Rey Misterio Sr. – uncle of WWE’s Rey Mysterio – passes away
Rey Misterio Sr. — a Tijuana wrestling legend best known for launching the career of his Hall of Fame nephew — has passed away at 66 years old.
Misterio’s death was announced on Friday through a brief statement one of his sons shared to Facebook. Real name Miguel Angel Lopez Dias, Misterio was a wrestler, trainer, and mentor. He was the uncle of WWE star Rey Mysterio, who became an all-time great after being trained by his uncle and receiving permission to use Rey Misterio Jr. as his wrestling name.
“Friends and family, I regret to inform you that my Father, Miguel Angel Lopez Dias, Rey Misterio Sr. passed away this morning,” Misterio’s son wrote. “Will keep you informed. Thank you.”
Misterio’s cause of death has not been announced, but Super Luchas writes that he had been having health problems for several months and was in a wheelchair for his last public appearances.
Lucha Libre AAA paid tribute to Misterio with company president Marisela Pena sending her condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
Former WCW stars Konnan and Psicosis are among the other wrestlers that Misterio trained. At WCW Starrcade 1990, Misterio & Konnan were partners for a tag team tournament.
“So sorry to hear about the death of the original Rey Misterio (Sr.), Miguel Lopez, at 66, the uncle of the WWE star,” Dave Meltzer tweeted. “In his heyday he was almost like Tijuana’s version of Jerry Lawler in Memphis. As a trainer, his track record matches the best, his nephew, the original Psicosis, Konnan, Halloween and Damian all in the same class.”
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.