Subscribe
Follow Us
As crazy as it may sound, Dominik Mysterio is on a pretty prolific run in the WWE Universe right now as the NXT North American Champion.
Winning the title on NXT television on July 18th, the second-generation WWE Superstar has successfully defended his title twice, once on SmackDown versus Butch and against on RAW versus Sami Zayn, and has now booked a rematch bout at The Great American Bash against not just the man he defeated for the title – albeit with some help – for the belt, Wes Lee, but against Mustafa Ali too, who has been eager to wrestle for the former Rascal for the belt for weeks now.
Discussing the opportunities available to Mysterio that maybe weren't there on RAW or SmackDown on the Great American Bash media call, Shawn Michaels noted the challenge of coming into WWE as somebody's kid and how the 26-year-old can overcome the hurdles placed in his way via the looser format of NXT.
“It's an interesting situation for him. He was literally thrown into the deep end pretty quickly. He's been around this line of work his entire life,” Shawn Michaels said via Fightful. “That much he was used to, the environment. Once you get out there and filling the shoes that he's trying to fill, it's a pretty daunting task. There is almost no way for people to live up to the legacies of their fathers. Some do, but it's very tough. Any child of any WWE Superstar, I get reminded from mine, and they're not even in the public eye, ‘Hey dude, it ain't easy being your kid.' I can't imagine what it's also like to have to go out there and perform in front of the WWE Universe and trying to fill your father's shoes. Dom has done a wonderful job at that. He's had to do it on the big stage. This is a great reprieve and opportunity for him. Clearly, he's still out there doing main roster matches and out there on the main roster, but he's allowed to come back here. We've had a few talks. I want him to be able to take the time and work on some of those things he feels he needs to work on or to try things. I want him to have perhaps a little bit more freedom down here and a little looser structure if he'd like to try stuff and see how it works.”
Now granted, technically, Mysterio did receive training at the WWE Performance Center and even wrestled in the promotion back in 2022 against Cruz Del Toro when he was still going by Raul Mendoza but having a proper NXT run could be just what the doctor ordered in getting the 26-year-old where he needs to be, especially since he can continue on with his role with The Judgment Day on RAW too.
Article Continues Below
Dominik Mysterio has a chance to step out from his Father's shadow in NXT.
Discussing Dominik Mysterio's potential in NXT further, Shawn Michaels explains the challenges of differentiating Rey Mysterio and his son and the opportunity to showcase his own abilities in a controlled environment.
“Also, find out who Dom Mysterio is going to be, separated from his father. I've talked with him a great deal about coming down here and trying to work on anything he feels he needs to work on, anything we see he needs to work on. That's what all of us do,” Michaels said. “We never talked about it much and there wasn't as much information when I was doing it as there is today, but all of us, every time we're in the ring, we all talk about reps. We all got better with people that were better than us. The business is always evolving, you're always wanting to grow as a performer. I took advantage of every live event that wasn't televised because I knew that's where I could try something new and see if it was going to work and be ready for television. We want Dom to come down here and take advantage of those opportunities as well. He's doing a great job of that. He's a very mature, respectful, and professional young man at such an early age. Rey and his wife did a fabulous job. He understands and respects this business, a very mature young man who has had a lot thrown on him, but he's done a fantastic job thus far.”
Now granted, “Dirty” Dom may take some issue with HBK complementing his parents, as he considers Eddie Guerrero to be his real father, but in the end, despite his diminutive size, Rey Mysterio casts a large shadow in WWE and especially in Lucha Libre; Dom Dom's success outside of that shadow deserves to be appreciated.
