Rey Mysterio admits teaming with son Dominik has prolonged his WWE career
Exclusive interview: The WWE legend, who holds tag team titles with his 24-year-old son, is gearing up for another shot at a world championship
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Your support makes all the difference.Rey Mysterio has told The Independent that teaming with his son Dominik in WWE has helped extend his lengthy, incredible career in the ring.
The decorated veteran, 46, is currently one half of the reigning SmackDown tag team champions alongside Dominik, 24.
In addition to that, the legendary figure is currently in the midst of a high-profile singles feud with Universal Champion Roman Reigns – arguably the standout performer in all of WWE just now.
That Mysterio is still performing at such a high level is little short of astonishing, and a career that began back in the late 1980s shows little sign of concluding any time soon.
In some 17 years in WWE across two spells he’s won almost all there is as a former WWE, World Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion to name just a few of his accolades – not to mention a Royal Rumble win, too.
Near the turn of the millennium he was a hugely popular figure in WCW – then arch enemy on and off-screen to WWE – his storied journey in wrestling seeing him enjoy success and adulation from fans in all corners of the globe.
Yet in 2021 he still continues to soar, flip and fly around the ring as if it were he and not his son who is enjoying the formative years of his career.
Pressed on that longevity and just how long his body can allow him to push so many boundaries at a relatively older age, Mysterio points to Dominik’s arrival in WWE, saying: “I think I got my second wind when my son jumped in the ring.
“It happened so fast and, due to that, I am really experiencing a great moment right now – to be able to share the ring and create history together.
“It takes my focus off my injuries and off my tiredness, and that just pushes and motivates me to keep going.
“So right now, I have no idea when my body is going to say, ‘I tap out!’”
The family affair is likely to continue for a while yet, and not least because Rey and Dominik have tag team titles to defend. They became the first father-son duo to hold such a title in WWE history.
The elder Mysterio had been due to meet Reigns at the WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view this Sunday before the company brought the bout forward to Friday night where it will air as part of a televised episode of SmackDown.
With the weekend event still almost certain to have a Universal title bout of some fashion, it seems likely Friday’s clash will simply lead into something further on Sunday – potentially with Dominik stepping up to try and topple Reigns to avenge any loss for his father.
Regardless of how the storyline plays out, the Mysterios will almost certainly will be at the heart of it, with Dominik still less than a year removed from a headline-grabbing WWE debut match against Seth Rollins at last year’s SummerSlam.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s event also features a WWE Championship match for Scotland’s Drew McIntyre.
What’s been billed as McIntyre’s final stab at trying to regain the title from incumbent Bobby Lashley will also take place inside a Hell in a Cell.
Rhea Ripley puts her Raw Women’s Championship on the line against Charlotte Flair, while SmackDown champ Bianca Belair defends against Bayley.
Alexa Bliss meets Shayna Baszler in what is, at the time of writing, the night’s only other bout.
WWE Hell in a Cell airs on Sunday night into Monday morning in the UK. Fans can watch the action at 1am on BT Sport Box Office and WWE Network. Visit wwe.com for more.
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