A potential heel turn was teased during the latest edition of WWE RAW. The father-son duo of Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio were confronted backstage by Finn Balor and Damian Priest.
Priest and Balor make up two-thirds of Judgment Day. Another member of the faction is Rhea Ripley, who has been away due to injury concerns. Judgment Day has stated that they are always looking for new members of the group. They seemingly extended an olive-branch towards Dominik.
WWE is seemingly teasing a heel turn for Dominik. Could the former tag team champion be ready to betray his father? Their future together is unclear. What reasons would WWE have for splitting the group? There are a few exciting possibilities that could explain the tease.
Below are 4 reasons why WWE teased Dominik Mysterio's heel turn on RAW.
#4. WWE might want to evolve Dominik's character
Dominik Mysterio has shown a lot of potential since joining WWE and his mic work has improved as well. He's very solid in the ring and seemingly improving regularly. Unfortunately, he just doesn't seem to have much of a character.
Dom's personality hasn't much been explored on camera. There are times where he has a clear motivation for his actions. It may be to stand up to a bully or defend his father. It is about as fleshed out of character as he has, though.
He might not need an elaborate new persona to stand out, but he does need to evolve. A heel turn would help his white-bread, bland persona considerably. Plus, superstars who spend time as a heel before turning into a babyface usually end up being better received by the audience. This may be the reason for the teased turn.
#3. The young Mysterio may join Judgment Day
Judgment Day has had an interesting run thus far. The faction formed with Edge as the leader around WrestleMania. Damian Priest was Edge's first disciple, with Rhea Ripley joining the fold soon after. Following the WWE Hell in a Cell event, Finn Balor joined the stable only for Priest, Riply, and Balor to turn on Edge.
Since then, the group hasn't been heavily focused. Rhea is injured and thus her big title match has been postponed. Priest and Balor have only had brief segments. Still, they made it clear on RAW that they wanted to grow the faction. The message hasn't changed since Edge left.
WWE may have teased a rift between Rey and Dominik for the sake of an intimidating faction. If they can brainwash someone's son, they can likely reach anybody. Corrupting Dom would be big for the faction. Adding Dominik would benefit him considerably, but the story aids the group as a whole.
#2. The tease may be to trick the audience into believing a turn will come
While WWE may be looking to turn Dominik, they also might not be. Instead, the promo on RAW was just a way to trick the audience. The goal may not be for the young Mysterio to leave his father's side.
Using a teased turn as a storytelling device isn't new. It can also be a refreshing change. While it has been done in the past, it seems as if the opposite occurs more often than not. A turn is teased and the tag team or faction breaks up. It's done endlessly, and it'll always be done.
A teased breakup that didn't occur could be a fun story. The Mysterios could just wise up and not listen to the propaganda of Judgment Day. They could even potentially trick the faction into thinking Dom is on their side, only to surprise them and strike first. It could be fun for fans to watch.
#1. The plan may be to move Rey Mysterio away from Dom
Another reason World Wrestling Entertainment may have teased the turn for Dom isn't for his benefit, but instead for Rey's. Rey Mysterio is an icon in professional wrestling. He's had a thirty-year career that has amazed fans all around the world.
While he may be slowing down, Rey can still deliver in the ring. With his popularity and talent, WWE may want to push him to be a singles star again. If the company doesn't see much in Dominik, or simply believes the pairing is no longer beneficial, they may opt to separate the two. This frees Rey up to feud with Seth Rollins, Theory, and other heels on the RAW brand.
Will Dominik Mysterio turn on his father? Will he join Judgment Day? For now, the WWE Universe doesn't quite know what is in store for the young star. Regardless, if he keeps working hard and improving his game, the future may be bright.
Speaking of Dominik, the former world champion has revealed he'd want a bout with the young star. Click here for more on the surprising fantasy bout.
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