Dominik Mysterio’s quest to outshine the legacy of his Hall of Fame father took another controversial step forward at WWE Backlash, where he defended the Intercontinental Championship against the red-hot luchador Penta. Though Penta brought the fight—and the crowd—to their feet, Dominik once again relied on outside interference from The Judgment Day and the masked enforcer El Grande Americano to walk out of St. Louis with the gold still in hand.
Dominik Mysterio Managed to Seize Control
From the opening bell, this wasn’t your typical title match—it was a sprint drenched in animosity. Penta wasted no time, launching himself at Dominik with a precision Dropkick that nearly took the champ’s head off. The crowd roared with anticipation, sensing an upset in the making. But Dominik, ever the opportunist, quickly rolled out of danger and regrouped on the outside.
The early moments saw Mysterio surprisingly seize control. He ducked and dodged his way back into the match, catching Penta with a sudden dive to the outside, followed by a brawl that sent both men into the barricades. Penta, known for his agility and flair, looked briefly stunned as Dominik grounded him with a flurry of focused offense—making it clear he wasn’t just trying to win, but prove a point.
Still, Penta wouldn’t be denied for long. After withstanding a punishing stretch, he came alive with a daring springboard Vertical Crossbody from the top of the ring post—a move that electrified the arena. He followed it up by climbing the turnbuckle again, ready to put Mysterio away, but Dominik caught him with a pinpoint kick mid-climb. The champ attempted his signature Three Amigos suplexes, but Penta broke the chain, countering and dodging a 619 that could’ve ended the match.
Judgment Day Attempted to Interfere
Just as the momentum began to shift in Penta’s favor, The Judgment Day proved why they’re the most dangerous faction in WWE today. Carlito, JD McDonagh, and Finn Bálor made their way to ringside, turning the championship bout into a numbers game. Carlito immediately pulled the referee’s attention, creating the perfect distraction.
With the official tied up, McDonagh and Bálor leapt the barricade and grabbed Penta, trying to immobilize him on the outside. But Penta wasn’t about to be taken out so easily—he broke free and launched himself over the top rope with a devastating Tope Suicida that wiped out both Carlito and McDonagh in a breathtaking moment.
Unfortunately, that surge of momentum didn’t last.
While Penta was busy fighting off two-thirds of Judgment Day, Bálor jumped back into action, once again diverting the referee’s attention. That allowed the mysterious El Grande Americano to strike. With the ref turned away, Americano charged at Penta and delivered a vicious headbutt using a concealed metallic mask. Penta crumpled to the mat, completely blindsided.
Dominik, ever the opportunist, climbed to the top rope and soared with a flawless Frog Splash—channeling the very move that made his father a legend—and pinned the fallen challenger for the three-count.
With the assist, Dominik Mysterio retained his Intercontinental Championship, extending his reign to 21 days and counting. This marked his second successful title defense, the first also coming against Penta during the post-WrestleMania episode of WWE Raw. But this time, Dominik’s win felt even more hollow—tainted by deception, distractions, and destruction.
In the aftermath, the message was loud and clear: as long as Judgment Day and El Grande Americano are lurking in the shadows, Dominik Mysterio’s reign isn’t just safe—it’s protected.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. High Wire Media Network operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
 |  |  |
