Was Rey Mysterio ever released by WWE?

Rey Mysterio is currently in his second stint with WWE, which began in 2018. Although it hasn't been filled with championship success as before, he has introduced his son Dominik to the fans.

Rey's goal in his current WWE run is to nurture his son rather than to focus on his career. It's hard to blame him since he already has a career spanning 32 years, starting from the young age of 14.

So when was Rey Mysterio released by WWE? Technically, he wasn't. On February 26, 2015, the company announced that his contract had expired, and he left after 13 years.

In reality, Mysterio himself wanted to leave and hadn't been on TV since 2014. While he was taking a break to heal from a wrist injury, WWE reportedly extended his contract without discussion.

By this point, the former World Champion was already underutilized. Bad creative decisions, wellness policy violation suspension, as well as a concussion made his last few years in WWE completely forgettable.

Rey Mysterio's resurgence in WWE

It was over three-and-a-half years later when Rey Mysterio returned to WWE, signing a three-year contract in the process. As mentioned, his primary objective during this second run wasn't to win championships but to help introduce his into the fray.

While the young Mysterio appeared with his father at numerous points throughout 2019, his in-ring debut came at SummerSlam 2020, where he lost to Seth Rollins in an incredible bout.

Even now, Rey Mysterio seems to be nurturing Dominik under his wing, with the two rumored to break up and start a feud very soon. The former may not be in his prime, but he is still an indispensable part of the roster.