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Judgment Day-ting: Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio's WWE Relationship Explained
It's time to examine the relationship between one of WWE's hottest on-screen couples!
Throughout WWE's history, there have been many memorable on-screen relationships. From "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth in the 80s to Edge and Lita in the early 2000s, some couples were destined for greatness from the beginning, transcending a mere partnership into something that fans will remember forever.
However, there's arguably been no couple in WWE history that has captured the imagination of the WWE Universe like Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio! Say what you want about their respective personalities, but both Superstars have chemistry and respect for one another, and most of all, they know how to have fun with their on-screen relationship.
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Today, USA Insider is looking back at the storied relationship between Rhea Ripley and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio.
When and How Did Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio Get Together in WWE?
While Rhea Ripley's WWE career has followed the somewhat traditional path of starting off in NXT and working her way up the ranks to the main roster, Dominik Mysterio's early WWE career was defined by his relationship with his father, Rey Mysterio.
After debuting alongside his dad and achieving a modicum of success in the tag team division, their team was frequently targeted by an increasingly hostile Judgment Day – a faction that has historically been hell-bent on causing as much destruction as possible. Although the Mysterios would find themselves on the winning side on a few occasions, the raw power of The Judgment Day was usually too much to overcome.
Interestingly enough, Rhea herself theorized that their physicality led to something more.
"I ended up beating him up a couple times and choking him out with my legs and I swear this romance story started," Rhea revealed on a 2023 podcast.
As it turns out, Rhea's memory doesn't deceive her – she and Dominik crossed paths countless times during the early stages of Dom's career. Inevitably, each one of their encounters usually ended with the nefarious group standing tall, with Rhea taking a liking to choking out Dominik whenever she could.
While many people would view being repeatedly choked out by a coworker as the ultimate sign of disrespect (and quickly follow up with a trip to human resources, pronto), Rhea clearly had not only a physical impact on Dominik but an emotional one as well! Chalk it up to the many beatings if you like, but something inside of Dominik Mysterio emerged. During a memorable episode of Monday Night Raw in September 2022, Rhea revealed to the world that not only did Dominik betray his father Rey Mysterio and join The Judgment Day, but she "made him into a man" – suggesting that she and Rey's son had entered into a physical relationship.
To the shock of the WWE Universe, Dominik officially turned his back on his family and pledged his allegiance to Mami and the rest of The Judgment Day.
For Dominik, it was a classic case of "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Ever since that fateful evening, the two have been inseparable, and even the most cynical member of the WWE Universe must admit that their on-screen romance has been one of the best parts of WWE for over a year and a half now.
In fact, we here at USA Insider credit the relationship for taking Dominik Mysterio to the next level. Before he met Rhea Ripley, Dom was a quiet Superstar who seemed nervous to pick up a microphone – he's now arguably the most cocky person in the locker room. After all, why wouldn't he be? He has Mami watching his back!
The duo spent most of 2023 flexing their respective (figurative and literal) muscles as Dominik continued growing up before our eyes – while Rhea ran roughshod over the entire WWE women's division. It's clear already that 2024 will bring more of the same.
Are Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio Together in Real Life?
Despite their undeniable on-screen chemistry, many in the WWE Universe will be surprised to discover that the two Superstars are not romantically involved outside the ring! Sure, when the cameras are rolling, they're one of the most despicable (and strangely compatible) couples in WWE history, but in real life, they are both happily engaged to other people.
In January, Dominik announced on social media that he was engaged to his childhood sweetheart, winning the heart of one person in the process but shocking the WWE Universe at the same time, as there were undoubtedly many fans who had no idea that Dominik and Rhea weren't an actual couple!
To close the door even further on a potential real-life romance between The Judgment Day members, Rhea followed in Dom's footsteps in August 2023 when she announced her engagement to former WWE Superstar Buddy Matthews, with whom she had been dating since May 2020.
However, fans of Rhea and Dom's uniquely passionate on-screen bond were happy to discover that their real-life engagements didn't affect their relationship on WWE television. If the first month of 2024 was any indication, the two Superstars aren't letting their real-life engagements make their WWE performances any less captivating. They're unequivocally the most annoying, evil, and wonderful couple in the WWE locker room.
Every member of the WWE Universe can learn a thing or two from Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio – perhaps most importantly, that there's possibly no such thing as too much choking. Here's to many more years of on-screen happiness for the two Superstars!
You can tune in to Peacock to watch WWE's Elimination Chamber on February 24. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.
