Dominik Mysterio Pins Finn Balor, Judgment Day Implodes

Dominik Mysterio left WWE WrestleMania 41 as the new Intercontinental Champion, but it came at the cost of the implosion of The Judgment Day.

In a wild and spot-filled Fatal 4-Way match, Mysterio outlasted Finn Balor, Bron Breakker and Penta to win his first singles title in WWE. What’s more, Mysterio, one of WWE’s most hated heels for years, had the fans firmly in his corner and was arguably the most popular star in the match inside Allegiant Stadium.

A seemingly randomly thrown together match, the Intercontinental title bout at WrestleMania could have been completely forgettable. Instead, it marked an incredible moment for Mysterio, set the stage for a trio of big pushes coming out of WrestleMania 41 and furthered the impending breakup of Judgment Day.

Although Breakker lost his Intercontinental title on WrestleMania Sunday, that was a necessary evil. After all, it’s time for Breakker, one of the most captivating stars in WWE, to move on to bigger and better things, which is something that has long been expected for the second generation star.

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WWE has reportedly long planned on making Breakker a big focus of Raw on Netflix, and that’s precisely what he’s developed into in recent weeks. His incredible displays of strength and infamous spears have become near weekly highlights on Raw, and given that WWE’s main event scene is thirsting for new stars, he’s the best bet to be the next star who gets elevated into the upper echelon on the red brand.

In fact, WWE has done a masterful job of setting up Breakker as a future cornerstone of the company. Instead of booking him like a white meat babyface or classic villain, he’s just a no-nonsense destroyer who will take out anyone and anything in his path. It’s a page similar to the playbook used for other behemoths before him, and it’s working out wonderfully so far.

But the next step? After losing at WrestleMania 41, it’s time for Breakker to say goodbye to the midcard for good.

As for Penta, he had a strong showing in what has quickly become a successful run in WWE. The former AEW star recently praised the way that WWE portrays him as a massive star, and indeed, that’s exactly how he’s come across in just a few short months in WWE.

Although Penta was unable to win the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 41, he didn’t take the pin, either, and that was done by design. A protected loss means that should continue his incredible start in WWE. He remains one of WWE’s best booked midcard stars, and though it could be difficult for him to emerge as a world title contender anytime soon, his strong in-ring performances and incredible crowd connection may change that.

On the flip side, the new Intercontinental Champion Mysterio continues his shockingly warmly received rise to the top of Raw’s midcard.

Mysterio has, of course, become a staple of Raw over the past several years and continues to shine as one of the most entertaining villains in all of WWE. Now, the fans are finally appreciating him for it. Though he’s far from everyone’s cup of tea, he spent the past few years generating crowd heat like virtually no other full-time WWE star and has earned his spot as one of WWE’s most reliable midcarders.

In a bizarre twist, the pro-Mysterio crowd inside Allegiant Stadium is going to help him ascend the card even quicker. Will he ever be booked as a dominant star and main eventer? Probably not.

But every featured performer in WWE has a role, and Mysterio plays his to perfection. He will have a new challenge ahead, however, navigating a world where he is the Intercontinental Champion and isn’t the most hated man in the building anymore.

A full-fledged face turn might be out of the question, but if Mysterio’s WrestleMania momentum continues, WWE may have a new top star on its hands.