Dominik Mysterio feels ‘blessed’ to have learned from top stars and skip developmental

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Originally published at Dominik Mysterio feels ‘blessed’ to have learned from top stars and skip developmental

Dominik Mysterio has told of feeling “blessed and very fortunate” to have his current spot on the WWE main roster.

Speaking to the UK’s Metro newspaper, the 26-year-old said he was very grateful for the opportunity to learn from the best of the main roster over the past three years.

On skipping a period in NXT, he commented:

I think there’s definitely pros and cons to it, depending on how you look at it. I was blessed and very fortunate to be in the position that I’m in.

I think just the way that I came about it, and the people that I was surrounded with, I just don’t think it made sense [to go to NXT], especially with who I was gonna learn from.

Dominik, of course, has appeared on NXT of late, winning the North American Championship on the July 18th episode of the show. He defends that title in a triple-threat match at tonight’s Great American Bash premium live event against Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali.

On learning from established stars, he said:

Coming in with my first match against Seth, and then carrying on to work with Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn during the pandemic, to where once the pandemic was over I started working with John Cena, Roman Reigns, The Usos and Edge.

You can’t get any better than that as far as guys that I could be next to. I’m literally next to some of the best, if not the best — the current best.

I had a chance to be in there with them, not once or twice but multiple times, working all the house shows with them, opening up SmackDown with them. My experience was a little different, being able to learn from those top, top guys.

Dominik also spoke about the advantage of having grown up so close to the business:

I started traveling with my dad when I was four or five years old. I started appearing on TV when I was eight. So this is all I know, none of this is new to me.

The only thing that’s new to me is my learning experiences that come from being in the ring, and I learn something new every day, so I’m very grateful and very blessed to be here.

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#blessed #nepotism

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Is what it is. I’d prefer legitimate third generation talents over randoms who are pretending to play the sons or daughters of older performers. Plus, that only gets you so far. For every Randy Orton there is a David Flair. Having a parent in the promotion can definitely open the door sooner, but you still have to show that you can get a reaction.

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Nepotism isn’t always bad.

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I think he knows.

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Less about a foot in the door or likelihood of success. More about the son of an active legend getting a special main roster pass that eluded plenty of folks who didn’t make it, but also guys who did like Bray Wyatt, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, etc. All did their time in developmental.

I agree Dominik is self aware and has definitely come into his own. I’m sure he was trained and otherwise obsessed with the business since forever. Skipping developmental was notable special treatment.

He’s the hottest heel in the business right now and earned his stripes or whatever. Just saying.

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Dirty Dom is a great heel. He’s proven he was worth betting on despite the nepotism

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Sure, of course there is no argument that he skipped NXT he clearly did. It doesn’t bother me though, the guy gets more heat on the stick then anyone in the business right now. I would actually argue its a good thing he skipped NXT as it adds to the character. His character is a privileged/spoiled little shit who thinks he’s owed the world, if he was in NXT for years and years earning his spot that character kind of doesn’t work. Plus, his Dad is near 50 and has a bad history of injuries, you kind of had to expedite this story as if you waited too long you may not have been able to tell it.

In real life the kid seems to be humble, so for all the points above I have zero issue with it.

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I feel like there is some revisionist history here to this idea that Dom should have been in NXT.

He had his first on-screen WWE match August 2020. At that time NXT transitioned back to the performance center due to COVID shut-downs. Rey probably would have appeared on NXT and they would have been a tag team just like on the main roster. Then when NXT rebranded in early 2021, realistically Dom and Rey would likely have been moved up to the main roster anyway.

He came in during a weird time for NXT. Prior to 2019 there is no doubt he goes to NXT and does develop there in the black & gold era. But under the NXT 2.0 banner Dom & Rey were definitely a better fit for the main roster.

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I agree with everything you said. I have no problem either given where he is today. And he wouldn’t be there if he did some years in NXT. He didn’t, due to #nepotism

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Dom seems like a good kid and acknowledges/appreciates the privileges he has in life. Rich kids didn’t choose to be born into rich families anymore than poor kids chose to be born into poor families. Can’t hate on the guy for just being who he is.

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I don’t even think nepotism is the right word, Rey isn’t the decision maker, typically nepotism means the person doing the hiring hires someone who is related to them. I don’t think dom got his job solely because WWE officials wanted to do Rey a favour, I think he was hired because there was a built in story. Similar to say a Kurt Angle who was instantly put on TV because of his name.

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And I, conversely, believe Dom and Aalyah’s stints were specifically in Rey’s contract. He wanted to work with his family. It was a contractual condition for his return and not a favor. That’s nepotism to me, whether or not Rey is ultimately the one signing Dominik’s checks.

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It’s cut and dry nepotism.

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I disagree. He got his spot for the story potential, not because Vince cared about Dom on a personal level. It comes down to one thing for Vince, “can this make money” and he thought he could with Dom…he was right.

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Where was this reported? Or is this pure speculation?

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I didn’t realize beliefs needed evidence. My speculation about it being a condition of his return in 2018/2019 has just as much evidence as your speculation about Dominik skipping developmental because of observed potential and a built-in story. We just see the causation differently. I respect your perspective and agree with most of what you’re saying.

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You don’t require evidence, but I think its fair that if you bring up a theory that I have the right to ask if its evidence based. With that said, you make a fair point. I think they slightly differ as Vince has gone on record saying what I am saying he likely thought, nevertheless, its possible Rey got that in his contract.

I think we are mostly on the same page and are largely debating semantics at this point.

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Nepotism is having Shane McMahon book the RR. He’s not qualified at it and sucks and only got it because of his dad.

This isn’t the same - Dirty Dom got a few doors opened by his dad but had to make it on his own. He’s hardly pushed as a top guy and loses a lot as well. He’s not the promoters kid

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Nepotism has nothing to do with not being qualified or good at something. Robert Kennedy was an effective US attorney general but was only appointed because his brother was president. That’s nepotism. Dominik getting “a few doors opened by his dad” is nepotism. Between him and the three other people he shares a stable with, he’s the only one who didn’t have to spend any time in NXT and there’s a reason for that. I’m not using it as a slur towards someone to discredit their effort, but it is what it is. Did ya’ll miss the entire “nepo baby” conversation pop culture had last winter?