Dominik Mysterio holds both the Intercontinental and AAA Mega Championships. (Credit: Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event marked the culmination of not one but two seemingly never-ending feuds for Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio.
The third-generation star has spent the past several months feuding on and off again with both Rusev and Penta. Last week on Raw, Rusev and Penta battled it out to determine the No. 1 contender for Mysterio’s Intercontinental title, but interference from The Judgment Day ultimately put Mysterio at an undeniable disadvantage in Salt Lake City.
As a result of The Judgment Day’s actions, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce booked Mysterio in a triple threat match at Saturday Night’s Main Event, where he put his coveted championship on the line against Rusev and Penta.
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Results for Dominik Mysterio Vs. Penta vs. Rusev
At WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, Dominik Mysterio found himself in quite the pickle against Rusev and Penta, but like he tends to do, the Intercontinental Champion found a way to hang onto his gold.
Battling it out with the loathed Rusev and the beloved Penta, Mysterio held onto tight to his IC title, utilizing some heel shenanigans to hit Rusev with a frog splash and get the victory. The Salt Lake City crowd erupted as Mysterio won via underhanded tactics yet again, as he has continued to do during his lengthy title reign.
Here are the key highlights of Mysterio’s successful Intercontinental Championship defense against Penta and Rusev:
- The action picked up right out of the gate as Rusev blasted Penta with a jaw-dropping dropkick, then caught Mysterio for a one-armed powerbomb and a fallaway slam.
- Mysterio sent Rusev face-first into the post and then Penta hit a huge dive onto Rusev on the outside. Mysterio followed that up with a dive of his own.
- Rusev caught Mysterio as he went for the 619 and then locked in the Accolade, but Penta broke it up with a nasty kick. Penta followed that up with a brutal back cracker on Rusev for two, which resulted in “Cero Miedo” chants from the crowd.
- After Rusev knocked Penta off the top rope, Mysteiro, in true Eddie Guerrero-fashion, attempted to get Rusev disqualified by tossing him a steel chair. Too bad there are no DQs in a triple threat match. That allowed Penta to use Rusev as a stepping stool and land a picture perfect Mexican Destroyer on Mysterio, followed by a beautiful tornado DDT on Rusev.
- Rusev nailed Penta with an Alabama Slam, then Penta responded with a Penta Driver that Rusev shockingly kicked out of at two. Penta went for a crossbody block off the top, but Rusev nailed him with a kick and then locked in the Accolade. The bell rang, and Rusev thought Penta tapped out. However, it was revealed that it was Mysterio who rang the bell and Penta never actually tapped.
- An enraged Rusev attacked Mysterio, but Mysterio sent him crashing through the ring steps. Penta picked up the ring bell hammer and tried to hit Mysterio, but Mysterio moved and accidentally hit Rusev. Mysterio sent Penta into the steel turnbuckle and then hit a top rope splash on Rusev, then pinned him for the 1-2-3.
In just a few days, Mysterio will cross the 200-day mark as Intercontinental Champion, but his days with the gold could be numbered.
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Results: What’s Next for Dominik Mysterio?
Both Penta and Rusev have failed to beat Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship time and time again, and after another loss at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, it appears that they are moving on to something else.
Why? Well, because Mysterio is likely taking his Intercontinental Championship into a major feud with John Cena.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Sports Illustrated), Mysterio is penciled in to defend his Intercontinental title against the legendary Cena at Survivor Series: WarGames later this month. The premise behind Cena vs. Mysterio would be Cena’s pursuit of, believe it or not, his first IC title win, which would allow him to complete the career Grand Slam and win the lone major singles title he’s never won in WWE.
That’s why Mysterio’s win at WWE SNME was never in doubt. Although either Rusev or Penta would have made for a fine choice as Intercontinental Champion, putting the title on one of those stars wasn’t worth taking it off Mysterio. In Cena vs. Mysterio, WWE has a match between two of the company’s most polarizing stars. As of late, Mysterio, much like Cena in his heyday, generates roof-rattling mixed reactions, which is sure to make for an incredible atmosphere at Survivor Series.
Throw in the fact that Survivor Series takes place in Mysterio’s hometown of San Diego as well as the reality of it being one of Cena’s last few matches, and that’s undoubtedly a recipe for success. Mysterio is one of WWE’s most over performers, and with that should come the massive spotlight of a must-see match on Cena’s retirement tour.
At WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, Mysterio’s win all but guaranteed that match is coming, leaving Penta and Rusev without a clear-cut direction in the process.