Chris Jericho: I Never Pitched Taking Juventud Guerrera's Mask In WCW
Jericho unmasked Juvi at Superbrawl VIII
Unmasking a luchador is a something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, but WCW seemingly at times didn’t care, unmasking several luchadors such as Rey Mysterio Jr. and Juventud Guerrera.
In the case of Guerrera, he lost his mask to then Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho in 1998, and when Guerrera made an appearance on Talk is Jericho, the two discussed how the unmasking came about:
“That was shocking because when I started my career, every wrestler, you don't want to lose your mask, you always want to have it,” started Guerrera “For me to be in this position to lose this mask, it wasn't something I really wanted to do. In a way, something was telling me, 'Maybe you can do it.' I was just happy to be there and I went with the flow, but it was shocking. I didn't know how the people were going to respond or how they would feel about me because I always try to look good and give a good look. When you took the mask, it was perfect because I was trying to pull the mask little by little and you just took it away. It was perfect. “I always was wondering, it was Eric Bischoff, but did you have something to do with it? Whose idea (was it?)”
Jericho replied, stating he wasn’t ‘important enough’ at that time to pitch his own creative:
“It wasn’t me at all. I had no power or anything at that point. You and I worked many times and Eric went through this idea that luchadors should lose their mask and you were a handsome guy. I understand the Mexican culture better than anybody that wasn't Mexican because I had worked there. I remember thinking, 'If he has to lose his mask, what can I do to help this?' I'm the heel, so I would say you looked like Quasimoto, Quasijuice, you were the hunchback of Notre Dame and when you take your mask off it's, ‘F***, this is a good looking guy.' I was never really asked or consulted. We were working and it was, 'You're going to have this match with Juvi and you're going to take his mask.' I was like, 'Really?' 'Yes, that's what Eric wants.' I didn't have anything to do with it.”
Jericho continued, “It's cool you noticed that and now and AEW, and even in WWE for a number of years, as you go up the ladder, you have a lot of influence. Then, I wasn't being asked anything. It was just, 'Here's what we want you to do, we think it'll be a good match and draw for the pay-per-view.' That's what it was. I was never asked, 'Do you want to do this?' and I certainly never went, 'Hey, I want to take Juvi's mask,' I wasn't at that level. Had I been at that level, maybe I would have, but I didn’t.”
The feud between the two was reignited earlier this year, when Juvi showed up in AEW as one of MJF’s hand-picked opponents for Le Champion during the ‘Labours of Jericho’.
H/T: Fightful
