Just weeks after beating John Cena in a major Premium Live Event match, one of WWE's most popular stars could be heading to the sidelines with an injury. Dominik Mysterio was officially removed from WWE’s December 26 live event in Baltimore, fueling concern that his recent in-ring injury might be more serious than fans hoped.
"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio was one of WWE's breakout performers of 2025, winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 41 (and later again from Cena) alongside the AAA Mega Championship. Now, it appears Mysterio could potentially be joining him.
The Judgment Day appeared to be getting back to full force with Liv Morgan back in the fold, but JD McDonagh recently underwent surgery that will bench him for some time.
The Judgment Day member was originally scheduled to team with Liv Morgan in a mixed tag match against Rey Mysterio and Rhea Ripley. But when showtime arrived, that match was nowhere on the card. Instead, Rey Mysterio kicked off the event in a singles match against Grayson Waller-with Dominik completely absent.
“Hate to break it to everyone but it looks like the match was scrapped. It’s Rey vs Grayson Waller opening up the show. Lends credence to the rumor that Dom was injured in AAA :(”
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Dominik Mysterio's Shoulder Injury
Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer reported this weekend that Mysterio suffered a shoulder injury during the main event of Saturday night's AAA show. He was teaming with El Grande Americano against his father, Rey Mysterio, and Rey Fénix.
According to Alvarez, Dom took a DDT from Rey near the end of the match, suffering a legitimate injury in the process. While it was not entirely clear as of press time as to the exact nature of the injury, Alvarez noted he was under the impression that it was a separated shoulder. The recovery time for a separated shoulder usually varies based on the severity of the injury, sometimes only requiring rest and rehab, while other times requiring surgery.
According to Bryan Alvarez, the shoulder injury happened during the final moments of Dominik’s tag match at AAA’s Guerra de Titanes event on December 20, where he teamed with El Grande Americano against Rey Mysterio and Rey Fenix. “Dom injured his shoulder taking the DDT from his dad near the end of tonight’s main event,” Alvarez reported. “Based on how he landed, my presumption is it’s likely a shoulder separation… He could barely use the arm at all.”
This aligns with what was reported last week.
The finish of the AAA match saw Penta interfere, using a foreign object hidden in his mask to headbutt Dominik, which set up Rey for a 619 and the pin. After the match, Dominik shoved his partner El Grande Americano and walked to the back on his own-visibly clutching his shoulder.
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WWE hasn’t officially commented, but pulling him from a live event just days later is a loud message. If the injury is as serious as it looks, Dominik could be facing time off-or even surgery. For now, “Dirty Dom” is off the card, and the WWE Universe is left wondering when they’ll see him again.
Dominik Mysterio is dealing with a legitimate shoulder injury following his appearance at AAA Guerra de Titanes in Mexico over the weekend.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said the full nature of the injury has yet to be determined, with Dominik Mysterio scheduled to be examined this week.
“He was hurting today, and he’s going to get examined,” Meltzer said. “There’s no TV until a week from Monday, so he’ll likely be checked by a doctor there to see what’s wrong with his shoulder. It’s premature to say anything about the severity. Shoulder injuries are common, and that’s usually not a good thing. Hopefully he doesn’t need surgery, because that would put him out for months. Right now, we just don’t know.”
The injury reportedly occurred during the main event of the AAA show in Guadalajara, Mexico. Dominik teamed with El Grande Americano against Rey Fenix and his father, Rey Mysterio. According to reports, Dominik was hurt late in the match after taking a DDT from his father and appeared unable to fully use his arm as he left the ring.
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The babyfaces would go on to win the match, with Americano shaking hands with Rey and Dom walking off.
The finish saw interference from Penta, who used a weapon concealed in his mask before Rey Mysterio connected with the 619 and pinned his son. After the match, a visibly frustrated Dominik shoved El Grande Americano and walked to the back alone while favouring his injured arm.
WWE is currently in a brief holiday pause for television production, with the next episode of Monday Night Raw scheduled for December 29 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. The show is set to be the final Raw of 2025.
As previously reported, WWE Superstar, reigning Intercontinental Champion, and AAA Mega Champion, Dominik Mysterio, reportedly suffered a shoulder injury last Saturday (December 20) at AAA Guerra de Titanes in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was previously said that Mysterio hurt his shoulder after taking a DDT from Rey Mysterio during the main event tag team bout featuring Rey Mysterio and Rey Fenix vs. Dominik and El Grande Americano. It’s also said that Dominik was still “hurting the next day” and still needed to get his shoulder checked out and evaluated.
Although Dominik Mysterio did appear on the new episode of WWE Raw that debuted on Netflix two nights later, that show was taped the night before (Dec. Doninik Mysterio continued working the match despite his injured shoulder, and even took a Michinoku Driver.
| Championship | Event | Opponent(s) |
|---|---|---|
| WWE Intercontinental Championship | WrestleMania 41 | Bron Breakker, Finn Bálor, and Penta |
| WWE Intercontinental Championship | Survivor Series | John Cena |
| AAA Mega Championship | September 2025 | El Hijo del Vikingo |
Rey Mysterio's Recovery
Backstage details on Rey Mysterio’s road to recovery
WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio is reportedly at the WWE Performance Center this week. The visit is a major step as he works towards being medically cleared for an in-ring return.
According to a new report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider Elite, the legendary luchador will be at the company's training facility in Orlando, Florida. This strongly indicates he is in the final stages of his recovery process.
Mysterio has been out of action since April 2025, when he suffered a torn groin just before WrestleMania 41. During an appearance on the "LA PLATICA" show, he described the surprisingly simple way the injury occurred.
“When I pushed off with my left leg, I just heard a (rip),” Mysterio explained. “Like, that’s it? I tore my groin like that? And yeah, usually it happens on the simplest s**t.”
During his time away, Mysterio also had surgery to repair a busted eardrum. While he had initially hoped to be back by August, the new report of his presence at the Performance Center suggests his return to television is now imminent.
Former World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio has been away from WWE programming, outside of the rogue appearance at events like Worlds Collide, where he celebrated the WWE/AAA partnership, as he rests up from an injury.
"I tore my groin a day before WrestleMania, from my left side, which I would say is my weakest side because I've had probably 11 ACL tears and meniscus [issues]. This knee is pretty bad. [It's] bone-on-bone," Mysterio said. "I started my [physical therapy], not to mention I had a busted eardrum as well so I fixed that during my time off. I'm on the road to recovery.
"My back is clean. My neck is clean," Mysterio reported happily, noting how much abuse the back and neck usually take from professional wrestlers.
Mysterio had initially been meant to defend the honor of lucha libre against El Grande Americano at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, NV, but his groin injury led to Mysterio being replaced by Rey Fenix. Despite help from AAA star El Hijo Del Vikingo, Fenix was unsuccessful against Americano.
Potential Future Plans
A return for Mysterio would be a major boost for WWE, as the company reportedly has significant plans for him. A previous report indicated that WWE wants to feature Mysterio in a "major role" as part of its ongoing crossover with the Mexican promotion, Lucha Libre AAA, potentially in a match against his son, Dominik Mysterio, for the AAA Mega Championship.
If that father-son match is to happen, it will be part of a busy holiday season for Dominik Mysterio.
How Long Has Dominik Mysterio Been With The WWE?
Dominik Mysterio has been associated with WWE since childhood, first appearing on television alongside his father, Rey Mysterio, in the mid-2000s. His most notable early appearance came during the 2005 storyline involving Eddie Guerrero.
Mysterio officially began training for an in-ring career years later and made his WWE in-ring debut at SummerSlam 2020, where he was defeated by Seth Rollins in a Street Fight.