Top star scared to lose major match, family urging rivalry to end - 5 reasons why Rey Mysterio still refuses to fight Dominik at WWE WrestleMania
WWE fans have been on the receiving end of several slow-building, long-term storylines. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's relationship and The Bloodline story are both great examples of long-form storytelling, but another involves a family dispute.
The Rey Mysterio and Dominik angle has been building up for quite some time now. The real-life father-son duo first started teaming up with each other during the pandemic, even winning tag team gold. Then The Judgment Day drove a wedge between them that ultimately led to Ex-Con Dom joining the group.
Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and especially Dominik Mysterio have been making Rey's life a living hell ever since. Over six months later, Dom is still harassing his father and attempting to fight him on a near-weekly basis.
No matter what Dominik does, his father refuses to fight back. While many feel a fight between them is inevitable, Rey won't put his hands on Dom. Why is the elder Mysterio still refusing to fight his son? This article will dive into a handful of possible reasons.
Below are five reasons why Rey Mysterio still refuses to fight Dominik at WWE WrestleMania.
#5. Rey Mysterio wants to mend fences
The most obvious reason why Rey Mysterio won't fight Dominik was explained during their most recent argument on WWE SmackDown. While in the middle of the ring, Dominik once again tried to fight his dad, but it didn't happen.
Rey instead tried to mend fences. The elder Mystero is an inductee into the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame. He desperately wanted his son to join him at the ceremony and be there to support his dad during the biggest honor of his career.
Clearly, Dominik rejected the idea, but it showed where Rey's mindset is at. Even with Rhea Ripley a few feet away, Rey just wanted to mend fences with his son. Whether he can ever get that breakthrough or not remains to be seen.
#4. The legend could be playing mind games
The Judgment Day is a dastardly crew. With no official leader, Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, and Damian Priest run roughshod in WWE both individually and collectively.
The group is known not only for their physical gifts but for their ability to play mind games with their opponents. They manipulate and harass rivals, oftentimes getting in their heads and beating them mentally before ever doing so physically.
Still, Rey Mysterio is a veteran of the mat and knows mind games. Rey refusing to fight Dom could be a way of tricking the young Mysterio and luring him into a false sense of confidence before eventually rattling him either by accepting a fight or by striking back.
#3. Rey may be afraid he'll lose to Dominik
Rey Mysterio is a WWE icon. There's a reason he's going into the Hall of Fame. He's won major matches at WrestleMania and has even won several world titles. He's defeated the biggest and best stars of all time.
Despite his incredible accolades, the time comes for everybody. Rey's body isn't as strong as it once was. Meanwhile, Dominik is young and spry, and while he hasn't come close to reaching his prime yet, he's getting better at a rapid pace.
The elder Mysterio may refuse to fight his son at WWE WrestleMania because he's concerned he may lose.
If he does lose a fight with his son, what would that do to his reputation? How would that affect his family? It could be devastating for his ego and his personal life.
#2. The talented WWE Superstars' family may be pushing to keep things civil
When they get added to the fatal four way tag team match, then what? https://t.co/Fzs82oEuUb
Rey Mysterio is likely fed up with Dominik's actions, but he won't strike his son. Part of the reason for this is likely because he knows it's a bad look, but there may be more to it than that. His family may be urging him not to lash out.
Aalyah, Rey's daughter, and Angie, Rey's wife, have appeared on WWE programming in the past. Angie is typically level-headed, but both appear to be. Not only that, but they love their family.
The Hall of Famer's family is likely urging Rey not to fight his son. If they throw down and brawl, it may cause damage to the family that they can never recover from. There's no doubt that The Mysterio Family wants peace, even if Dominik doesn't.
#1. Rey Mysterio doesn't want to hurt his son
Rey Mysterio still refuses to fight his son. Dominik is getting over at the live events. https://t.co/LOch0uanT1
Fans and superstars alike have spent years underestimating Rey Mysterio. The masked man is small. While his billed height and weight has varied over the years, he's closer to 5' than he is to 6'. He's likely closer to 175 pounds than he is to 200 pounds.
Despite his stature, he's managed to defeat the very best. From guys around his size to massive giants like Kevin Nash, Rey has defeated almost anybody he's fought. His ability to fight and his skillset could be exactly why he won't put hands on his son.
The Master of the 619 may fear that if he fights Dominik Mysterio, he'll not only defeat but potentially harm his son. No matter how upset the elder Mysterio is, he will likely never wish harm on his child, even if fans are hoping he'll finally slap some sense into Ex-Con Dom.