Whereas he is fast to remind you, WWE Famous person Dominik Mysterio, son of Rey Mysterio, has been across the enterprise for a very long time. So, his upcoming SummerSlam match towards AJ Types needs to be a stroll within the park.
5 years into his correct in-ring profession, Mysterio is strolling into WWE’s second-biggest present of the yr, SummerSlam, holding championship gold. He received the Intercontinental Championship, which he was proudly nuzzling up with throughout our chat, at WrestleMania 41 from Bron Breakker in a deadly four-way bout.
There might have been questions relating to the legitimacy of Mysterio’s case to be on the primary roster. He did not undergo the indies or NXT, WWE’s developmental model. As an alternative, he debuted on the primary roster alongside his dad as a literal babyfaced, vanilla, run-of-the-mill face character. Now, he’s one in every of WWE’s prime heels, due to his half in Judgment Day.
So, what offers? How did Dominik Mysterio go from the son of the WWE legend Rey Mysterio to a prime heel?
“Truthfully, it was sort of accepting the nepotism,” he revealed, “as a result of hell yeah, I am a nepo child. Who cares, proper?”
He is aware of followers, for as a lot as they could not prefer it, can’t do something about it.
“What are you gonna do? Take it away from me? Good luck; I am already in it. When you get your foot within the door, it is too late,” he fired again to his critics.
At first, it appeared that heel Dominik Mysterio might solely feud along with his father. Nevertheless, through the years, the 28-year-old has had applications with Breakker and Cody Rhodes (amongst others) since creating his heel persona. He has additionally been a vital a part of Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan’s feud, betraying the previous at SummerSlam final yr.
It’s possible you’ll not like him, however Mysterio needed to do one thing to face out. In Karrion Kross’ upcoming memoir, he discusses creating a personality distinctive to wrestling followers. Inevitably, you’ll draw inspiration from others when making your personal character, however you must carve your personal area of interest as Kross and Mysterio have carried out.
Bringing this as much as Mysterio, he agreed with Kross, whom he known as a “sicko.” In-ring abilities usually are not the one factor that issues. Mysterio has all of the expertise on this planet, however who would care if he did not craft his character? And but, there are wrestlers who’ve gotten away with it regardless of not being nice in-ring employees.
“I do not wish to throw any names on the market, however so many come to thoughts that weren’t nice within the ring, however had nice characters — you understand, me being one in every of them — who is aware of,” Mysterio mentioned, shading members of the WWE roster. “On the finish of the day, I am simply going on the market, having enjoyable, and turning up the ‘Soiled’ Dom character as a lot as attainable relating to making an attempt to narrate to followers or issues that I skilled, however simply turning it up 10 occasions.”
ClutchPoints spoke to Mysterio days earlier than SummerSlam, due to Chase Freedom. Mysterio was selling the brand new Chase Freedom Limitless Card. How would he spend it? Not on the SummerSlam retailer WWE opened within the American Dream Mall, close to MetLife Stadium, the place the primary two-night SummerSlam takes place
“Completely not,” Mysterio mentioned of going to the SummerSlam SuperStore. “Approach too many followers, and I do not like folks. Who is aware of? We’ll see if they have some Liv Morgan stuff. I would go use my card there.”
He appeared desperate to spend some cash. Upon being approached with the partnership, his thoughts instantly went to Louis Vuitton.
“Chase advised me they wished me to do some procuring, and I used to be not towards that,” he quipped. “I am fairly certain I used to be one of many Superstars [who] truly used their Chase Freedom Limitless Card. I used to be like, ‘Ah, you guys need me to buy round? I do know a few [Louis Vuitton] shops across the space.”
Is WWE’s Dominik Mysterio Mr. SummerSlam?
Most of Dominik Mysterio’s accomplishments in WWE have come at SummerSlam, the largest occasion of the summer time. He was current for his father’s battle towards Eddie Guerrero for his custody on the 2005 SummerSlam occasion.
Over a decade later, he would make his in-ring debut on the 2020 SummerSlam PLE. Mysterio took on Seth Rollins in a “Avenue Struggle.” Incomes one of these marquee match might have put a goal on Mysterio’s again, however he has since earned his maintain. He and his dad would win the SmackDown Tag Workforce Championship in Could 2021, changing into the primary father-son duo to take action.
Now, he’s heading right into a match towards the “Phenomenal” AJ Types. It is without doubt one of the greatest singles matches of his profession, however Dominik Mysterio is not sweating it since his WWE SummerSlam resume speaks for itself.
Nevertheless, do not dub him “Mr. SummerSlam.” He has already heard the statistics, so he’s simply making an attempt to go on the market and placed on a basic.
“I’ve solely been wrestling for 5 years, however I have been on this enterprise for rattling close to 20 years. If you wish to depend my WCW days, 25 [years],” Mysterio mirrored. “Truthfully, I do not wish to name myself ‘Mr. SummerSlam,’ — you are already telling me I am ‘Mr. SummerSlam,’ I need not go and name myself ‘Mr. SummerSlam.’”
He then took goal at his longtime rival CM Punk, who famously calls himself the “Finest within the World.” Mysterio thinks it is lame, declaring, “I need not go calling myself the ‘Finest within the World.’”
Gearing up for AJ Types
Going through Types will probably be powerful, however Mysterio has an age benefit. Mysterio, 28, just isn’t sweating Types, 48, attributable to all of the tape obtainable of the “Phenomenal One.”
“Properly, you understand, AJ’s virtually 60 years previous, I am in my late 20s, I am 28, his wheels are falling off simply making an attempt to catch as much as me,” joked Mysterio. “It is sort of loopy, however I do not actually put together for somebody like AJ Types ‘trigger I am the very best at what I do. I am the best Mysterio of all time, like I’ve mentioned, I’ve solely been doing this for 5 quick years, and I’ve surpassed legends on this enterprise who’ve [had] 3o+ yr careers.”
Mysterio additionally feels he has a home-field benefit, being a homegrown WWE expertise. Types lower his enamel in TNA, NJPW, Ring of Honor, and extra.
“He did not begin in WWE — I have been in WWE my entire life,” he mentioned. “I do that for a residing. So the truth that folks ask me, ‘What do you do to arrange for AJ Types? I will not do something to arrange for AJ Types! AJ Types has to arrange for me.
“He is been doing this for 20+ [years]. There [are] years of movie [of] him, and there is the date [it was recorded], [and it says] BC due to how lengthy AJ’s been doing this.”
In the meantime, Mysterio solely has 5 years of movie on him. Plus, he has extra up his sleeve that followers have not seen but. Maybe Aug. 3 would be the day.
“I’ve so many issues nonetheless in my again pocket that folks have by no means seen me do,” he teased. “So, you are simply gonna have to attend and see.”
The long-lasting Rhea Ripley-Liv Morgan betrayal
Dominik Mysterio did not compete on the 2024 WWE SummerSlam occasion. Nevertheless, he made his presence identified throughout Rhea Ripley’s return from harm towards Liv Morgan.
Ripley, who had been out a number of months with a shoulder harm, confronted Morgan for the Girls’s World Championship. Mysterio and Ripley had been on-screen companions for practically two years. Nevertheless, WWE determined to shake issues up, having Mysterio activate Ripley and align himself with Morgan.
WWE: Unreal, the current all-access behind-the-scenes collection, did not get to seize that. So, ClutchPoints requested Mysterio about that day and pulling off one of many greatest turns in recent times.
“I do not assume anybody was anticipating it — I do not assume Liv was anticipating it,” Mysterio mentioned, praising himself. “I needed to maintain it very tight-lipped, in case you catch my drift, as a result of Rhea was very shut by, [and] we had that state of affairs with Damian [Priest] occurring, so Finn [and I] needed to maintain our little secret.”
He then praised Bálor, with whom he’s very tight.
“We have all the time been collectively, even earlier than Judgment Day,” he revealed. “So, with the ability to maintain that secret with him and understanding what was gonna go down earlier than anybody else was positively tremendous surreal, particularly in case you hear that response. Folks weren’t anticipating that.”
Getting married as an expert wrestler
The summer time is without doubt one of the busiest occasions of the yr. Yours really was on their honeymoon whereas speaking to Mysterio, which amused the younger star. “The place’s the spouse? Is she in timeout?” he quipped. Once I revealed that she was sitting poolside, he was fast to show the tables, joking, “You are in timeout.”
In March 2024, Mysterio was in my footwear, having married his longtime girlfriend, Marie Juliette. Being a WWE Famous person means you are on the highway 52 weeks a yr. So, how did he go on a honeymoon?
“You wanna know easy methods to get on a honeymoon?” he requested. “You pretend an harm and also you get a while off. [smiles]
“Truthfully, you have simply gotta hope that there is a free weekend, or, fortunately for me, I received Judgment Day. So if I do ask Finn or JD [McDonagh], and even Raquel [Rodriguez] or Roxanne [Perez] to step up for me and be like, ‘Hey guys, if I’ve a match this weekend and I pitch you guys to have a match, are you guys down?’ Often, if I provide up some meals or take ’em out procuring or one thing, they’re going to settle for.”
It’s possible you’ll be questioning — what kinds of meals does Mysterio bribe them with? One would determine hen tenders, given Mysterio’s famed affinity for them, however he customizes the provide primarily based on who the provide is prolonged to. Rodriguez is a “sandwich” gal, and Mysterio would provide Perez hen nuggets since she will get them for him.
Bálor and McDonagh, the European males of the group, are simple sufficient: “Something Irish [for Bálor and McDonagh] — get ’em a Guinness, they’re going to be alright.”
WWE Dom vs. real-life Dom
The aforementioned betrayal of Ripley culminated with Mysterio and Morgan having a full-on make-out session. Mysterio, who was not too long ago married on the time, has beforehand mentioned the real-life Dominik Mysterio versus the one WWE followers see on TV. He is aware of his character is a participant, including, “allegedly,” along with his tongue-in-cheek once I mentioned it. His spouse does, too.
It comes all the way down to his dedication to the character. Mysterio just isn’t right here to waste the viewers’s time with a half-assed efficiency. In for a penny, in for a pound, as they are saying.
“Truthfully, when it’s time to be ‘Soiled’ Dom, I am ‘Soiled’ Dom. I gotta go all in,” defined the reigning Intercontinental Champion. “You possibly can’t actually half-ass it ‘trigger the followers are gonna know in case you do not go all in. The followers are gonna know in case you do one thing that you just’re not speculated to, or [if] you’re feeling some sort of fear about it. It is simply the way in which you carry your self within the ring and your feelings and your actions and the way you do sure issues.”
Granted, Mysterio’s followers could also be an particularly observant bunch.
“Persons are so loopy that they know once I’ve gotten a brand new tattoo,” he revealed. “[Fans] examine what I seem like — [when] they see me, they’re like, ‘The place’d he get his new tattoo?’ Folks examine my actions and the way I am doing issues, so the truth that I’ve to go in there and provides it one hundred percent, persons are gonna know. [They] could be like, ‘Ooh, Dom didn’t wish to kiss her. Dom did not wanna try this.
“So, you have simply gotta go all in, man. There isn’t any going again.”