Why Corey Graves Says Dominik Mysterio's Last Name May Be More Curse Than Blessing
While many wrestling fans continue to show their disdain for the Dominik Mysterio character, "WWE SmackDown" commentator Corey Graves commends The Judgment Day member for forging an identity separate from that of his father Rey Mysterio. On "After the Bell," Graves provided his assessment of Dominik's run since joining The Judgment Day in September 2022.
"Dominik, to me, is doing some of the best work in the business right now, and part of it was out of necessity," Graves said. "Look at all the second, third-generation superstars that have walked through the doors in WWE. Yes, you have your Charlotte Flairs. Yes, you have your Randy Ortons, but having a famous last name, particularly in that Hall of Fame tier, can oftentimes be more of a curse than it is a blessing." To illustrate his point, Graves referenced David Flair, the son of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, who attempted to follow in his father's footsteps in WCW. Much of David's WCW run, however, was done alongside or against his father, which arguably hindered the opportunity to truly cultivate his own distinct persona. While Dominik Mysterio has had multiple encounters with his father since turning on him last year, Dominik has now put some distance between them, and in turn, given himself space to explore a direction outside of family matters. For that, Graves applauds Dominik.
"Instead of leaning on his Mysterio name, [Dominik's] forsaken it, and he's taken a hard left in a completely different direction going, 'I'm going to make my own path. I'm going to make my own fortune.' Someday down the line, we know how this story goes. They're going to meet again. There's going to be some sort of repercussions for the years of turmoil between Rey and Dom. It will come to a pinnacle again, but in the meantime, just appreciate it for what it is," Graves said.
If you use quotes in this article, please credit "After the Bell" and provide an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.