In the electrifying world of WWE, where alliances shatter like glass and championships gleam under the arena lights, Dominik Mysterio’s reign as Intercontinental Champion has suddenly turned into a high-stakes tightrope walk. Just days after basking in the glow of his dual-title glory—crowning himself the AAA Mega Champion at the explosive WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event—Dirty Dom found himself cornered, quite literally, by the unrelenting force of Rusev. The Bulgarian Brute, with his trademark intensity and a stare that could curdle milk, stormed into the Judgment Day locker room on Monday Night Raw, delivering a verbal haymaker that echoed through the rafters: he would be the next Intercontinental Champion. It wasn’t a boast; it was a promise etched in the sweat and fury of a man who’s crushed dreams before breakfast.

Picture the scene, fans. The air thick with tension, the Judgment Day—Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez, and a seething Dominik—huddled in their dimly lit sanctum, still riding the high from Dom’s controversial victory over El Hijo del Vikingo. That win, aided by the shadowy interference of his new ally El Grande Americano, had made Mysterio a double champion for the first time in his young career. He forced his own father, the legendary Rey Mysterio, to strap the AAA belt around his waist in a moment of delicious family dysfunction that had the Las Vegas crowd erupting in a mix of boos and reluctant cheers. Dom, ever the provocateur, strutted like a peacock in a henhouse, his mustache twitching with smug satisfaction. But smugness is a fragile armor in WWE, and Rusev shattered it with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

It all stemmed from a simmering feud within The Judgment Day itself. Finn Balor, the group’s enigmatic leader, had grown weary of Dom’s budding independence. Balor’s confrontation with Mysterio over his secretive pact with El Grande Americano—whispered alliances that smacked of betrayal—ignited the powder keg. As Balor laid into Dom, questioning loyalties and demanding explanations, the door burst open. Enter Rusev, all 6’4″ of coiled menace, his eyes locked on the Intercontinental strap dangling from Dom’s shoulder. “That title? It’s mine,” Rusev growled, his Bulgarian accent slicing through the chaos like a knife. The room froze. Dom’s face, usually a mask of cocky defiance, drained of color. This was no idle threat; Rusev, fresh off a brutal victory over Penta El Zero Miedo on the September 8 episode of Raw, has been on a tear, dismantling opponents with his signature Accolade submission hold. He’s the kind of predator who smells vulnerability, and in that moment, Dirty Dom reeked of it.

Mysterio’s fear wasn’t unfounded. Since capturing the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 41 in a chaotic Fatal Four-Way—pinning Finn Balor himself amid the carnage involving Bron Breakker and Penta—Dom has defended it tooth and nail. He squeaked by AJ Styles at SummerSlam 2025 with underhanded tactics, and just last week on Raw, he retained against The Phenomenal One again, courtesy of a timely distraction from El Grande Americano. But Rusev? He’s a different beast. The Brute’s return to the ring has been meteoric, his power moves leaving a trail of broken egos. Dom knows it; the Judgment Day knows it. Whispers in the back suggest Balor might even be pulling strings, using Rusev as a blunt instrument to clip Dom’s wings before he flies too far from the nest. Is this the fracture that finally splinters the faction? With Roxanne Perez stepping in for the injured Liv Morgan as the group’s wildcard, the dynamics are shifting faster than a frog on a hot plate.

And speaking of Liv Morgan, her absence has been the elephant in the room—or rather, the smoldering ember in Dom’s heart. Sidelined since June with a shoulder injury that required surgery, the former Women’s World Champion has been reduced to cheering from afar, her social media a lifeline of flirtatious fire. But after Dom’s Worlds Collide triumph, Liv dropped a message that hit harder than any RKO. Posting on X (formerly Twitter) from her rehab bed, she unleashed a torrent of adoration: “El Sucio de los Sucios. King of the Luchadors. Greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time. Greatest Mysterio of all time. Your NEW AAA Mega Champion. Double Champ Dom. My Daddy Dom 😘.” The words dripped with that signature Liv mischief, a blend of worship and wickedness that left fans—and undoubtedly Dom—gobsmacked. It’s the kind of public declaration that blurs the lines between kayfabe and craving, reminding everyone why their on-screen romance has been RAW’s hottest subplot since the SummerSlam betrayal of Rhea Ripley.

Dom’s speechless reaction? Priceless. Reports from backstage say he stared at his phone for a full minute, a goofy grin cracking his usual scowl before he fired off a heart emoji reply. But in the shadow of Rusev’s warning, that grin faded fast. Liv’s words, meant to buoy him, now feel like a siren’s call amid the storm. With The Judgment Day fracturing—Balor walking out in a huff during the confrontation, Raquel eyeing Perez warily—Dom’s empire of two titles teeters. Rusev’s challenge isn’t just for gold; it’s for survival. Will Dirty Dom lean on his luchador lineage, call in El Grande Americano for more dirty tricks, or finally stand tall without the crutch of interference?

As Raw heads into its next chapter, the WWE Universe is buzzing. AAA has even scheduled a championship celebration for Dom on September 27 in Mexico City, a powder keg event where Rey might seek revenge. Rusev lurks, Liv pines, and the boos rain down like confetti. In this circus of suplexes and secrets, Dominik Mysterio’s feared nightmare has arrived—not with a bang, but with the cold certainty of a Brute’s grip. Buckle up, folks; the double champ’s double trouble is just getting started. One thing’s for sure: in WWE, fear is the real title to lose.