WWE’s Rey Mysterio: “The time is getting close to Dominik going his own direction”
Rey Mysterio is one of the most notable names to ever grace a wrestling ring and one of the very best to boot.
Thus, it should come as no surprise that he is the latest legend to be profiled on A&E’s Biography: WWE Legends show. The documentary profiles his incredible career both inside and outside of the ring, a run that has cemented him among the elite.
Most WWE fans are familiar with everything he’s accomplished during his two decades with the company, but everything that preceded his 2002 debut is equally important. All of that is covered in great detail in the documentary and how instrumental that period was in his growth as a performer.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to tell my story on a different level,” Mysterio told Daily DDT. “WWE fans that know about Rey Mysterio from WWE go back 20 years, but my story goes back to 1989 and I grinded out from that time up until now. When you put all the numbers together, I’ve been a part of five decades of wrestling, which is very special when you look at it that way.”
The Master of the 619 is blessed to be able to go for as long as he has. Even when he left WWE in 2015, he always knew that was where he wanted to retire.
Countless knee surgeries nearly cut his career short and prevented him from having the fun final run he’s currently in the midst of. He credits teaming with his son Dominik, his passionate fan base and the emerging stem cell treatments as the three main reasons he’s been able to extend his time in the ring.
“Teaming with Dominik is definitely is a huge factor on my motivation to keep doing what I’m doing,” Mysterio said. “The other factor I believe is my fan base. They’ve been incredible, loving and supporting from Day 1. Without them, I would not be where I am today. Another factor for me performing at the level that I have been is stem cell treatments. It’s been rejuvenating me from the first day I started using them in 2019.”
He added that he underwent his first stem cell treatment in 2014 and noticed immediate improvement in one of his knees. He described the new medicine as being “more advanced” and “therapeutic” and noted that he likely wouldn’t still be wrestling today if it weren’t for the stem cell treatments.
The rejuvenation he’s felt is evident every time he has a match. At 47-years-old, Mysterio is still capable of greatness as seen every Monday night on Raw.
Rey Mysterio feels a split from his soon is coming sooner rather than later
The Mysterios and Edge have been embroiled in heated rivalry with Judgment Day’s Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley as of late. At SummerSlam, The Mysterios knocked off Balor and Priest in tag team action thanks to an assist from the returning Rated-R Superstar.
Rey and Edge have history dating back two decades to when they became the inaugural WWE Tag Team champions on the SmackDown brand. Having Dominik in the mix as well has made it a very fulfilling experience for Rey.
“Edge has played an important role in my WWE career, becoming tag team champions and just traveling together and creating this friendship and this bond has meant the world to me,” he said. “Now, being able to share that with my son as an adult, picking knowledge from him and learning how to improve his wrestling skills has been tremendous. I’ve enjoyed it very much.”
Aside from a short stretch in late 2021, Rey and Dominik have been a cohesive unit on WWE TV for over two years. Dominik had a strong showing in his singles debut at SummerSlam 2020 but has been at his best alongside his father in tag team competition.
The two made history by becoming the first-ever father-son duo to win the tag team titles at WrestleMania Backlash 2021. They haven’t had a lot of luck since then, however, losing the belts shortly thereafter to The Usos and coming up short against The Miz and Logan Paul at WrestleMania 38.
There has been plenty of talk among fans that a split should be coming sooner rather than later. Rey agrees that Dominik is ready to branch off to see if he can sink or swim on his own merit.
“I truly believe the time is getting close to him going his own direction and myself in my own direction as well,” Mysterio said. “I think any positivity he could’ve picked up from me has happened in the last two years. I think that connection is established. They know who Dominik is and I think it’s time eventually for us to part ways and for him to become his own man and create his own path. I hope it’s not too far away for him to do that.”
One idea pitched by fans would see Dominik be moved to NXT so he can hone his craft there. He’s done well on the main roster but would greatly benefit from further seasoning in WWE’s developmental system.
Interestingly, The Mysterios made a one-off appearance on the former black-and-gold brand earlier this year. Dominik beat Cruz Del Toro (f.k.a. Raul Mendoza) in a quick bout, but nothing ever came of their teases of a match with the rest of Legado del Fantasma.
“At the time being, it was, ‘Let’s see what happens here. Let’s see what sort of connection we can have,'” Rey said. “They have incredible Latino and Hispanic Superstars in NXT with Legado. That one-off happened, and at the time, I was hurt at the time with a groin injury I was trying to repair. It should’ve been a tag match, which obviously didn’t happen, and I’ve always had the curiosity to come back and continue that teaser we left and turn it into something bigger.”
Mysterio heavily praised Legado’s leader Santos Escobar, who he has had various run-ins with both in Mexico and in Lucha Underground. Rey vs. Escobar in a straight-up singles match has the potential to be fantastic, and Rey wants that contest to come to fruition as much as anyone.
Escobar presumably being on his way up to the main roster following his recent exile from NXT may mean it will soon be a legitimate possibility.
“I think he’s an incredible talent,” he said about Escobar. “He has a lot to give and bring to the table. The fact he’s also a second-generation wrestler, following in his dad’s footsteps, and I had the opportunity to share the ring with his father as well. I truly feel Escobar has the talent to be a part of the main roster, whether it’s Raw or SmackDown. I truly hope he comes over to Raw because I would love to step in the ring with him.”
The legendary luchador and cover star for WWE 2K22 has had many memorable matches since returning to WWE in 2018. Some of his best bouts have come against Seth Rollins, AJ Styles and Roman Reigns, but the ones that stand out to him specifically were his outstanding encounters with Andrade.
Their in-ring chemistry came naturally and caused them to take their game to the next level. Andrade has since departed for All Elite Wrestling, but perhaps there will come a day they’ll be able to rekindle their rivalry on a major stage.
“I had an incredible series of matches with Andrade,” Mysterio said. “Coming into WWE at the time, there were several guys I hadn’t wrestled before. Shinsuke match was one of them and I had my debut match with Shinsuke. Of course, the two-of-of-three matches with Andrade were some of the special ones I had coming back. Wrestling with Andrade made it feel like wrestling Eddie, so I enjoyed that very, very much.”
Catch Rey Mysterio every Monday on WWE Raw at 8/7c on USA Network.