In a candid interview on the Club 520 podcast, WWE Intercontinental Champion “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio reflected on his unique journey in professional wrestling, from the “childhood trauma” of his first storyline to the grueling training his father put him through and the serious injuries he has sustained in the ring.
“Childhood Trauma” at SummerSlam
Mysterio recounted his infamous debut storyline at the age of eight, where the late Eddie Guerrero claimed to be his biological father, leading to a “Custody of Dominik” ladder match against Rey Mysterio at SummerSlam 2005. “In 2005 Eddie Guerrero came out and said that… he had a kid that he couldn’t take care of, and that kid was me,” he explained. “So they fought for my custody in SummerSlam… I was sitting ringside, and I had a social worker with me… I was eight years old.”
A Father’s Ultimatum
When he eventually decided to pursue a wrestling career, Dominik revealed the harsh ultimatum his father gave him. “He told me, before I even started training, he’s like, ‘when you get in there the first day… I’m gonna know if, basically, if you’re gonna be dog sh*t or not,'” Mysterio recalled. “He goes, ‘I’m gonna let you know if you got it. And if you don’t,’ he goes, ‘first day, I’m gonna let you go go back to school.’ So here we are now… wasn’t dog sh*t.”
A Grueling Training Regimen
His first day of training was an intense introduction to the Lucha Libre style under the tutelage of his father and godfather, Konnan. “I remember specifically, like, a lot of people run the ropes, maybe learn how to bump. I rolled, like, just Lucha rolls straight for two hours, non stop,” he said. “To where, like, I get dizzy, want to throw up, and then they’d be like, ‘no, just keep rolling’… I’m pretty sure I didn’t learn how to like bump until, like, maybe a couple months in.” He later trained with Jay Lethal in Florida and Lance Storm in Canada to round out his skills.
Wrestling Through Major Injuries
Mysterio also detailed two serious injuries he has suffered during his run as a heel. He confirmed that his recent time off for a rib injury was legitimate. “I dislocated my two lower ribs, and they were digging into my cartilage. So that was why I was actually hurt. Everyone thought I was faking it, but I was actually hurt,” he stated. He then revealed a more severe injury from his first match as a villain against Edge. “I did a Frog Splash, and I cracked my rib and it punctured a lung. And then I finished the match… Went to the hospital, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, you got a pneumothorax. You can’t fly home.'”
The Freedom of Being a Heel
Despite the physical toll, Dominik said he loves his current role as one of WWE’s most despised villains. “I love it,” he said. “I just think it gives me more freedom to be able to say and do what I want. And it’s more of a chance to, you know, ask for forgiveness instead of permission.” He noted that he has fun with the overwhelmingly negative reactions he receives from fans.
Dominik Mysterio will put his Intercontinental Championship on the line against AJ Styles at SummerSlam this Sunday, an event he calls “special” for his family. The full interview can be heard on the Club 520 podcast.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Club 520 podcast with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
