that he wished that Eddie Guerrero could see the way the fans respected Lucha Libre and how essential it had become to wrestling.

"I wish he was still here, you know, so he can receive all this ovation from the fans and he can understand how much it meant 23 years later. I'm sure he is from the heavens."

Rey Mysterio also reflected on the was that Dean Malenko had helped him when he first went to WCW and how eager he was to learn Lucha as well.

"Dean was the first guy that took me in when I went to WCW. The Great American Bash was actually my first tryout match in WCW. There was definitely a connection right off the bat. Dean had already been - numerous times - to Japan and did the J-Cup. So, you know, I think the size and the weight difference and him wanting to learn and do a little more Lucha, as well as being around Eddie [Guerrero] and [Chris] Jericho, it definitely gave him a different vision of what could really happen with that Lucha Libre style."

Rey Mysterio is currently on WWE SmackDown, where he is working with his son Dominik Mysterio, and is involved in a storyline with his daughter, Aalyah.