Dominik Mysterio may come from lucha libre royalty, but he is not looking to be a carbon copy of his legendary father, Rey Mysterio. As WWE’s current Intercontinental Champion, Dominik is carving out his own identity inside the squared circle, and part of that involves intentionally stepping away from the flashy, high-flying maneuvers that made his father a global icon.
In a recent appearance on the Intoxicados Podcast, Dominik opened up about his in-ring style, and why he chooses to wrestle with a more grounded and deliberate approach, even in an era where jaw-dropping flips and aerial stunts are everywhere.
“The reason I’m like that is because – and this is just my personal opinion – I feel like you see that so much. Especially nowadays with the way wrestling has (evolved) and just moved on from what it used to be. You’d go from chain wrestling, to you’re now doing lucha libre style, to a mixture of lucha libre and American style."
“And it’s like, you have guys doing insane backflips. I can’t do half that s**t… I mean, I’m sure I can if I put the time in."
Dominik’s comments reflect a broader philosophy about pacing and impact in professional wrestling. Rather than attempting to replicate the high-risk arsenal that defines so many of today’s top stars, he wants to keep those moments rare and meaningful.
“But I feel like it’s more special because you see it so often, but not from me. So when you do see it from me, you’re like, ‘Damn, did you see Dom do that moonsault?’, or like, ‘Damn, did you see Dom do that?’ – I want it to mean something, I want it to be special when I do it."
“If you go out there and wrestle 100 times and you do a moonsault 90% of the time, the people are gonna expect it. If I give it to them 10% of the time, when I do hit that moonsault, everyone’s gonna be like ‘Damn, did you see that moonsault?’ – It’s gonna mean more.”
This strategy aligns with how Dominik has positioned himself throughout his WWE career, part cocky heel, part rising star, and now, a champion in his own right. At WrestleMania 41, Dominik captured the Intercontinental Championship in a hard-fought Fatal Four-Way Match against Finn Balor, Penta, and then-titleholder Bron Breakker. The victory solidified his standing in WWE’s upper ranks, but rather than rely on acrobatics, Dominik’s success comes from his psychological tactics, timing, and in-ring storytelling.
While fans may not see him flipping off the top rope every week, Dominik believes that is exactly what makes those moments, when they do happen, so much more powerful. It is a calculated choice from a performer who knows the value of surprise, and who wants every big move to have meaning.
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