Dominik Mysterio’s evolution to a faux-hardened convict and despicable estranged son is one in every of WWE’s largest success tales in 2023. However earlier than that, Dominik’s run as Rey Mysterio’s plucky son had viewers begging to get him off their screens.
Dominik’s first WWE match was a avenue combat in opposition to Seth Rollins at SummerSlam in 2020. It was a remarkably high-profile spot for a debut match. {Most professional} wrestlers spend their total careers wrestling on small unbiased levels. Dominik debuted in opposition to a multi-time world champion on a “Massive 4” pay-per-view for the business chief. 9 months later, Dominik and Rey captured the SmackDown tag workforce championships. It was an excessive amount of too quickly for younger Dominik as fan and critic sentiments turned in opposition to him.
“There shall be numerous comparisons made between you and your father,” Rey and coach Lance Storm advised Dominik early into his coaching, one thing Rey reiterated to CBS Sports activities whereas discussing A&E’s “Biography WWE Legends – Eddie Guerrero” premiering Sunday. “You allow them to are available in one ear and out the opposite. You follow your path and also you follow your objectives. You do what you consider is the perfect factor for you. Take recommendation, on the finish of the day, you dissect the recommendation and determine it out.”
Rey’s aura extends far past his five-foot-six body. The WWE Corridor of Famer succeeded on the highest ranges of WWE in an period nonetheless prioritizing muscly giants. Rey suggested his son to navigate negativity like Rey did en path to turning into professional wrestling’s final underdog.
“I’ve by no means paid consideration to negativity in my profession or life,” Rey mentioned. “I’ve at all times pushed that apart or shaken it off. I keep in mind telling Dom just a few occasions, ‘Hey, preserve going and doing what you are feeling is correct.'”
Dominik was nosediving as a high-flying third-generation famous person till The Judgement Day faction took him beneath its depraved wings. Dominik was in a position to form a definite new gimmick as soon as he distanced himself from his dad. “Soiled” Dom is a bratty deadbeat son whose comically transient jail stint turned him right into a laughably hardened felony. Dominik flourished beneath the supervision of world-traveled teammates Damian Priest, Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley. He was quickly drawing the loudest boos of any WWE famous person. This time it was intentional.
“Numerous the recommendation was now not coming from me,” Rey mentioned. “We had been separate and he was doing his factor. I feel that was most likely the perfect factor that would have occurred. He did not have his dad yapping in his ear telling him ‘Do that’ or ‘Attempt that.’ He was figuring it out on his personal, which is what needs to be performed. While you let your youngsters off the leash they usually’re taking off, you count on them to search out development and determine it out.”
Rey and Dominik’s careers stay carefully tethered regardless of their storyline cut up. The daddy-son duo wrestled in opposition to one another in a singles match at WrestleMania 39 and a tag workforce match at WrestleMania 40. The elder Mysterio had his hand raised each occasions. Rey has no rapid timeline for retirement however has the proper state of affairs ready for his send-off. Rey needs to stake what’s most necessary to him in opposition to the particular person most necessary to him.
“The right state of affairs is that Dom could be the suitable particular person,” Rey mentioned. “And never essentially to retire me however put what issues most to me on the road and that is my masks. It is one thing I might be keen to do.”
Dominik may be Rey’s son however he is typically the spitting picture of Eddie Guerrero, from their storyline relationships with Ripley and Chyna, respectively, to their questionable mullets. It spawned numerous jokes about Rey and Guerrero’s “Custody of Dominik” ladder match at SummerSlam in 2005 after Guerrero claimed to be Dominik’s organic father.
“I’ve to say this and my spouse goes to kill me,” Mysterio teased. “However I’ve advised her a number of occasions, ‘Did you cheat on me with Eddie? As a result of Dom — I do not know.’ And she or he says, ‘Yeah, and I by no means advised me!’ I yell, ‘No!’
“I really consider that Eddie is getting a kick out of this and, to a sure diploma, Eddie has been in Dominik’s nook from the start. It’s extremely particular and nostalgic to see my son’s development and to see from time to time just a little Eddie-ish in his character and his improvement and the way in which he carries himself. To a big diploma, there may be numerous pleasure after I see him and it jogs my memory a lot of moments I lived with Eddie… Typically after I see footage of them, it is simply scary.”
Rey and Guerrero had been expensive mates who wrestled with and in opposition to one another globally earlier than and through their WWE careers. Guerrero, 38, died of acute coronary heart failure on Nov. 13, 2005. His surprising passing rocked everybody however hit Rey significantly exhausting. Rey famously defeated Shawn Michaels the subsequent night on WWE Uncooked in a primary occasion devoted to Guerrero. Rey gave a speech in Guerrero’s honor to the reside viewers. Rey discreetly eliminated his masks afterward, one thing he hardly ever does publicly.
“The masks in lucha libre could be very sacred. It is one thing that we defend and we cherish,” Rey defined. “Particularly when it is inside generations of a household. When it is generational and also you’re carrying the title of your father or somebody who got here earlier than you — in my case Rey Misterio Sr. and Rey Mysterio Jr. — you even defend it along with your life just about.
“I keep in mind throughout that incident, I needed the followers to listen to Rey Mysterio however I additionally needed them, in a means, to know who was behind the masks and the sentiments I felt. As a result of the connection that I felt with Eddie within the ring was stunning and unimaginable. However the connection we had outdoors of the ring was even deeper.”
Take a look at the complete interview with Rey Mysterio beneath.
Followers excited by listening to Rey and Dominik share extra about Guerrero can watch Guerrero’s episode of “Biography: WWE Legends” premiering Sunday on A&E.
