Rey and Dominik Mysterio Should Main Event The Sphere: The Family Feud Made for a Las Vegas Debut

A number of wrestling promoters would like to run The Sphere in Las Vegas in the future. UFC 306 demonstrated essentially that combat sports can be adapted to one of the nation's most unique venues. WWE took the experiments a step further, running an NXT show in the traditional UFC Apex center recently as well. The equation is simple: WWE can set up in the UFC space, UFC can set up in the Sphere, and therefore, WWE can run The Sphere.

The WWE's brand supremacy and tight connections with Las Vegas staples like UFC through the TKO Holdings Group make them the most likely to pioneer the new venue for sports entertainment. That card will be iconic regardless of who it is on it. However, just putting your two most prominent names on last would be a waste of several days. Instead, Rey and Dominik Mysterio should main event The Sphere. Stack the card, of course, and open up strong with Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes, but the last match goes to The Mysterios.

The casual audience of the Vegas Strip probably knows Rey Mysterio

In Las Vegas, everyone is a potential customer. Yes, some people go to a specific track, casino, resort, or show. Many, though, go to have a good time and spend some cash. To accommodate those goals, the itinerary can often get a little fluid. Yes, the WWE faithful may flock to the show so fast that it won't matter, but it's also possible that advertising on the strip will play a big role in filling the venue. To do that, WWE needs a name that everyone will recognize. That name is Rey Mysterio. Rey is the most well-known luchador in the history of American Lucha Libre. His popularity here almost certainly rivals that of the late greats like Blue Demon or El Santo in Mexico. He is a part of the collective wrestling consciousness that fans can't explain, but know it is confirmed every time a new roommate knows the RKO move or your supportive aunt brings up The Undertaker.

Now, any old opponent would be a letdown, even if fans only came to see Rey Mysterio wrestle—his feuding with his own son, possibly with a stipulation that it can be sold. There is a long history of family passing down their names or even masks in Lucha. Tons of today's stars are "El Hijo de" or simply "Jr." This includes Rey Mysterio, who inherited the name from his uncle before dropping the modifier when he made it big in the United States. In media, in general, people flock to generational rivalries and family drama. This would have both, along with a beloved character that fans already know about regardless of their current investment in WWE's product.

Lucha Libre is a very visually appealing piece of the wrestling fabric

Pro-wrestling, broadly speaking, is a flamboyant and extravagant art form. Lucha Libre cranks up that sentiment to at least eleven on a ten-point scale. The costumes alone make a statement. Many of the biggest names in Lucha wear masks or face paint to embody a larger-than-life character meant to entertain the fans. The costuming and pageantry of a lucha match stands out, and it is designed to do that. In the ring, the medium is also more visually appealing. Lucha Libre is a technically challenging style, and there are plenty of other wrestlers who go big and move quickly. As a general rule, though, Lucha is more in line with Las Vegas showmanship than the style used on the independent wrestling scene. Fast-paced action and aerial maneuvers just work with the general theme of a show in Las Vegas.

The image of Rey's masks cycling above the fans in The Sphere, joining the Vegas skyline, would be legendary. Dominik's Judgment Day iconography is also visually interesting and maybe legendary someday soon. The two can work on a main event match that is as enticing to watch after the bell as it would be before it rings. They know each other's moves and a lot of great luchadors' moves, most likely. Picking up the pace with one another would be a fantastic moment for them to share and could make for an incredible end to their longstanding rivalry.

The Sphere is not big enough to run an A-tier WWE show.

The Sphere, at capacity, can hold roughly 20,000 people. WWE runs venues like that all the time. However, the massive shows, like Royal Rumble or WrestleMania, are in much larger venues. In fact, when WWE does WrestleMania in Las Vegas next year, they will use Alligant Stadium, which holds well over 60,000 people. Booking a Sphere show is a must because the venue itself is such an attraction, but it doesn't work for the bigger shows. WWE could run a B-level PLE like King of the Ring at 20,000 people. They could even try to push an NXT Battleground into that space next year. Even a tenured event like the Survivor Series next year could work. Those brands are not as strong as the one that WWE cultivated a long time ago, Monday Night Raw.

Using the episode of Raw after WrestleMania or the go-home Raw before it would draw plenty of fans in. Raw has also been well-known since the days of the Attitude Era. It also sets Rey and Dominik up perfectly to be the marquee match. Booking the Sphere for a Monday means that a match like the battle between Mysterios wouldn't need to bump a current world champion off the card. They can still appear but save their fighting for a larger stage. It is WWE getting a rare opportunity to have cake and eat it, too, all because the new attraction isn't a stadium-sized venue.

Seeds have already been planted at the two facing off in Las Vegas

Since the Endeavour deal, WWE has been far more interested in UFC. This includes legends and superstars appearing on camera at fights. They are usually just there as fans; nobody has angled for a "Thunder Lips" moment at the Rocky franchise (the only movie wrestling fans have ever seen). When UFC ran its Sphere show, WWE had Rey and Dominik show up. They kept the gimmick alive, sitting far from one another. That is an incredible bit of storytelling and one that may not be as minor as we'd think.

In the modern WWE, fans are often asked to look for subtle things. In the old days, WWE had the nuance of a jackhammer. Now, fans may need to wait to see a payoff, or better yet, engage with a Twitch stream and QR codes to see a part of their favorite superstar's story. The Mysterios both attending the same show at that venue while still "working" their estranged son angle may be more the coincidence. It could be the setup or teaser for when those two are on that stage. Likewise, if it really was a coincidence and the father and son tandem accidentally, or perhaps not, choose to keep the kayfabe, it can be made into a story point. Retconning a funny coincidence or shocking scenario into a story is wrestling 101. The creative team has been writing well above that level recently, so they almost certainly see the potential.

A Rey and Dominik Mysterio main event in The Sphere

How do we get to Rey and Dominik Mysterio main event in The Sphere? There are undoubtedly dozens of possibilities, but there is an easy way to see this match happen as soon as April 2025. It's the Raw after WrestleMania, and Rey Mysterio comes out as the new Intercontinental Champion. He thanks the fans for their years of support and is proud to kick off WWE's first show in The Sphere as the new champion. He admits he may not have many nights like this left. That is when Dominik Mysterio, coming off a horrible weekend, storms down to the ring. His dad shouldn't be a champion. He is old news; Dity Dom is the future. Rey finally says what he's wanted to do for years now. He admits he may be past his prime, and maybe he shouldn't be champion. He goes on to say that he regrets getting Dominik into the company because he doesn't deserve that opportunity, doesn't deserve his legacy, and doesn't deserve the name Mysterio.

Dominik, in a rage, puts that name and legacy on the line for a title match. Rey agrees and sets it for the main event; the LWO and Judgment Day can't set foot at ringside.  When the match happens, the two pick up the pace immediately. Also, Judgment Day and LWO came out on the stage immediately. None of them was willing to walk down the ramp. Rey and Dominik go move for move, shot for shot. Rey has a counter for everything, but Dom keeps finding new ways to spark some offense. Dom gets frustrated, but Rey doesn't seem to. He is enjoying the way the match has unfolded.

The big finish for the main event

After a while more, Dominik gets the upper hand and sets up the 619. The senior Mysterio wisely rolls out of the ring. Instead of feeling frustrated, Dom slides outside to take advantage of his situation. Placing his father on the announce table, he goes to the top turnbuckle and leaps for a frog splash. The Wiley vet moves out of the way, and his son crashes through the table. He throws Dominik into the center of the ring and hits the Springboard Seated Senton to win the match. As LWO and Judgment Day both hit the ring for a crazy brawl, Rey and Dom stare at one another in opposite corners. LWO stands tall, and Rey walks over to help his son get up. Dominik will get his redemption someday. He may not have the Mysterio name, but Las Vegas and his father know full well he does have the legendary Mysterio fighting spirit.