PORTLAND, Ore. – When Rey Mysterio faced off against Kane at No Mercy, there was much more than simple pride at stake, as was evident when the Big Red Monster viciously clubbed the luchador with a steel chair, ending the match in a disqualification.

Wearing the colors of Aztec warriors, Rey Mysterio fought valiantly against Kane, who repeatedly attempted to remove his opponent’s mask throughout the match. Contending with the immense power of the Big Red Monster, the Ultimate Underdog managed to turn things around through the use of his signature aerial maneuvers. Just when things were looking up for the Master of the 619, however, Kane smashed him in mid-air with a steel chair, swatting the high-flyer to the ground and disqualifying himself.

In recent weeks, Raw General Manager Mike Adamle had repeatedly given into Kane’s demands, first setting a match against Mysterio for No Mercy, and then adding a stipulation that if the Master of the 619 loses, he must remove his mask in the middle of the ring. In spite of the massive size difference between the two ring warriors, Mysterio consistently held his own during the lead-up to No Mercy, occasionally enlisting the help of fellow high-flyer, ECW’s Evan Bourne.

Mysterio’s battles with the 7-footer began months before, when Kane attacked the Ultimate Underdog outside of a Raw event, injuring and putting him out of commission for weeks. Raw’s Big Red Monster claimed responsibility for the brutal attack, later explaining that he had assaulted the luchador for hiding himself behind a mask, and garnering such accolades while Kane remained miserable and alone. Hoping to expose Mysterio as a coward who hides behind a mask, the Big Red Monster convinced Adamle to add the unmasking stipulation to the night’s match.

But traditional efforts weren’t enough to ground Mysterio and his signature aerial maneuvers, which led Kane to utilize more unorthodox means, and his eventual disqualification. In spite of incredible odds, the Ultimate Underdog retained his mask, and his honor along with it, at No Mercy.