IYO SKY has named WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio as the favorite wrestler and enduring idol of her life, offering a candid perspective on the comparisons that naturally follow two athletes known for spectacular aerial offense.
During an interview with Ringer Wrestling, SKY was asked about Michael Cole’s frequent description of her as the “Best Wrestler on the Planet.” It is a label that reflects the regard she has earned through her WWE accomplishments, title success, and a style built around speed, precision, risk, and explosive movement. SKY accepted that the compliment is meaningful, but she stopped short of declaring herself the industry’s best.
“Yeah, I really hope so. I’m doing my best, but I cannot say I am the best,” SKY said.
When the discussion turned to the wrestler who has meant the most to her, SKY’s answer was immediate. Mysterio has long been one of the most influential high flyers in wrestling history, and his impact continues to reach performers who came into the sport from vastly different places and generations.
For more background on this topic, read Booker T Says NXT Commentary Lets Him Be Himself After Early WWE Broadcast Struggles.
“[For] my entire life, my favorite wrestler is Rey Mysterio. He’s my idol forever,” SKY said.
A Fitting Choice for WWE’s Aerial Specialist
The connection between SKY and Mysterio is easy to understand even beyond their shared willingness to leave the ground. Both have made athletic creativity central to their identities. Their matches often move at a pace that demands exceptional timing, while their signature moments can transform a seemingly ordinary opening into a crowd-changing highlight.
SKY’s WWE presentation has consistently emphasized that element of her game. Her Over the Moonsault is among the defining images of her in-ring career, an exclamation point that requires balance, commitment, and the confidence to execute under the brightest possible spotlight. It has helped make her one of the promotion’s most recognizable modern high flyers and has supported a run that includes multiple WWE championships since she joined the company.
Mysterio’s own body of work established a template for what aerial wrestling could look like on a major stage. His influence is not limited to a particular move or a particular era. For decades, he has represented an approach in which speed and high-risk offense are paired with urgency, resilience, and an ability to connect emotionally with an audience. That combination has made him a standard-bearer for generations of wrestlers, including performers whose styles are not identical to his.
SKY did not present herself as Mysterio’s direct equivalent, nor did she claim that the comparison tells the whole story of either performer. Instead, her comments placed the comparison in a more personal light: Mysterio is the wrestler she watched, admired, and continues to view as an idol.
SKY Is Realistic About Her Own Longevity
At 51, Mysterio remains an active wrestler and continues to be praised for the quality of his performances. His longevity is especially notable because his career has been defined by a physically demanding style. Performing at that level over such a long period is unusual for any wrestler, and it is particularly remarkable for someone whose reputation was built on rapid movement, dives, and innovative offense.
Asked whether she could picture herself following Mysterio’s example and wrestling at 50, SKY gave an answer that was both appreciative and grounded in the realities of her own style.
“50? 50 years old? Yeah, I hope, but my answer is no,” SKY said. “My style is very different. I cannot imagine [me] putting my trash can on my head and [jumping] from the the edge at 50 years old.”
The remark referenced the kind of unconventional, fearless visual that has long been associated with Mysterio’s career. It also underlined SKY’s awareness that admiration does not necessarily mean a wrestler expects to reproduce another performer’s career path move for move, year for year, or risk for risk.
There is a practical honesty in that distinction. A high-flying style can create unforgettable moments, but it also asks a great deal of the body. SKY’s answer did not diminish Mysterio’s accomplishments. If anything, it highlighted just how extraordinary it is that he has maintained such a level of performance into his fifties.
“Best Wrestler on the Planet” Remains Praise, Not a Self-Proclamation
Cole’s description of SKY has become a recurring part of how WWE frames her standing in the company. The phrase is not simply about a single move or a single championship reign. It speaks to the complete package she brings to major matches: her athleticism, ability to perform under pressure, and the distinctive visual identity she has created in WWE.
Still, SKY’s response showed humility. She said she hopes the praise is true and made clear that she is working toward that standard, but she would not personally claim the title. That answer fits with the larger theme of her comments. She recognizes the respect attached to being compared with a figure such as Mysterio, while also speaking candidly about the limits and differences involved in such comparisons.
For performers at SKY’s level, broad acclaim can become part of the conversation around every major appearance. Fans debate rankings, commentators attach superlatives, and comparisons to past greats are inevitable. SKY’s interview offered a reminder that performers themselves may see those discussions differently. Rather than centering the conversation on whether she has surpassed anyone, she pointed to the wrestler who inspired her.
Why the Mysterio Comparison Continues
SKY has been compared with Mysterio before because of their aerial ability, though the comparison has also produced debate. Kevin Nash addressed the subject last year and rejected the idea that Mysterio can be easily measured against other high flyers, calling the legendary luchador a one-in-a-billion talent. Nash said he had no issue with SKY personally, but indicated that he would rather watch Sol Ruca compete.
That reaction illustrates the challenge of comparing wrestlers across styles, eras, and individual strengths. Mysterio’s singular legacy is not erased by acknowledging SKY’s accomplishments, just as SKY’s success does not require her to be treated as a replica of the Hall of Famer. Both performers have developed identifiable styles and have built their reputations through their own bodies of work.
What SKY’s comments make clear is that the Mysterio connection is meaningful to her beyond the surface-level question of who can execute the most dazzling move. She sees him as the idol who has remained her favorite across her life. That is a more significant statement than a debate over stylistic similarities.
An Influence That Spans Generations
Mysterio’s continued presence as an active WWE wrestler gives his influence a rare immediacy. Many performers speak about legends whose careers they primarily experienced through old footage. SKY, meanwhile, can identify Mysterio as a lifelong favorite while he remains visible in the same promotion and continues to perform at a high level.
For SKY, that influence sits alongside a career that has already made her one of WWE’s premier women’s competitors. Her championship record and high-profile performances have established her as far more than simply a wrestler with an impressive finishing move. Yet the interview showed that even an accomplished star can retain the perspective of a fan who remembers the wrestlers that first made the sport feel special.
SKY may not expect to be leaping from elevated positions with a trash can over her head at 50, but she clearly understands the magnitude of Mysterio’s durability and legacy. Her answer balanced ambition with realism: she hopes for longevity, knows the demands of her own in-ring approach, and remains grateful for the praise surrounding her work.
As debate continues over SKY’s place among WWE’s elite, her own view is straightforward. She will keep doing her best, she will accept the respect that comes with being called the best in the world, and she will continue to look to Rey Mysterio as the wrestler who inspired her more than anyone else.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.