Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio

[10.0] "Ten years removed from their time as two of WCW's undercard standouts, Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio steal another show, going on second and tearing the house down for Intercontinental gold. While armed with the maturity befitting their experience, this isn't without that 90s innovation either, as Mysterio plays some old tunes that hadn't been heard in years. Opposite him, Jericho is nastier than ever, relishing the role of bully and operating with a smug disdain. It's not enough to fully push the people in Mysterio's direction, but this is too good to suffer much, earning oohs and aahs at every turn. The motivation is obvious and the result is a statement match, two living legends swinging for the fences and once again, wrestling beyond their push. ****3/4"

[9.0] "Awesome match. Mysterio shows a ton of fire in this, fighting for not only the title but his mask, and Jericho continues his excellent heel work over Rey. These two have such good chemistry and everything they do meshes so well. All of the Walls of Jericho spots had the crowd going insane, and the finish where Jericho tries to do the mask rip again, but Rey is wearing a double mask, and it leads right to the finish. So clever, and Rey getting the pin and not celebrating, but looking right at Jericho with grim determination, so cool."

[10.0] "These two found out they were going on second on this nothing show and went out there and put on what was probably one of the Matches of the Year in 2009. It has stakes with Title vs. Mask, Jericho is at peak of his heel abilities, and Rey isn't holding back doing stuff he doesn't normally do. Just incredible. *****"

[7.0] "Great match but far from my favorite Rey bout. I appreciated the briefness of their sprint, Jericho is a real bastard here and is looking for any easy trick to humiliate and destroy Rey but Rey thought several steps ahead. They're throwing bombs at each other for sure, really kicking each other's asses. Loved the finish."

[8.0] "Great storytelling with the double mask, fast paced and nothing is over done. Particularly enjoyed Jericho catching Rey in mid air and turning it into the Walls"

[10.0] "This was an absolute classic. Probably my favorite IC Title match of the late 2000's. This match had great spots, but it wasn't a spot fest. There was almost no downtime and yet it still felt like the match could breathe. These guys threw bombs at each other and still sold the hell out of everything without having to slow the pace down. Excellent psychology and storytelling from both men. Both Rey and Jericho had their moments to shine in this contest. Especially loved the finish which reminded me of the finish between Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle at WM20. Highly recommend this match."

[8.0] "[8, 50/10, 0] A very entertaining match. It's a slow-paced match, but it doesn't end up being a detriment to the match itself, thanks to the long-awaited spots that actually end up being worthwhile. Obviously, not to mention the great story told throughout the fight. Honestly, a highly recommended match."

[8.0] "Really fun match, some of the counters here were incredible. The ending was great, overall awesome match for the IC Title."

[9.0] "What a match these two guys had here. All of the great things from their previous 2 matches were here, as well as new counters, and another stellar finish. It was refreshing to see a babyface actually use their brains to win, as Rey used a decoy mask to stun Y2J and win back the title."

[9.0] "Phenomenal match! Anytime these two wrestled in 2009 it was great, and this match toped every other match they had worked together. So many cool spots and unexpected counters, not a moment of getting dull, Jericho working as an arrogant heel throughout the match and Mysterio being the underdog trying to overcome the odds. The finish of the match was a great way to end their feud as well with Mysterio finally being one step ahead of Jericho and taking back his title. 4.75*"

[10.0] "Incredible match. Very highly rated on this site but I never hear anyone really talk about it as a classic. It deserves more recognition."

[7.0] "Really good match just as expected from these 2, just wish it was a little longer since they started off a little slow and the match ended just as it started to really heat up with all the reversals, give it like 5 more minutes and they would have an classic."

[8.0] "Wow, even though their feud and matches had been rare highlights lately, I still wasn't expecting something this good. A fantastic blow-off bout with both guys going all out, maintaining a phenomenal pace from start to finish. Rey played the underdog role to perfection, while Jericho's heel work was top-notch, and the action itself was some of the most exciting WWE had to offer at the time. The false finishes were executed brilliantly and felt genuinely believable, and the final sequence - where Rey revealed he had two masks on - was masterfully done. This felt like something straight out of WCW's cruiserweight division era."

[8.0] "I guess I was expecting a little more considering the insanely high rating for this match. I still thought this was a fantastic 15 minutes of non-stop fast paced action. Jericho + Luchador = excellence. (****1/4)"

[9.0] "The match itself was great, and the finish was so clever. They told a great story, and Rey having a second identical mask underneath his mask was so clever, very reminiscent of something Eddie Guerrero would've done to get himself out of a sticky situation."

[8.0] "[4.0*] Incredible match. I may be not as high on this one as the average rating suggests, but I totally get why people loved it so much too. This was 15-minutes of nonstop action, incredibly high pacing and zero boring moments. They kept it up from start to end with a lot of creative spots, including that beautiful Codebreaker that everyone knows. Corazon de Leon vs Rey Mysterio in a lucha-based match awesome! I loved the ending too, with Rey completely outsmarting Jericho by using 2 masks on the match. I dunno if this is legal on Mask vs Masks matches in Mexico lol but in WWE it ruled."

[8.0] "Better than their Extreme Rules match. The storytelling and in-ring work was great, especially the reveal of the second mask. I think it's rated a bit too highly on here though, 8.5/10"

[7.0] "This match was certainly a very good one, but looking at the ratings of my predecessors, it's another that I'd call overrated. Quite honestly, I'd take their match from the previous month over this one, but just a little bit. Counter wrestling was what was really on display here. There were so many fantastic counters. Especially from Jericho. The swing into the barricade, the powebomb off the top, and the Codebreaker after Mysterio's springboard. It felt like Jericho had a plan for all of Mysterio's tricks, but at the end of the day, Mysterio outsmarted Jericho and used his ego against him for the win. Near falls were also executed wonderfully. I just didn't think the bout had enough drama or in-ring storytelling for me to rate it any higher. So, while yes, this is absolutely a match worth going out of your way to see, I certainly can't call it one of the greatest of all time, either. As mentioned, I'd take their Extreme Rules match over this one personally."

[10.0] "Absolutely perfect. Perfect pace, perfect storytelling, perfect maneuvers. I don't know how it is possible that people ignore this match so much, it was the best match in Rey's career"

[10.0] "I feel like I've never heard anyone hype this match and that's such a shame. The storytelling is so clever and the wrestling is essentially flawless."

[8.0] "This match has Jericho yelling taunts at his opponent, which I have always loved. This match is fast paced and the crowd is hot for it. There are several impressive spots but there is a hope spot where Jericho jumps off the turnbuckle backwards which looks odd. There are several great false finishes and the actual finish is hot. I still think that both guys have better matches out there, but this is a good one."

[10.0] "Absolutely phenomenal match and the best between both men. The chemistry and storytelling between them is spectacular, the in ring action is fast paced, stellar and entertaining and Rey wearing an extra mask to play Jericho in order to win was just pure gold."

[9.0] "Awesome fucking match the perfect opener yet for some reason went on 2nd but whatever this match rules. Jericho and Rey have had great chemistry from there days in Japan in the mid 90s so them having a match this good is no real surprise. The spots and the creativity in here are so fucking good it made you feel like Jericho had a legitimate chance at winning. Awesome finish with Rey using 2 masks to fool Jericho and getting the Win. 4.5/5"

[10.0] "just as good as it was in 2009, Jericho and Rey are such good fits in the ring and it's the classic heel with big ego trying to destroy the inferior underdog by taking what he values the most, which is the mask in this case, fast paced, cool and awesome. one of the best matches of both men's great careers."

[8.0] "A classic story of AAA and CMLL in the eyes of WWE. Very good match, with some striking spots and action at a pace that doesn't get tiring. Beautiful performance from Mysterio and Y2J's CodeBreaker is certainly one of the most memorable of his career. Jericho plays an asshole like few others. There was something a little weird in the corner towards the end, but life goes on. Amazing match for the period, good match for history [****1/4]."

[10.0] "Wow, just wow. This match is fantastic. From the get go these two are going at it like they have a 5 minute time limit. The action does NOT stop for even one moment. Its a lot like the Kurt Angle Vs. Rey Mysterio match from 2002 Summerslam but longer. The story is simple yet effective, and even though the crowd seemingly wants Jericho to win, I dont think anyone was upset with the result. The counters in this match are outrageously good, and impressive. I also love the false finishes. The codebreaker reversal, I really thought it was over there and I even knew the damn result going in. The ending too is a bit silly but very fun. Rey having a second mask on was so out of left field but I loved it. Its just two of the all time greats putting on a wrestling form of cocaine. If the very start was as fast as the rest of the match it would get an 11/10 from me, but I still think this is a pretty perfect match."

[9.0] "Amazing match here. A sort of hidden gem if you will. Not many people talk about this match nowadays and I cant think of a reason other than it was on a one off PPV. The background here was that Jericho wants Reys mask and Rey wants the IC title. He can only get the shot if he puts his mask on the line. He does and thats basically the story. In terms of the match itself, there was a very clear babyface/heel dynamic. Thats always a bonus no matter who it is. The in ring action itself was great with minimal mistakes that I could probably count on my fingers. I loved how Jericho started the match trying to tear away at Reys mask. He abandons that plan up until the end, so it kinda feels like it came out of nowhere. Maybe he shouldve gone after the mask more. Anyways, this whole era of Jericho was incredible. This match and his ladder match with Shawn the year prior are good examples to support that sentiment. Here Jericho was very clever. He had some brilliant counters throughout: catching the slide and throwing him into the barricade, reversing the powerbomb from the top rope into a powerbomb, and turning the west coast pop into a Walls of Jericho. He had some other ones but those were all that really stood out. I like how they spent very little time on the outside. I think the cumulative time where both guys were outside might be around a minute. The senton from the turnbuckle to the floor was great and probably my spot of the match. The crowd was fairly into the match here. Especially in the final stretch. They just got more and more into it. That final pop when Rey was able to get the pin was crazy. All in all, definitely recommend this match. Its not too long so it wont be a waste of time. 9/10. ****1/2"

[10.0] "Banger from beginning to end. Superb back and forth showdown between Rey and Jericho with a great finish. I always pop for Rey wearing another mask underneath lol."

[9.0] "Superb match, I really liked the finish which was successful. It goes quickly and the crowd is present, the latter has not started chanting but is exulting in Mysterio's victory. (4*1/2)"

[7.0] "A good match that starts off pretty slow especially when Jericho has control but when Rey gets into it it picks up quickly, some great moments, reversals and storytelling in the short amount of time. The last 5 minutes of the match were much better than the rest"

"This match was easily the best of the night and has everything you'd expect from a 5 star match. Really entertaining and the creative ending with the mask was the cherry on the cake. Definitely a recommended watch."

[8.0] "Fun match highlighting Y2J's mid-air counters in some moments of the match and the ending being very creative (****)"

[10.0] "An amazing match and as smooth as it could be. Maybe too short. If it lasted 5 minutes longer, it would be even better, but it's still an incredible bout."

[7.0] "It's a very good fast-paced workrate type match with lots of back and forth action. Not really my favorite style of match personally but I can see why so many people rate it highly."

[9.0] "This was an amazing IC title match and the best match between these two. It had fantastic sequences and a hot crowd. The finish with Mysterio having a second mask under his mask was awesome. ****3/4"

[10.0] "A really, really great match elevated by something WWE almost never did seriously, a proper Lucha de Apuestas match. Jericho & Rey put over both the IC Title and Rey's mask in equal measure, and despite a slowish start this match was off the charts over because of it. One they got going this was excellent stuff, just the smoothest basing from Jericho and some of Rey's best athleticism of his late 00s run. Perfectly paced sequences and momentum swings, nearfalls that got the crowd into a frenzy. The finish was just a bit sudden but damn it was cathartic anyway, even divorced of its context. This was the last truly excellent singles match Jericho had until his NJPW stint and his stellar AEW 2022. ****1/2"

[9.0] "An amazing match between Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio. These two were both having a great 2009 and this was even better than their match from Extreme Rules, which was also great. Lots of awesome action and Mysterio was moving like he was back when he was in WCW. Great reversals from Jericho, into the Codebreaker and Walls of Jericho, and another really awesome and inventive finish. These two had great chemistry and are both masters of innovation. Awesome stuff."

[10.0] "An absolute masterpiece that ended up as the best match of their series of matches on all turfs of wrestling they faced & a marvelous end to one of the thrilling rivalries of the company's history. Their rivalry was exceptionally presented with a sensitive element of Lucha libre wrestlers - the mask and Jericho used that element to the level that no one has ever touched till date. Both were at their peaks of their careers and their chemistry was inevitable inside the ring. The action was crisp & silky smooth while the crowd was excellent in welcoming every move of the bout. Mysterio winning closes the chapter & the saga against Jericho on a great note and it still feels superlative seeing these two orchestrate a mind-blowing clash. 5 out of 5 stars!"

[9.0] "Jericho's work on top early on was pretty good with him trying to keep Rey grounded so that he can't perform his high-flying offense. Rey would eventually get to the high flying and the action after this would become fast-paced with both men going back and forth. The counters that they pulled off in this were impressive even though we had seen some of them in their previous matches, but I really liked Rey countering the backbreaker into a head scissors, Jericho countering Rey's leg drop into the walls which were both 1st. The near-fall where Rey kicked out of the codebreaker was really tense seeing if he didn't kick out he would lose his mask. Things were moving really quickly towards the end with both of them trying to constantly roll each other up, after this is done Jericho rips Rey's mask off again like the match at extreme rules but this time to Jericho's shock Rey had another mask underneath which allowed Rey to hit the 619, splash for the win. Definitely one of the best matches for both men in their careers****3/4"

[10.0] "Lived up to every bit of the praise it got. This remains one of the greatest IC Title bouts of all time, and one of if not THE match of both men's respective careers. What I adored about this the most was the fact that they actually took time to study their opponents before the bout (in kayfabe, duh), which resulted in some amazing continuity stuff from their past encounters. Then you got the classic formula of Rey Rey fighting from underneath, giving us tons of tremendous hope spots and a series of spectacular false finishes. Jericho was equally brilliant as well, precise timing on his offenses and reversals with Rey, and some great heel work to boot. Loved the finish in particular, innovative, smart, unprecedented, and a perfect end to an outstanding trilogy. [****3/4]"

[8.0] "I thought Jericho was mostly uninteresting when working on top during the first half of this. He'd trash talk and bring some smug facial expressions to the table, but I didn't find him all that interesting until he was cutting off Rey in a variety of awesome ways. That Codebreaker counter was incredible. Rey was the better worker here overall, his comebacks were glorious and he'd pull stuff that I didn't think 2009 Rey could still pull off. I like the idea of the finish (which saw Jericho yank of Rey's mask only to reveal he was wearing a second mask underneath, with the distraction being enough for Rey to sneak a victory), but they moved through it so quickly that neither the fans nor the commentators had enough time to react."

[9.0] "This match is way better than 4. 5 stars. It was so fluid and fresh. The story was simple but well done, the action was relentless and just so good. The springboard manouvers just looked awesome. I think this is one of the best WWE matches of all time. *****"

[10.0] "Similar to the Eddie Rey match from Havoc 97, and while that match was better, it's just barely, just like that match it's a story driven match with very impressive spots and just like that match it's a Mask Vs Title match where Rey places a great underdog face against a vicious heel, the story was maybe stronger here it was done to perfection, crowd has hot too"

[10.0] "This match felt like one of their cruiserweight matches from back in WCW. It was frantic and everything had a purpose. A true gem - wish it would get more recognition!"

[9.0] "The pace was so relentless. Constant back and forth wrestling with some incredible counters. The continuous use of La Atlantida only for Rey this time countering it into a DDT was great wrestling. And it was very nuanced in a way that it felt like a struggle - a battle for control. Jericho's cut offs were great like the nasty clothesline from the apron, the flash Wall Of Jericho and the big powermoves he'd pull out to offset Rey. Jericho wrestling like a powerman works perfectly. Rey is still in superb shape in 2009 (even now in 2020) but he pulled out some breathtaking moves that reminded me of 1996 Rey Mysterio showing up on The Great American Bash. And everything felt like it was escalating with the toll eventually having to take it's toll on both men. The finish had another great call back to the Extreme Rules match with Jericho grabbing Rey's mask again but only to reveal Rey had two masks on. Great match. Career match for Jericho matched with a top performance from him. Rey was sensational as always. ****1/2"

[10.0] "Their best match for sure. Some nice spots were in this match. Especially air codebreaker was awesome. Jericho's heel work in this match was great too. ****1/2."

[10.0] "This was peak Jericho vs. an amazing babyface in Rey Mysterio. Mysterio never really clicked with me as a kid until this match. An actual clever baby face is rare in pro wrestling but Rey knew Jericho's tricks and prepared by wearing two masks. Sounds goofy but it was incredibly well done, excellent call back to the prior match they had. Everything about this match was perfect to me. Great offense/sequences, atmosphere and finish. Favorite Jericho match besides the ladder match with Michaels. *****"

[9.0] "Chris Jericho was absolutely one of the best in the world at this point in time. When he went to SmackDown in 2009 he could have worked with anyone he wanted and chose Rey Mysterio. I really enjoyed this feud with Jericho's obsession with Rey's mask. The first few minutes of this match was a bit slow and uninteresting but it quickly picked up the pace with lots of cool counters and moments. Loved the finish which was a callback to how Jericho won the title from Mysterio in the first place by ripping off his mask. This time Rey outsmarted Jericho by wearing a second mask underneath, just brilliant. ****1/2"

[8.0] "Rey pulls out some great moves in this including a spectacular double springboard moonsault. Jericho plays a convincing heel and is his usual intelligent self. The ending is clever with Rey outfoxing Jericho at his own game. ****"

[9.0] "Great stuff, tons of fun. This is what it's all about. Lots of counters, fast paced, near falls, tons at stake. A few excellent spots, and a very satisfying ending. Well done. ****1/2."