Dominik Mysterio felt ‘blessed’ to skip NXT and learn directly from WWE legends-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Unlike Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio didn’t come up through NXT (Picture: WWE)

WWE superstar Dominik Mysterio has admitted he was ‘blessed’ to come into the business at the top instead of being sent to NXT.

The 26-year-old star – whose father is masked legend Rey Mysterio – skipped the developmental system and jumped right on the main roster three years ago, and he found himself working with a who’s who of the wrestling world.

He exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘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.’

Indeed, ‘Dirty’ Dom – who currently holds the NXT North American Championship despite being on the Raw roster – was in the ring with some WWE’s top names today, as well as some all-time legends.

He added: ‘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!

Dominik’s very first match was against Seth Rollins in 2020 (Picture: WWE)

Dom is the current NXT North American Champion (Picture: WWE)

‘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.’

Dom – who will defend his North American Title against Mustafa Ali and Wes Lee at the Great American Bash later tonight (July 30) – also has the advantage of growing up around the business, which meant there were no surprises when he did join WWE.

‘I don’t know if anything really shocked me about [the business]. I think more respect for what my dad did, and for what we do for a living. But I think… I grew up around this, man, this is all I’ve known for my whole life,’ he pointed out.

‘I started travelling 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,’ he admitted.

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‘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.’

NXT Great American Bash airs Sunday, July 30 at 1am on the WWE Network.

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