With the Royal Rumble set for January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, all eyes are on who’s in—and who might miss out. One major question mark? WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio.
Mysterio, who’s been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury at AAA’s Guerra de Titanes on December 20, made a surprise appearance at the Future Stars of Wrestling Arena in Las Vegas on January 29, 2026—just two days before the Royal Rumble. In a photo shared on Twitter, the FSW account revealed:
“Great to have WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio at the @FSWVegas Arena. Hopefully he listened to all the advice we gave him and help him get over.”
Dominik’s visit came just weeks after a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed he would not require surgery for his shoulder injury—and was expected to be out only “three to four weeks.” That injury took place when his father, Rey Mysterio, reversed a suplex into a DDT during their tag match in AAA, leading to a scary landing on Dominik’s shoulder in the final moments of the bout.
Although WWE never officially detailed the extent of the injury, they did quietly pull Dominik from the December 26 live event in Baltimore. He was originally scheduled to team with Liv Morgan against Rey Mysterio and Rhea Ripley, but was replaced by Grayson Waller. The following RAW episode on December 29 gave a subtle confirmation when Liv said, “Daddy Dom is out,” and commentary acknowledged his absence.
Now with his FSW appearance, the question remains whether Dom’s recovery has progressed enough for him to make a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble on January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But as of now, that seems like a stretch—especially since his fellow Judgment Day members have already arrived overseas for the event, while Dominik remains stateside.
Whether or not he’s ready to wrestle, one thing is clear: Dominik Mysterio is staying close to the ring and the people who can help him stay sharp.
Do you think Dominik Mysterio should risk competing at the Royal Rumble—or play it safe and wait until he’s 100% cleared? Drop your thoughts below and let us know what you think about his return timeline.
