Dominik Mysterio may be a heel in WWE, but the new Intercontinental Champion received surprisingly positive reactions at WrestleMania 41. In an interview with Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports, Mysterio discussed the unexpected crowd response he experienced inside Allegiant Stadium.
“I’m a team player and they [WWE higher-ups] know that. At the end of the day, whatever is best for business is going to happen.”
Evidently, what fans determined was best for business was to embrace Mysterio and celebrate his championship victory in Las Vegas. On the post-WrestleMania Raw, Mysterio again received a thunderous ovation during his first title defense. Not even his victory over the beloved Penta and the return of villainous JD McDonagh could prevent fans from cheering the ‘Dirty’ new champion.
Heels transforming into fan favorites is a well-established pattern in wrestling history. Ironically, it was Eddie Guerrero’s heel work alongside Chyna, and later his lying, cheating, and stealing persona, that made fans grow to love Latino Heat. Now, decades later, Dominik is following the path of the man who played an instrumental role in his WWE introduction.
Whether this fan support continues throughout the post-WrestleMania period remains to be seen, but it’s undeniable that audiences are thoroughly enjoying what Dirty Dom delivers on screen.
