Dominik Mysterio and Rusev both had a busy last couple of weeks. Mysterio first beat AJ Styles for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, retaining it in Paris. He then won the AAA Mega Championship at Worlds Collide: Las Vegas, taking it from El Hijo del Vikingo.
Meanwhile, Rusev has done some impressive things as well. He beat Sheamus in a Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook match at Clash in Paris. Then, he defeated Penta in a great match. The two men had their first interaction on the September 15, 2025, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.
Mysterio was celebrating becoming a double champion with the rest of the Judgment Day. He then got interrupted by Rusev, who declared himself the next Intercontinental Champion. It seemed like an out-of-the-blue statement by Rusev. But there are reasons as to why a match between them will happen sooner rather than later.
Rusev More Than Deserves a Title Opportunity
After 5 years, Rusev returned to WWE at the Raw after WrestleMania XLI. Since then, he has had several impressive victories and has given fans a reason to cheer for him. His crushing of the Alpha Academy showed people that he is a grave threat to everyone, and afterward, he moved on to a rivalry with Sheamus. For four months, the former League of Nations stablemates clashed with each other.
Their fighting got so bad that Raw General Manager Adam Pearce forced their Clash in Paris match to be the end of their feud, and he came out victorious.
The following Monday, he got into a verbal disagreement with Penta over an Intercontinental title opportunity. They had a match, which he won, giving him a claim to the title shot. Given his last couple of months, Rusev is more than deserving of the opportunity in front of him.
Things Still Aren’t Good Within the Judgment Day
When Mysterio won the AAA Mega Championship on Friday, it was a moment of celebration. It marked a new era for AAA, while also making him a double champion. After the Judgment Day, they did a celebratory toast to him becoming double champion, and things got a little tense between the group. Finn Balor was still mad about Mysterio’s association with El Grande Americano. Mysterio said that he just wanted some respect from him. After that, the group walked off before he got confronted by Rusev.
Having him be the next challenger increases the tension between the two men. If Mysterio loses, there might be some changes for the group. He could leave them entirely, embarking on a much-anticipated solo run. There’s also a chance Balor could leave, changing his plans as well. Having Rusev challenge him could lead to some seismic shifts for the Judgment Day.
WWE’s Decision Makes Sense for a Lot of Reasons
A lot of fans welcome Rusev as the next contender for Mysterio’s Intercontinental Championship. There are many reasons why those people share that sentiment. Since his return in April, Rusev has given WWE management impressive showing after impressive showing. If there’s anyone who deserves a championship shot, it’s him. He has definitely taken his return seriously, making good on his promise that he’ll crush anyone in his way. There’s also still tense vibes going on with Judgment Day.
Sooner rather than later, something’s going to happen that’s going to change the entire group. Rusev walking away as Intercontinental Champion could be the thing that breaks Mysterio and Balor’s friendship down completely. Having him be Mysterio’s next challenger is a great way to build his stock naturally while progressing the ongoing story of the Judgment Day if he wins the belt.
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