Fact Check: Did Jennifer Aniston Really Date an Already Married Rey Mysterio in the 90s?

Pro wrestling is full of bizarre and compelling on-screen storylines. But there are some stories that the fans may not be privy to. Stories that came out of nowhere. Rey Mysterio was once entwined in a baseless rumor about his romantic relationship with Hollywood actress, Jennifer Aniston. In the 90s, Jennifer Aniston rose to prominence after the release of the famous sitcom, Friends. She was a well-established actress that fans and media could not get enough of. 

On the other hand, Rey Mysterio was making a name for himself in WCW. The masked Luchador was ascending to the top of his career with his high-flying attributes in the ring.

In 1997, Nation Enquirer published Mysterio’s alleged relationship with Jennifer Aniston in their magazine. The media, fans, and other wrestlers had a field day after the article was published. So, were they actually an item?

Did Jennifer Aniston actually date Rey Mysterio? 

According to the Nation Enquirer magazine, Mysterio broke the Luchador tradition and revealed his unmasked face to the actress. The report also claimed that she had seen four of Mysterio’s matches and loved his wrestling.

The rumor led people to think that the two were an item. Although Nation Enquirer claimed that Mysterio and Aniston were pretty close, it is far from the truth.

Dave Meltzer laid the rumor to rest, claiming that the report was false. According to him, the goal was to get Mysterio some fame. 

The former World Heavyweight Champion also poured cold water on the rumor in his book, Rey Mysterio: Behind The Mask. He stated in his autobiography that he had no idea where the rumors stemmed from.

He also mentioned how the other wrestlers capitalized on the false rumors and ribbed him backstage. Interestingly, after the rumors surfaced, Mysterio was already happily married to his wife, Angie Gutierrez.  

“I remember in 1997 there were some stories going around that I was dating Jennifer Aniston, the actress.” Rey Mysterio said. “I have no idea what that was about or where it came from. Maybe somebody wanted to get my name out there and started the rumor. Anyway, I thought it was funny.”

Jennifer Aniston comments on the rumor about dating the masked wrestler

After the false news got Jennifer’s attention in 1997, she told The Buffalo News that she had never so much as met a wrestler in her life. According to her, the rumor was “outrageous”.

While Aniston grabbed the headlines many times due to her dysfunctional marriage with Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux later, she outright denied the rumor about her dating Rey Mysterio. 

“What is the most outrageous thing the tabloids have printed about me?” Aniston considered. “Well… they said I was dating this masked wrestler named The Phantom and that no one knew who he was because he wore the mask. I never met a wrestler in my life.”

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