Dominik Mysterio has revealed why he never underwent traditional WWE developmental training at the Performance Center, despite originally being scheduled to spend time in NXT.
Unlike most WWE Superstars, Dominik Mysterio began his in-ring career on the main roster, making his official wrestling debut against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2020. However, his association with WWE began much earlier, when he appeared as a child in the memorable 2005 storyline involving his father, Rey Mysterio, and Eddie Guerrero.
Speaking to The Undertaker on the Six Feet Under podcast, Mysterio explained that WWE initially intended for him to attend classes at the Performance Center while continuing to appear on television. Unfortunately, his demanding schedule made those plans impossible.
Dominik Mysterio Explains Why He Never Trained At WWE Performance Center
Dominik Mysterio revealed that his commitments across Raw, SmackDown, NXT and WWE live events left him with virtually no time to participate in developmental training.
“But I still never actually did the PC [Performance Center] stuff. Originally, I was supposed to go down to NXT and do the classes while I was doing NXT, but the issue was, I was on Raw, and then I would do NXT Tuesdays, and then I’d be home Wednesdays, and then I’d fly out Thursdays for SmackDown, and then we’d have live events Saturday and Sundays. So there’s no time. What class did you want me to go to on Wednesday?” Mysterio explained.
Rather than learning through the traditional developmental system, Mysterio gained experience by working alongside established WWE Superstars on television and at live events. The Judgment Day member believes the opportunities he received on the road provided valuable experience that would have been difficult to replicate in a classroom.
“At that point, I didn’t see what I was going to learn when I was learning from everyone on the road doing three different TV shows,” he added.
Although Mysterio initially bypassed NXT, he eventually became a prominent figure on the developmental brand. In just his second NXT match, Mysterio captured the NXT North American Championship, beginning a reign that lasted more than two months before he lost the title to Trick Williams.
He regained the championship later in 2023, beginning a second reign that eventually ended when Dragon Lee defeated him. Despite taking an unconventional route into WWE, Dominik Mysterio has since become a regular fixture on the main roster, and his early experience working alongside established stars has helped shape his career.
