Top 5 Most Successful Masked WWE Wrestlers in History

When you see a masked wrestler in a ring in WWE or any wrestling promotion, the intrigue and interest automatically increases and you want to watch that wrestler closely. Every masked wrestler in the history of Pro Wrestling and in WWE, has had some unique qualities and interesting demeanor attached to him. While the mask culture in wrestling had started in Mexico and Japan originally, at the start of the 1990’s, it became popular in the USA too.The biggest wrestling promotion in the world, WWE also benefited from it.
Here, we enlist the five most successful masked WWE superstars to have graced the ring
1.Mankind(Mick Foley’s alter ego)
Mick Foley was a popular wrestler in WWE from the early 90s to the early 2000’s. But according to an interview given by Foley to ‘Talking Tough’, the then WWE CEO Vine McMahon did not see Folly’s face as that of a superstar and wanted to cover his face with a mask. Therefore the Inception of “Mankind” took place in 1997. Even though Foley found it difficult to breathe during matches with the mask on, the strange mannerisms and weird voices that Foley produced under that mask made it an intriguing and fearful character and one of the best masked gimmicks of WWE. While playing ‘Mankind’, Foley did some of the most dangerous stunts in the history of WWE, also winning many Championships.
2. The Fiend
‘The Fiend’ was a character designed by the creative brilliance of Bray Wyatt, who passed away in 2023 unfortunately. The Fiend was the alter ego of Bray Wyatt, who looked like an ugly Monster with a fearsome mask that made him look like a clown. Adding to the absurdity were his striped pants and a personality which lacked the art of communication. With his terrifying entrance, he sent chills down the spine of his opponents and the audience alike. Arguably, it was the best work of Bray as since the inception of The Fiend in 2019, he won two WWE Universal Championships against formidable opponents like Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman and Finn Balor.
3.The Hurricane
The Hurricane was played by former WCW superstar Shane Helms, who after WWE bought WCW, rebranded himself and turned out as “The Hurricane” in WWE, on the August 21 episode of Smackdown in 2001. One of the most popular characters of the early 2000’s, Hurricane won several Championships in WWE like the European championship, WWE Cruiserweight Championship and was a Three time World Tag Team Champion too. He had a skillful move set and used the ‘Chokeslam’ as his finisher. His character work was brilliant, which was majorly helped by his perfect mic skills. Currently, The Hurricane(Gregory Helms) is with the WWE as a backstage producer and keeps making Royal Rumble appearances as The Hurricane.
4. Kane.
Before stripping his mask away in an episode of RAW in 2003, Kane was known for his Monsters physique and fearsome persona, that became a part of the WWE folklore. “The Big Red Machine” debuted as the half brother of the Dead Man Undertaker, at the Bad Blood PPV to confront The Undertaker. He interrupted the Hell in a Cell match between Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, by tearing the iron door apart, and brutalizing his step brother inside. The red pyro, fire blowing out on his dictation and just the overall personality that Kane brought with him was fascinating to see. He is one of the most legendary gimmicks of all time in all of sports entertainment. Kane won the WWE championship, WCW Championship and a plethora of other Championships in WWE and that is why he was inducted in the 2021 class of WWE Hall of Fame.
5. Rey Mysterio.
A masked wrestler, all of 5 feet 6 inches tall, winning World championships and achieving the Hall of Fame status in WWE is unheard of and stuff of dreams. But Mr. Rey Mysterio has made it all come true. A former WCW superstar, Rey Mysterio is the perfect example of an underdog achieving his dreams with the fans’ support. The Mexican Luchador is arguably the most popular and loved masked superstars in sports entertainment of all time, who is specialized in high flying moves and his agility throughout his career. The second coming of his career was his captivating rivalry with his own son Dominik Mysterio, which added to his fan following even more. Mysterio is a three time WWE World Heavyweight Champion and a former United States and Intercontinental Champion too. He was also a master in Tag Team matches, and has won several Tag Team Championships in WWE.