Dominik Mysterio Plans To One Day Be Called Rey Mysterio Jr.

Having spent just a year in the WWE, Dominik Mysterio, at age 24, has already been in the ring with some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Some of the legends that he has worked with include John Cena, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Edge and most notably his own father, Rey Mysterio.

As a guest on the latest episode of the Out of Character Podcast with Ryan Satin, Dominik spoke about the pressure he feels on a daily basis to live up to the Mysterio legacy. Having a father like Rey, who started wrestling in 1989 and is still on WWE television to this day, Dom revealed what it means to him to try and live-up to the Rey Mysterio name and why he wants to take on that pressure head on.

"The pressure is definitely there, I feel it all the time," Dominik said. "Everyone is just constantly bringing it up like you've got big shoes to fill. It's just so different for me because I see it as a challenge, I want to take this head on. My dad broke the barrier and changed the game of wrestling forever but there's an image of him being a small masked guy that he's an underdog and I'm just the complete opposite of him. I'm 2-feet taller than him, I didn't come out with the mask, everything kind of happened so fast and I just accepted it. I know the pressure is there but I'm accepting it, it's hard to explain because it's really difficult to try to live up to the Mysterio name. At the end of the day, I think that I'm confident enough in my abilities that hopefully we'll take it to the next level, god willing."

Dom also spoke about what it's like to have his father with him at all times and how much Rey helps him whenever he is involved in an angle or match. The Mysterios became the first-ever father and son duo to win the Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania Backlash this year. The 24-year-old revealed that he and his dad review his matches and segments heavily to the point where he's watched his past match with Sami Zayn over 50 times already just from this past week.

"It's a huge blessing to be able to have him," Dominik said. "We go over everything step-by-step to where my entrance, as soon as I come out we are already discussing what I could do better, what I could do from there and it's just night and day the things that he can point out and it's crazy. He does nitpick nitpick nitpick but it's done correctly. It bugs me because I'm a perfectionist and I see it and I know what needs to be done but he adds that extra little hint that it's like you do need to do this but you also need to do this. We do it after every match, I try to watch my matches over.

"Like last week with Sami Zayn I've probably watched that over 50 times and I just constantly have it on loop and try to pinpoint everything. With [Rey], I watched it with him four or five times alone. We're just constantly going over it and it's a huge help having him by my side."

As a guest on WWE After the Bell with Corey Graves, Rey Mysterio shared that he believes his son will one day wear the mask, but will have to earn it before he does. Dom spoke about the long term goals he has involving the mask and the Mysterio name, and what he needs to do in order for that to happen.

"The long goal, the endgame, is to eventually take over the Rey Mysterio name," Dominik said. "That's the legacy within it, he's Rey Mysterio, it's only right to make it junior. Traditional and Lucha culture and Hispanic culture, that's tradition, that's what you do. I kind of showed up and Dom Mysterio just organically happened. Everything happened so fast, we didn't get a chance to put these little things together but we've definitely talked about it. He's mentioned it before, the mask is something that I have to earn along with the name so one day if he wants to pass it onto me after he retires or wants to make me earn it after he retires, whatever it is I'm up for it. I just know that that name belongs to me and it's only right. Hispanically, culturally, it's only right but whatever he wants at the end of the day because he's the one who's made it what it is. I'll respect his decision whatever it is."

Dominik also talked about teaming with or wrestling against so many all-time greats already at such an early point in his career and stated how much help he's received from one person in particular.

"That should not happen, that shouldn't be happening," Dominik said. "Not to mention my first show in front of a live crowd was with my dad and Edge against Roman [Reigns] and The Usos. Everything has just been so crazy and such a blessing man that I'll say it and never stop saying it, this shouldn't be happening. It's absolutely wild but I'm so thankful for all the opportunities. Cena was such a big help man, every time after we finished our matches he would give me advice and even being in the corner there with him on how to listen and react to the crowd and take everything in. His knowledge is on another level and my hats off to him for being in the ring and guiding me and helping me because he didn't have to do that but he went above and beyond for me and that's something I'll appreciate forever."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Out of Character with Ryan Satin with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.