Early in his WWE career, it didn’t seem like there was much hope for Dominik Mysterio. While teaming up with his father, the legendary Rey Mysterio, Dom was stuck in his dad’s shadow, and he didn’t look capable of ever escaping it.
That’s what makes his transformation over the last seven months all the more special. After turning to the dark side, and aligning with Judgement Day at Clash of the Castle back in September, the 25-year-old has been firing on all cylinders, and is now one of the most entertaining wrestlers in WWE.
What previously looked like a bleak future for Dom is now blindingly bright, and it’s all because of the work he put in recently to completely up his game. Mysterio is no longer the young rookie, riding his legendary father’s coattails. He’s now the charismatic villain, who is more than capable of putting his old man down at WrestleMania. Here’s how he got here.
Dominik Mysterio’s WWE career got off to a rough start
It seems Dominik Mysterio was always destined for a career inside the squared circle. He made his debut on WWE at the age of eight, in the middle of a feud between father Rey and the late Eddie Guerrero. He made further appearances over the years, but it wasn’t until August 2020, that he made his in-ring debut.
Facing Seth Rollins at Summerslam in your debut match is as good as any wrestler can really hope, and teaming with someone as legendary as Rey Mysterio is a big deal, but fans really struggled to take to Dominik.
It isn’t entirely his fault, though. He wasn’t really given a chance to show who he is. Instead, he was just Rey’s son and without much else to go on, the crowd struggled to really care. It looked like his career was doomed from the minute he left his dad’s side, but then Judgement Day happened.
Dominik Mysterio joining Judgement Day saved his career
When Dominik turned on his father and Edge to join forces with Judgement Day last September, it could have spelled disaster. There is very little evidence that he was capable of working as a top villain for WWE, but he’s blown those doubts away.
In fact, the former tag team champion is one of the most entertaining heels in all of professional wrestling (or sports entertainment) right now. There aren’t many villains in the business who get the reaction out of fans that he does.
Whether it’s the hilarious fake time in prison or paying homage to Eddie Guerrero, everything Dom is doing right now just works. He is always one of the biggest highlights of any WWE show.
In 2023, it can be incredibly hard for villainous wrestlers to convince fans to boo them. Nowadays, audiences are all too aware of the fake nature of pro wrestling and even like to cheer for the cool bad guys as opposed to the cookie-cutter baby faces, but Dominik is a rare exception. For one reason or another, audiences cannot get enough of booing him. It’s helped both himself and the entire Judgement Day faction take their work to a whole other level.
Dominik Mysterio’s partnership with Rhea Ripley has helped both of their careers
While Dominik Mysterio may be a fantastic heel, it is his partnership with Rhea Ripley that is responsible for just how well the turn is going. The dynamic between the two and the hilarious nature of their relationship, with Rhea acting as a dominant mother figure, is responsible for so many memorable moments over the last few months.
It’s no surprise that Rhea’s currently enjoying the best run of her main roster career, with a match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair coming up at Wrestlemania 39. Dom and Ripley complement each other perfectly, and they really breathe new life into their previously stale characters.
A new legacy for Dominik Mysterio
This time last year, it felt inconceivable to imagine a world in which Dominik would face his father at WrestleMania and actually deserve to have his hand raised, but with just how entertaining he is right now, it would actually be pretty disappointing if he isn’t the Mysterio who emerges victorious this weekend.
With Rey’s career nearing its end, it is almost time for Dominik to forge his own legacy under the Mysterio mantle, without his father there to guide him. If the last seven months are anything to go by, there’s no doubt in my mind that he is more than capable and if recent news is to be believed, it seems Triple H may feel the same way.
