Dominik Mysterio has found another way to take a shot at his father, Rey Mysterio.
The current AAA MEGA Champion was asked to name the “GOAT” worst smell in wrestling during a recent category-picking video. Dominik initially suggested that his first answer was not suitable to say aloud, before turning his attention to the man he has repeatedly called his “deadbeat dad” throughout their WWE rivalry.
“The worst smell, I can’t say that one. The goat worst smell would probably be wrestling my deadbeat dad. That dude smells. I don’t know what it is.”
The remark is consistent with the character Dominik has developed over the last several years. What began as a family partnership on WWE television became one of the company’s most personal and enduring father-versus-son issues after Dominik betrayed Rey Mysterio and Edge at WWE Clash at the Castle 2022.
For more background on this topic, read Memphis Wrestling Legend “Superstar” Bill Dundee Dies At 82.
At that event, Dominik aligned himself with The Judgment Day, attacking the two men who had been closest to him on screen. The turn immediately changed the direction of his career. Instead of being positioned as Rey’s son and tag team partner, Dominik became an openly resentful antagonist who treated his father as the central obstacle in his life and career.
A rivalry built on disrespect
Dominik’s latest joke is relatively lighthearted compared with many of the insults exchanged during the Mysterio family feud, but it fits the same familiar pattern. He has used the “deadbeat dad” label as a defining part of his presentation, framing Rey not as a legendary father and mentor, but as the person responsible for his frustrations.
That approach has helped make Dominik one of WWE’s most reliable targets for crowd reactions. His ability to draw loud negative responses has become a major feature of his appearances, whether he is speaking, entering an arena, or simply standing beside other members of The Judgment Day. The hostility toward him has also made his issues with Rey feel different from a standard generational rivalry.
Rey Mysterio’s standing in wrestling makes Dominik’s insults especially effective in storyline terms. Rey is one of the most recognizable names in the industry and has been celebrated for decades as a pioneering masked star. Dominik, meanwhile, has built much of his current persona around rejecting the admiration that surrounds his father.
Rather than seeking acceptance as the next member of the Mysterio wrestling family, Dominik has repeatedly chosen confrontation. His comments about Rey smelling bad continue that tactic on a smaller scale: it is another opportunity to belittle a father whom many fans regard as one of wrestling’s most respected figures.
The split at Clash at the Castle changed Dominik’s direction
The Mysterios had previously worked together as a father-and-son team, with Dominik’s early WWE career closely tied to Rey’s presence. Their connection made the betrayal at Clash at the Castle 2022 more significant. Dominik did not merely switch allegiances; he attacked both his father and Edge, then moved into The Judgment Day’s orbit.
The shift gave Dominik a clearer individual identity. The Judgment Day association placed him alongside a group that embraced a darker, more confrontational attitude, while his conflict with Rey supplied an immediate emotional foundation for his new role. His presentation became increasingly centered on arrogance, resentment, and the claim that he had been wronged by his own family.
That dynamic has endured long beyond the initial betrayal. The two Mysterios have remained adversaries in the years since, keeping the family dispute active even as both men have taken on other matches, partnerships, and responsibilities. The fact that Dominik can still generate attention with an offhand jab at Rey reflects how recognizable their conflict has become.
It also illustrates the value of a rivalry that has a clear personal premise. Fans do not need extensive explanation to understand why Dominik calls Rey a deadbeat dad or why Rey remains a natural opponent for his son. The story has been established over years of confrontations, insults, and betrayal.
The issue now extends beyond WWE
The Mysterio conflict has not been confined to WWE. Rey and Dominik have also been positioned on opposing sides in AAA, where Rey is an authority figure and Dominik is the current AAA MEGA Champion.
That additional setting gives their long-running problems another layer. Dominik is not simply trying to separate himself from Rey in WWE; he is also holding one of AAA’s top championships while his father occupies a position of authority in the promotion. Their relationship therefore carries professional tension in more than one wrestling environment.
For Dominik, being recognized as AAA MEGA Champion provides another way to assert that he has stepped out of his father’s shadow. For Rey, his authority role means the father-son issue has implications that reach beyond a personal argument. Even without a new match being announced, their respective positions keep the possibility of further conflict relevant.
The cross-promotional dimension also underlines the unusual longevity of the feud. Wrestling has seen many family-based storylines, but few involve a father and son who can plausibly continue their dispute across major wrestling platforms while maintaining such distinct roles. Rey remains an iconic name with an extensive legacy, while Dominik has become a prominent villain in his own right.
Dominik continues to lean into the role
Dominik’s answer about the “GOAT” worst smell was delivered as a joke, but it was still carefully in line with the persona that has carried him since joining The Judgment Day. He did not offer a neutral or respectful answer about his father. Instead, he used the question to reinforce the exact relationship WWE audiences have come to expect from him and Rey.
That consistency matters. Dominik’s character is strongest when he treats every opening as a chance to dismiss Rey, elevate himself, or remind viewers that he does not view their family relationship through the same sentimental lens that many fans do. A simple comment about wrestling someone’s smell becomes another chapter in an established campaign of disrespect.
It is also a reminder that the Mysterio rivalry does not require a major physical altercation every week to remain present. A quote, an interview response, or a brief verbal jab can keep the tension alive because the audience already understands the history behind it. Dominik has spent years making clear that he believes Rey failed him. Rey’s stature ensures that the accusation will continue to invite a reaction.
There is no indication in the comment itself that a new WWE match between the two has been set. Still, their shared history, their continuing status as adversaries, and their opposing positions in AAA mean that any exchange between them carries added weight.
For now, Dominik’s latest verdict is straightforward: when considering the worst smell he has encountered in wrestling, he believes the answer is his father. And, in typical Dominik fashion, he made sure to attach the “deadbeat dad” insult before moving on.
The line may have been playful, but it continues a feud that has shaped a major portion of Dominik Mysterio’s rise as a WWE antagonist. Rey Mysterio remains the most personal target in his son’s world, and Dominik remains willing to use virtually any subject—including an unexpected question about smell—to make that point.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.