Penta has promised fans that he will one day become WWE World Champion, saying the support he receives from wrestling fans is the fuel that drives him every night.
The current WWE Intercontinental Champion spoke to Denise Salcedo in a new interview, reflecting on his 20-year career and his goals going forward.
“I want to say thank you for all my fans around the world, because you guys are my gasoline for every night, because Penta is from the people. Penta is from all the fans supporting me. Now I have 20 years around this business, so I’m very thankful for you guys. Thank you so much. I promise you, one time, I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I promise, Penta becomes the champion from WWE, but not any champion, the world champion.”
Penta debuted in WWE in January 2025 and captured the Intercontinental Championship in March of this year. He successfully defended the title against Ethan Page at Saturday Night’s Main Event last month.
Rey Mysterio is headed for an Intercontinental Championship match after defeating Rusev on Monday’s episode of WWE Raw. The victory makes Mysterio the number one contender for Penta’s title.
The match came together earlier in the night when Mysterio spoke with reigning Intercontinental Champion Penta, who told the WWE Hall of Famer it would be an honor to face him. Ethan Page and Rusev took exception to Mysterio jumping the line for a title opportunity.
Penta had already defeated Ethan Page to retain the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event. So General Manager Adam Pearce refused to give him a rematch without earning it, and he instead made the Mysterio vs. Rusev bout official.
Page was still at the ringside for this encounter. In the end, Mysterio was able to defeat the Bularian Brute to become the new #1 Contender. Borh Rusev and Ethan Page tried to attack the wrestling veteran after the bell, but a returning Dragon Lee made the save:
No timeline has been specified for when he will challenge Penta for the championship. WWE has already announced 5 matches for the Clash In Italy PPV this Sunday so it’s unlikely that the IC title match will be added to the show.
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIV streams live this Saturday, May 23, 2026, from Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Peacock special slots between Backlash and Clash in Italy, with two championship matches and a six-woman tag setting the table for WWE’s European run.
Key Points
High Stakes Matches: Penta defends the Intercontinental Championship against Ethan Page, The Vision puts the World Tag Team Titles on the line against The Street Profits, and Rhea Ripley leads a six-woman tag against Jade Cargill’s faction.
How to Watch: Saturday, May 23 at 8 PM ET on Peacock in the US and YouTube internationally.
A Bridge Between Backlash and Italy
This is the first WWE televised event in Fort Wayne since 2014, and it lands in one of the tightest spots on the calendar. SNME XLIV airs seven days after Backlash 2026 in Tampa and seven days before Clash in Italy on May 31 in Turin, which forces the show to play two roles at once: post-Backlash reset and go-home build for the European event. Every confirmed match has direct implications for the Inalpi Arena card.
Full Match Card
Match
Stipulation
Penta (c) vs. Ethan Page
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Vision (Logan Paul & Austin Theory) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins)
WWE World Tag Team Championship
Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Jade Cargill, Michin & B-Fab
Six-Woman Tag Team Match
Additional matches expected. Check back for updates as WWE finalizes the lineup on the May 18 Raw.
Match Previews
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Ethan Page
Penta has been a fighting champion all spring, and Ethan Page is the newest threat after pinning the champion in tag action three weeks ago.
The reign: Penta won the title from Dominik Mysterio on the March 2 Raw in Indianapolis, retained at the WrestleMania 42 Ladder Match against five challengers, and has worked through Kofi Kingston, Rusev and Dragon Lee in defenses since.
The challenge: Page pinned Penta with an Ego’s Edge in a May 4 tag match alongside Rusev, then cashed the win on the following Raw to book the SNME title shot on a bigger stage.
The newcomer: Page was called up to Raw on April 20, the night after WrestleMania, after a run as NXT North American Champion. He has spent four weeks elbowing into the title picture and finally has the match he wanted.
The wrinkle: Rey Fenix publicly responded to the announced match, saying he loves his brother but wants his own chance at the title. Fenix has been searching for footing on SmackDown while Penta has become one of Raw’s most consistent mid-card draws, and the diverging trajectories are now part of the storyline.
What’s at stake: Penta’s reign and momentum heading into WWE’s European tour, plus Page’s first main-roster title opportunity and a possible LA Knight program waiting on the other side.
WWE World Tag Team Championship: The Vision (c) vs. The Street Profits
The Street Profits returned the night after WrestleMania 42 and called their shot at the World Tag Team Championship, and weeks of build have funneled toward Fort Wayne.
The numbers game: Logan Paul and Austin Theory hold the belts with Bron Breakker and Paul Heyman in their corner, the same numbers advantage that has frustrated every challenger this spring.
The flashpoint: On the May 11 Raw, the Profits teamed with Joe Hendry to beat The Vision in a six-man tag after Seth Rollins speared Breakker and Breakker accidentally took out Dawkins in the chaos.
The wild card: Rollins approached Ford and Dawkins backstage offering to even the odds against The Vision. The Profits turned him down, but his interest in cracking the champions remains.
What’s at stake: The World Tag Team Championship, and whether the Profits can solve the numbers problem without taking Rollins’ help.
Six-Woman Tag: Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Jade Cargill, Michin & B-Fab
Jade Cargill has been chasing Rhea Ripley since WrestleMania 42, and this six-woman tag is the dress rehearsal for a Women’s Championship rematch at Clash in Italy.
The pursuit: Cargill returned after WrestleMania to attack Ripley on consecutive SmackDown episodes, and she has been operating as a unit with Michin and B-Fab to outnumber the champion at every turn.
The flashpoint: On the May 15 SmackDown, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss beat Michin and B-Fab in tag action, but Cargill broke up the pinfall, which led directly to this Fort Wayne match.
The personal layer: Flair has clashed with Ripley for years and Bliss carries her own history with the Women’s Champion, which makes the babyface side an alliance of convenience with obvious cracks.
What’s at stake: Momentum heading into Cargill’s Women’s Championship rematch at Clash in Italy on May 31, and whether her group can crack Ripley’s trio before they get to Turin.
How to Watch
Date/Time: Saturday, May 23, 2026, 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT
Venue: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Penta has reflected on his WrestleMania 42 Intercontinental Championship ladder match defense, singling out Rey Mysterio’s presence as what made the night uniquely special.
Speaking with Cancha Libre and El Rancagüino TV, Penta described the match as a watershed moment in his career and expressed deep emotion about sharing the WrestleMania stage with one of his childhood idols.
“Very happy, satisfied with the result and with everything I have been doing since my arrival at WWE. Of course it was, without a doubt, an important watershed in my career because, in that match, I faced one of my great idols, Rey Mysterio. Being able to share a WrestleMania with him is something I will never forget. History is marked and this will be marked in my memory and heart. I think that made it even more special, even more peculiar to have defended the Championship at WrestleMania 42. I think it was one of the best matches of the two nights, happy for the result, thanking my rivals because they also came out to give their 100%. Now the plan is to continue working hard to face any rival who wants to challenge me for my championship,” Penta said (H/T to Fightful).
He went further when specifically asked about what it meant to have Mysterio in the match alongside him.
“If I tell you this as a fan, it’s a dream come true. Imagine the best stage in the world, in front of a stadium packed with people who came to see us. Ladder matches are something I mastered very well, with me as the champion facing five great opponents. Among them, the one you mentioned, who is my mentor, my role model in this business, Reycito, whom I admire, love, and respect with deep sincerity. I think that made it incredibly special and allowed me to savor it in a totally different way than if it had been a match with another wrestler, which I would have also enjoyed. But specifically, the fact that it was with Rey Mysterio is the perfect scenario for any dreamer. It’s the perfect scenario for any wrestler who admires someone, to face your idol under those conditions, in that context. What can I say? I feel blessed, honored, and grateful to life, to God for putting me in that moment, because I am a very faithful believer in that. I think this was the perfect scenario, the perfect opponents, but I was the perfect wrestler, and the result showed it. That’s why I’m still the Intercontinental Champion,” Penta said.
Penta retained the Intercontinental Championship in the ladder match on night two of WrestleMania 42 over Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev, and Mysterio.
Penta made it very clear he has no sympathy for Dominik Mysterio.
Speaking live at WWE World in Las Vegas on Monday, Penta was asked by hosts Sam Roberts and Megan Morant if he felt sad watching Dominik lose to “The Demon” Finn Balor in a Street Fight at WrestleMania 42. The Intercontinental Champion’s response was immediate and unfiltered.
“Sad for what?! So fucking happy brother! Why are you sad? This stupid guy. His stupid mustache. Fake Mexican. Fake son. Fake luchador. What are you talking about man?”
Penta was not done there.
“He is not a wrestler, he’s a fucking clown bro!”
The history between the two runs deep. Penta ended Dominik’s run as Intercontinental Champion on March 2, defeating him on Raw in a 15-minute match. The title has remained around Penta’s waist ever since, and he successfully defended it on Night 2 of WrestleMania 42, surviving a six-man ladder match against Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev, and Rey Mysterio to retain.
As for Dominik, his WrestleMania 42 night ended in defeat. “The Demon” Finn Balor defeated him in the Street Fight, hitting a Coup de Grace through a table for the three count.
It marked the latest chapter in a long-running Judgment Day saga that has seen the faction slowly unravel.
Penta, meanwhile, is the reigning Intercontinental Champion and one of the company’s hottest acts heading into the post-WrestleMania season.
Multiple new matches have been added to WrestleMania.
The March 30 episode of Raw featured the surprise return of Gunther after being off TV for the last few weeks. He stopped Seth Rollins from attacking Paul Heyman. Adam Pearce then confirmed that the two former world champions will be meeting in a singles match at the upcoming PPV.
After Penta successfully defended his IC Championship against Kofi Kingston on the episode, he announced a ladder match for his title. Dragon Lee, Je’Von Evans, Rusev, and JD McDonagh were confirmed as participants for this bout by the commentary team later on.
Apart from this, a singles match between Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio, as well as a fatal four women’s tag team title match was also made official during the night.
WrestleMania 42 will be returning to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18-19. Below is the updated card for the show after the latest announcements:
Women’s World Championship Match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
WWE Women’s Championship Match: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Singles Match: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar
Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Trick Williams
Unsanctioned Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu
World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns
Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Penta (c) vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Rusev
Singles Match: Seth Rollins vs. Gunther
Fatal Four Way Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) (c) vs. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs. The Bella Twins (Brie Bella and Nikki Bella)
Kofi Kingston recently accepted Penta’s open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship on Monday Night Raw at Madison Square Garden. The match was confirmed after Kingston responded to Penta’s social media post with a quote tweet that WWE’s official account reposted.
Penta announced the open challenge on Instagram and X on Saturday, posting a promotional graphic and writing:
“NYC. MSG. P0M. IC OPEN CHALLENGE!!! Porque yo no le tengo miedo A NADIE. MONDAY NIGHT RAW WILL BE A SCORCHER. Penta’s road to WrestleMania is ON!”
“No se diga mas, cabron. I would love nothing more than to walk into the depths of Hell (New York) and pry the Holy Grail (IC Title) from the vile grips of the Devil himself (Penta). See you tomorrow, amigo.”
No se diga mas, cabron.
I would love nothing more than to walk into the depths of Hell (New York) and pry the Holy Grail (IC Title) from the vile grips of the Devil himself (Penta).
The match represents Kingston’s first opportunity at the Intercontinental Title in 14 years. The former WWE Champion has held multiple tag team championships but has not captured singles gold on the main roster since his WWE Championship reign.
Penta’s Title Reign
Penta won the Intercontinental Championship from Dominik Mysterio earlier this month. He has successfully defended the title against El Grande Americano, Dragon Lee, and Mysterio.
Monday Night Raw at Madison Square Garden also features a Street Fight for the WWE World Tag Team Championships with The Usos defending against The Vision, plus appearances from Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, and CM Punk.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta’s focus on character work and personality has been identified as the primary reason for his greater success compared to his brother, Rey Fenix, since both arrived in WWE. The newly crowned WWE Intercontinental Champion has connected with audiences on Raw, while Fenix continues to build his career on SmackDown.
Penta captured the Intercontinental Championship on March 2nd, 2026, establishing himself as a prominent figure on the Raw roster. His brother Rey Fenix joined WWE SmackDown on April 4, 2025, but has struggled to achieve the same level of success in the midcard.
Different Paths in WWE
The contrast between the brothers’ WWE trajectories has been notable since their arrivals. Penta’s character-driven approach has resonated with fans, while Fenix has faced challenges connecting with the WWE audience despite his in-ring abilities.
While acknowledged as a top-tier athlete, Fenix’s early WWE debut was deemed more of a showcase of skills, and his early storylines lacked the immediate, high-impact focus compared to Penta.
Fenix entered the 2026 Royal Rumble at number 24 but was eliminated by Brock Lesnar. He also challenged Sami Zayn for the United States Championship on the September 12 SmackDown, but came up short.
Future Tag Team Plans
Despite their individual paths, Penta has expressed interest in reuniting with Fenix as the Lucha Bros to pursue WWE Tag Team Championships. Penta stated that Fenix is the best luchador in the world and wants to win tag team gold together.
A shoulder injury prevented Penta from teaming with Fenix for a scheduled AAA tag match in December last year. Both wrestlers remain under WWE contract on separate brands as they continue their individual runs.
Penta’s strong character work and defined personality have allowed him to quickly resonate with the audience and rise to championship status, while Fenix is still searching for that same footing despite his undeniable athleticism. With time, the right storyline, and stronger character development, Fenix has all the tools to reach the same heights as his brother.
Dominik Mysterio has had no shortage of jaw-dropping career moments — WrestleMania title wins, beating John Cena in his hometown — but in a new interview, he revealed the moment that actually gave him goosebumps above all others: a surprise appearance in Juárez, Mexico for AAA.
Sitting down with Brad Gilmore on The Collection at Reality of Wrestling in Houston, Dom ranked his career highlights with characteristic bravado and surprising self-awareness.
The AAA Surprise Was His Wildest Moment
“The wildest one for me was showing up in Triple A for the first time in Juárez,” Mysterio said. “Winning my IC championship at WrestleMania — insane. Beating John Cena at Survivor Series — insane. WrestleMania against my deadbeat dad two hours from San Diego — insane. But the reaction…”
Dom arrived at 8:15 PM for a show that had already started at 8, with no public announcement that he was coming. The crowd reaction, he says, was something else entirely.
“Allegedly when they were recording, the speakers blew out because it was so loud the cameras couldn’t capture the full audio. It gave me goosebumps,” he said. “It was something I always wanted to do — wrestle in Mexico with Triple A — and getting that reaction, showing up randomly out of nowhere where nobody knew about it. It was insane.”
That Juárez moment has since grown into something much bigger. Mysterio has become a centerpiece of WWE’s reboot of AAA, serving as the marquee crossover star bridging both promotions — and this Saturday, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Dominik defends the AAA Mega Championship against El Hijo del Vikingo at AAA Rey de Reyes 2026 in a No Disqualification Lucha de Apuestas match. If Dom loses, he’s banned from AAA entirely. If Vikingo loses, he can never challenge for the title again. The match streams Saturday at 10 ET/7 PT on FOX in Latin America and on YouTube and Facebook everywhere else.
Survivor Series at Petco Park: ‘A Fairy Tale Ending’
While the AAA surprise topped Dom’s personal list, he acknowledged the Survivor Series moment — walking out IC Champion after beating John Cena at Petco Park in his hometown of San Diego — as something equally surreal.
“Not only was it John Cena’s last PLE, it was the first wrestling event ever held at Petco Park in San Diego,” Mysterio said. “I’m born and raised in San Diego. I’ve gone to Padre games my whole life. Walking in, in the city where I’m from, walking out as a double champion, beating John Cena — that shit’s insane. You can’t write it. It just writes itself. It’s like a fairy tale ending for me.”
The WrestleMania Crowd That Confused Him
Dom also reflected on the strange experience at WrestleMania 41, where the heavily Latino Las Vegas crowd started cheering for the man they had been booing all year.
“I’d get beat up and they’d start booing, then I’d start doing something and they’d go crazy. I was like, ‘This is not normal — they’re probably watching something else because this isn’t adding up,’” he said.
Rather than lean into the fan response or adjust his character, Dom chose to stay the course as a heel. “I didn’t change anything about myself and I wasn’t going to change anything of what I was currently doing. I’m still going to be the heel that I am. And if people like it, they like it. Hell, sometimes you got to love a bad guy.”
With the WWE/AAA alliance continuing to build momentum, Mysterio’s Rey de Reyes title defense this Saturday is his biggest crossover test yet — and the Lucha de Apuestas stipulation means there’s no soft landing for either man.
Dominik Mysterio has officially issued a WrestleMania challenge to Penta (c), proposing a Mustache vs. Mask stipulation to go along with the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line.
Speaking on The Collection with Brad Gilmore at Reality of Wrestling in Houston, Dom made clear he intends to reclaim the title he lost to Penta on the March 2 episode of WWE Raw — and he’s willing to put his signature mustache on the line to do it.
“I know Penta is an ugly, ugly dude, so I’m willing to put my hair up on the line against his mask and that IC championship — whatever it takes to get my IC title back,” Mysterio said. “Hell, I’ll even put up my mustache.”
Dom Blames Finn, Not Penta
Mysterio was quick to downplay Penta’s victory, pinning the title loss squarely on Finn Bálor, whose interference prevented JD McDonagh from intervening. Dom claimed the record between the two heavily favors him heading into any WrestleMania showdown.
“He got lucky on this last one because of Finn Bálor’s dumbass,” Mysterio said. “I’ve beat this dude probably seven or eight times already. I would like to walk out as a double champ at WrestleMania.”
The “double champ” vision refers to winning back the IC title while retaining the AAA Mega Championship he currently holds. Dom must first defend the AAA title the Saturday before WrestleMania 42, a defense he dismissed with zero concern: “Obviously I will. Not a problem.”
A WrestleMania Guarantee
Dom also made a bold prediction about his Judgment Day partner Liv Morgan, who will challenge for the Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania.
“Guaranteed. She is going to walk out as your new women’s world champion. She’s going to destroy Stephanie. It’s not even funny,” Mysterio said.
No official Mustache vs. Mask match has been announced, but the recent chaos inside Judgment Day — and Penta’s role in Dom’s title loss — makes a WrestleMania 42 rematch the obvious destination for this rivalry.
The mask stipulation would be one of the most personal stakes in the match’s history, given how sacred the luchador mask tradition is in Mexican wrestling culture.
Rey Fenix recently addressed the possibility of reuniting with his brother Penta as part of the Lucha Bro. The luchador highlighted patience and the importance of timing. The two superstars are currently on separate brands. Penta is signed on Raw while Rey Fenix performs on SmackDown.
Penta is the current WWE Intercontinental Champion on Raw, marking his first title win in the company. Fenix has competed for the United States title on a few occasions but has fallen short of his first championship.
Rey Fenix On Lucha Bros Reunion
In an interview with RRBG Inc, Fenix discussed the possibility of eventually reuniting the Lucha Bros in WWE. He also talked about the importance of the two getting the opportunity to initially showcase their talents as singles competitor.
“I see it this way. It’s not bad. Obviously, I miss fighting with my brother, but it’s a good opportunity to show who we are individually,” Fenix said.
Rey Fenix is focused on his singles run on SmackDown, where he has competed in a U.S. Title Open Challenge against Carmelo Hayes and battled Trick Williams. He is waiting for the right moment for the Lucha Bros reunion.
“I’ve worked with Je’Von Evans, I’ve worked with Andrade when he was there, I’m working with Sami Zayn, I’ve worked with Rey (Mysterio) at recent AAA events. I think it’s a good opportunity for us as wrestlers and for the public to see something different.”
“And believe me, they know that people are waiting for the Lucha Brothers, and the Lucha Brothers are waiting for the moment. But something that wrestling and this sport have taught me is patience. It’s going to be the right moment that the Lucha Brothers deserve.
It’s not that we don’t deserve it and you don’t deserve to see the Lucha Brothers today, but I know that when the moment gets there is the right moment, and it’s going to be the right moment.”
Lucha Bros Reunited In AAA
Lucha Bros did reunite, well, sort of, in Lucha Libre AAA in late 2025. They were scheduled to face Dominik Mysterio & El Grande Americano at AAA Guerra de Titanes.
Penta has revealed that he is still wrestling with a torn bicep, even after winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship. He defeated Dominik Mysterio on the March 2nd, 2026, episode of WWE Raw to capture the title. This marks Penta\’s first WWE championship.
During the interview, Penta revealed how he suffered the injury:
“This injury was like, maybe, I don’t remember exactly. Four, five years ago? Something like that. I don’t remember who gave me a kick. One kick in my chest but, basically, he broke my tendon, from the shoulder to the bicep, and bro, it’s so hard… and this is the shoulder for the last injury. You remember that? A couple months ago.”
Penta was asked how his shoulder is feeling, and he replied:
“Now, no matter. I’m f*cking glad. Because the gold is on my shoulder brother. The gold is in Mexico right now. No matter what happen with my body, I don’t care. This is the most important.”
Penta showed his dedication and prioritized the title despite his injuries. He said that winning the title is an emotional moment that represents 20 years of hard work and sacrifice. He thanked his family and friends for believing in him along the way.
“Man, the first thing was crazy. But at the same time, I feel like the emotion fixes it because it’s so very special for me but, the most important thing, I want to say thank you. Thank you to my family, thank you to my friends, thank you to my company and thank you to everyone who believed in me because this is very important, and thank you to myself, because I believe in me every single day to achieve this title. It’s like 20 years, the hard work, 20 years of the sacrifice. But, now, this title represent all these people who never give up because Penta represent all those people. Penta represent the dreamers, Penta represent the fighters so they’re real life, you know? So, that’s why I feel so glad because finally, these all people who believe in me, it’s like, finally, Penta growing up and Penta finally achieve the title. I think this is the most important thing because this title is not just for Penta. It’s for all those people.”
Despite the pain, Penta has made it clear that nothing is going to slow him down right now. Winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship represents a lifelong goal achieved through sacrifice, resilience, and sheer willpower.
While he\’s still wrestling with a torn bicep, Penta’s focus remains on honoring the moment, carrying the gold with pride, and proving that no injury can take away what this championship means to him.
Penta captured the WWE Intercontinental Championship on Monday night, defeating Dominik Mysterio (c) in the main event of WWE Raw at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Penta hit his Mexican Destroyer finisher to pin \”Dirty Dom\” and claim his first title in WWE. Pyro exploded throughout the arena as the new champion celebrated in the ring.
Penta earned the title shot by defeating El Grande Americano on the February 16 episode of Raw. Dominik had held the championship since defeating John Cena at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29, 2025.
The title change sets up a potentially significant WrestleMania storyline, with Penta now established as one of Raw\’s top stars heading into the biggest event of the year.
Penta is laser-focused on capturing the WWE Intercontinental Championship heading into WrestleMania 42 season. Speaking to Denise Salcedo in a red carpet interview at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest, Penta made his intentions crystal clear when asked about his goals for WrestleMania.
\”You know what — the next goal for Penta is that stupid dumb Mysterio,\” Penta said. \”I don\’t know exactly how. I don\’t know exactly when. But one thing is sure — Penta will be Intercontinental Champion.\”
Dominik Mysterio (c) has held the title since recapturing it from John Cena at Survivor Series: WarGames in November, though an injury has kept him from defending the belt in nearly three months.
Penta also revealed during the interview that his iconic fire-driven entrance was the brainchild of Triple H.
\”The second one is 100% Triple H\’s idea,\” he said, adding that the entrance puts him in full competition mode. \”When I feel everything — my body is like full energy. I want to beat everyone there, no matter what.\”
With WrestleMania 42 on the horizon and Penta now the official #1 Contender, the only question remaining is when Dirty Dom makes his return to defend the gold.
This week\’s episode of Monday Night Raw from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, saw Austin Theory wrestling his first singles match since his return, with a brand-new theme song to match his new personality.
He squared off against Rey Mysterio. The wrestling veteran used his experience to get in control of the bout and set Austin up for a 619. Before he could connect the move, however, Logan Paul interfered on behalf of his new teammate.
Unfortunately for the Vision members, the referee saw this interaction and called for the bell. As the win was awarded to Mysterio, both Paul and Theory attacked the WWE Hall of Famer.
This continued until Penta\’s music hit and the masked star made his surprise return to the Red Brand. The Smooth Operator helped Rey fight off the attackers to end the segment.
The former Lucha Underground star had suffered a shoulder injury during the November 24 episode of Raw. He had wrestled Solo Sikoa on the show, as part of the Last Time Is Now tournament.
There is no word on what the company is planning for Penta after tonight\’s show, but it\’s likely that the Vision would want to get their revenge on the returning star.
Penta has officially withdrawn from AAA Guerra de Titanes due to his shoulder injury, ending hopes for a Lucha Brothers reunion this Saturday. Rey Mysterio will take his place teaming with Rey Fenix.
The WWE star announced the news via Instagram, confirming he was not medically cleared to compete despite working with doctors in both Mexico and the United States to recover as quickly as possible.
“Unfortunately, from a medical standpoint, I am not cleared to return to the ring on December 20th,” Penta said. “However, I will be there with all of you in person at the show, because it’s something I simply cannot miss.”
Penta suffered the injury during the November 24 episode of Raw when he landed awkwardly on his shoulder after a hurricanrana off the barricade in his “Last Time Is Now” tournament match against Solo Sikoa.
Rey Mysterio and Rey Fenix will now face Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano (Los Gringos Locos 2.0) at Arena Guadalajara, marking the first time Mysterio and Fenix have ever teamed together. The match also creates a father-son confrontation between Rey and Dominik.
Penta issued a warning to Dominik in his announcement: “This time, you got away with it… But I’m not going to let up until I take that Intercontinental Championship from you. I’ll see you soon, Dominik.”
Guerra de Titanes streams live December 20 on WWE’s YouTube channel.
Chelsea Green has revealed that her Lucha Underground match against Pentagon Jr. remains her go-to response whenever critics question her in-ring abilities.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on INSIGHT, the two-time WWE Women’s United States Champion explained why the 2018 bout was one of the best decisions of her career, serving as permanent proof of her wrestling credentials.
“The best decision I ever made was that match because now when someone says I suck at wrestling, someone else says, ‘But did you see the Penta match?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, that one match in 2018,\’” Green said with a laugh.
Green was characteristically self-deprecating about her own contribution to the critically acclaimed match, humorously crediting Pentagon for doing all the heavy lifting.
“I think he literally wrestled himself. He wrestled himself. But I digress. He is amazing and so am I,” she joked.
When asked about Pentagon’s infamous chops—which have left visible welts on opponents throughout his career—and how painful they were on a scale of one to ten, Green revealed a surprising secret about the masked star’s technique that contradicts his brutal reputation.
“I’m not going to ruin his whole stick, but just know that it’s like a zero,” she admitted. “I think that’s the best part about him.”
Green elaborated on just how gentle Pentagon actually is, noting she felt no after-effects from their physical encounter.
“Honestly, I took a flight that night and normally if we fly after wrestling, it’s like, oh, it’s awful. And you wake up from the red eye and you’re like all like a tiny version of yourself all crumpled over. I felt nothing. He’s amazing.”
The revelation adds another layer to Pentagon’s mystique, suggesting his ability to create the illusion of devastating strikes while protecting his opponents is part of what makes him a master of his craft.
Green noted that many fans aren’t even aware of her time in Lucha Underground, which she considers part of what makes her journey to WWE unique among her peers.
“So many people don’t even know that I was in Lucha Underground. People don’t know that I was in Stardom, that I lived in Japan, that I was in TNA and was a Knockout champion. I have the coolest resume. Dare I say the coolest resume out of anyone in the women’s division.”
Pentagon, now known as Penta in WWE, recently made his highly anticipated debut for the company alongside his brother Rey Fenix. The former AEW stars signed with WWE following months of speculation about their future after their AEW contracts expired.
Green’s comments come at an interesting time, as both she and Penta are now under the WWE umbrella—potentially opening the door for a reunion or acknowledgment of their shared Lucha Underground history on WWE programming.
Penta has been medically cleared to return to wrestling following a shoulder injury sustained during WWE Raw on November 24, according to his physician Doctor Odiseo.
The injury occurred during Penta’s Last Time Is Now Tournament quarterfinal match against Solo Sikoa when he dislocated his shoulder after landing hard on a Hurricanrana off the ringside barricade. The match was immediately stopped by the referee, with Sikoa advancing by decision.
Doctor Odiseo, a renowned physician among luchadors, confirmed on Instagram that Penta received full medical clearance on December 5 after approximately two weeks of rehabilitation. The clearance comes at a crucial time, as Penta is scheduled to reunite with his brother Rey Fenix at AAA Guerra de Titanes on December 20 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Lucha Brothers will face Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano in what marks their first tag team match together in 521 days—their last being on July 17, 2024, during AEW Rampage. The December 20 match also represents the first time the brothers will officially compete as a team under the WWE umbrella, following WWE’s partnership with AAA.
The match was set up at AAA Alianzas on November 22 when the Lucha Brothers issued their challenge via video message, which Mysterio immediately accepted.
