If WWE likes only masked cruiserweights...why not just give them all a mask?

[Kofi/ZigglerClassic]

Kaval got treated like dirt and probably received the worst treatment in the history of the WWE. He was a skilled wrestler and exciting to watch but WWE intentionally buried him (recently revealed) almost ruining his career. Main reason because he was small.

Evan Bourne. Great athlete, exciting to watch, and even had Cena trying to boost him. What does WWE do? Book him as a mute, give him no feuds, and bury him.

In comes, Sin Cara. Great athlete, exciting to watch, but can't speak much english...what's the first thing the WWE talks about? His mask. Everything else about him out the door, the main thing was mask and merchandise.

Which reveals the sad truth...that the only reason Rey Mysterio got pushed and that Sin Cara gets pushed isn't because of their exciting offense or their other abilities including mic skills (Kaval was better on mic than Rey). It was all because of the masks.

Which brings me to a really big question. If the only reason they push a cruiserweight is because of a mask, instead of burying great talent, why not just give them all a unique mask to wear?

Surely guys like Evan and even Kaval wouldn't of mind if meant stardom and possible main events. So why didn't creative just make more masked gimmick characters for these guys?

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Call this a hunch, but maybe they brought in Sin Cara and the reason for Mysterio being pushed is that Smackdown wanted to tap in to the Hispanic demographic? That doesn't seem like a bad reason, does it?

The cruiserweight division never worked in the WWE. It was basically dead less than a year after they brought in it due to various reasons including lack of characters. I believe Sin Cara was brought in to do what Rey Mysterio did great for the past eight years: put on great matches and appeal to the Hispanic audience. Del Rio is doing a great job at it so I believe Sin Cara can and will do the same. Just because guys like Bourne may seem boring, doesn't mean a mask is going to make them any better.

 

[WrestlingIsReal]

i dont think a mask is the reason although i see how you would think that but i do think it would be cool if the cruiserwheights wore masks. it would be unique and marketable.

 

[izzyinsanity666]

I know he's not a cruiserweight,but I think it's significant to mention that they MADE Dos Caras (Alberto Del Rio) drop his mask. Because, honestly, when I first read the title, it seemed like there wasn't a very good point to be made. I don't think they should just give them all masks, but if they do, not for long term. If they did, they'd need to bring in more cruiserweight wrestlers, which they haven't been doing, and have them all "coincidentally" wear masks too. In the long run, it could probably be a pretty marketable thing to do, but even though a mask would work for pretty much any cruiserweight in the company (today, that is) I wouldn't just go ahead and give them all masks.

 

[Klown_Karnage]

I will admit that you do make a valid point in the case of Sin Cara. They do come right out of the gate speaking about his mask. Another reason for that is that the one masked wrestler that the WWE has left, Rey Mysterio, may well be on his way out if reports on wrestlezone are to be believed. Sin Cara, with his mask, may well just be taking Rey's place in regard to that.

That being said, the WWE has never much pushed the cruserweights, period. Even with the case of Rey Mysterio. If Rey had begun his career in the WWE as it is today, he would have been put in the mid-card for the entirety of his career. It is thanks to his success and fair amount of wins in WCW that he was able to even establish enough dominance to be a main eventer. Once in the WWF/E, his fan support, partially because of that, is the only thing that has lead to Mysterio being allowed a main event spot. The mask, and the fact that he is at the extreme end of smaller wrestlers, did help to distinguish him, but his success was largely pushed by his history in another company. At least, that's the way I see it.

In terms of Sin Cara, I think the reason everyone's mentioning his mask has to do with the fact it reminds them of Rey, not to mention the history of other masked wrestlers. People like the fact that the WWE seems to be keeping the tradition alive, at least in a token way. The WWE will probably give Sin Cara some success in order to keep their Hispanic demographic happy.

I do not, however, think it would be a good idea to give all the cruserweights masks. It would not improve their success, just make them slightly more recognizable while they were getting their beat-downs. Besides, when you define a wrestler by his/her mask alone, it pretty much means anybody could take the mask and impersonate the character, thus eliminating the need for that particular wrestler. Remember impostor Kane? Crossing the line, how about Suicide? If I'm remembering right, at least three wrestlers played him over time.

Point blank, the wrestler has to define the mask, not the other way 'round. Either way, smaller wrestlers will always get the short end of the stick (no pun intended) because that's the way Vinnie Mac wants it.

 

[Tech N9ne]

I don't think it has anything to do with the mask. I think even if Mistico didn't wear a mask, WWE would have signed him.

I honestly think WWE wants to tap deeper into the Hispanic demographic. What better way to do that then signing one of the most hyped Mexican stars there is. I think it was a great move, no matter what their exact reasoning for it is.

There have been many other masked stars that didn't receive the push most people thought they would. I think WWE has issues with pushing Cruiserweights in general. Mask or not. There are a few exceptions to the rule and that's exactly what they are, EXCEPTIONS. Rey is obviously one of them.

Rey had already had runs in WCW beyond just fighting CWs. So, I think it was much easier for WWE to put time and effort into Rey's career all around, not just fighting other guys of a small stature.

In this instance though, I think part of it is Mistico's excitement, as well as his heritage that will give him his push.

 

[CDoherty]

Putting Kaval and Evan Bourne into the same class as Rey and Mistico is ridiculous. Yes Kaval and Evan Bourne are good, but it's like comparing Matt Hardy and Lance Storm to Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin. Rey hands is the best cruiserweight and pound for pound wrestler of all time, and if u actually have a argument with that you must have never watched him in WCW. If you watched any Lucha Libre you'd know Mistico is the John Cena of Mexico, super over and sells the most merchandise and tickets.
I'm a fan of Kaval since early ROH, but plain and simply the guys isn't that marktable in WWE world. Sorry it's the truth, seriously what would you do with, he's to small and doesn't work WWE style matches.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The WWE signing Sin Cara to their roster was done, in part, to continue and possibly broaden WWE's appeal to the Hispanic demographic. Every week when the ratings come out for Raw and SmackDown! in Mexico, for example, both those shows outdraw AAA and CMLL on average by about 2.5-3 times over. The WWE has worked to expand its audience in Central and South America and they're looking to exploit the fact that Sin Cara is the biggest star in Mexico right now. The WWE has made such a big deal about his mask because they're looking to give him a look that will allow Mexican fans to know that it's Mistico because CMLL has retained the rights to Mistico's name and best known look. Just slapping a mask on Kaval or Evan Bourne wouldn't make any sort of difference in their careers. The WWE wants Sin Cara to learn English and they're bringing him up to the main roster, he's not going through FCW. Or at least that was the situation when I last read on it this past week.

Kaval was unfortunate, the WWE could've really done something with him but it just wasn't meant to be I guess. Evan Bourne is still quite young and I wouldn't be surprised to see him be featured prominently upon his return. As far as WWE not liking small guys, pure myth. Guys like Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, Kofi Kingston, CM Punk and many others on the WWE roster haven't exactly been of heroic proportions.