Dominik Mysterio remains the Intercontinental Champion following a successful, albeit controversial, title defense against Rusev to open the September 29 episode of Monday Night Raw. The champion, known as “Dirty Dom,” utilized a series of underhanded tactics, culminating in a low blow and a roll-up pin, to defeat the challenger at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The championship match, which was given a big-fight atmosphere with introductions by Alicia Taylor, began with Rusev establishing clear dominance. The challenger delivered a pair of suplexes and a Fallaway Drop to Mysterio over the announce desk before the action returned to the ring.
As the match progressed through a commercial break, Mysterio fought back with his signature offense, connecting with a 6-1-9 before attempting a frog splash from the top rope, which missed its mark. Rusev capitalized on the opening, hitting a Machka Kick that resulted in a dramatic near fall.
The turning point came when Mysterio, after escaping an Accolade attempt, rolled out of the ring and grabbed his championship belt. After Rusev forced him back into the ring, Mysterio struck Rusev across the spine with the title and then feigned being the victim of a belt shot himself. In the ensuing confusion with the referee, Mysterio delivered a mule kick to Rusev’s groin and secured the victory with a roll-up pin.
This successful defense extends a significant championship run for Mysterio, which began at WrestleMania 41 on April 20, 2025. He captured the title in a fatal four-way match by pinning his Judgment Day stablemate Finn Bálor. Since then, Mysterio has turned back numerous challengers, including Penta on the Raw following WrestleMania, a successful defense at Backlash on May 20, a win against Octagón Jr. at Money in the Bank, and two separate victories over AJ Styles at SummerSlam on August 3 and on the September 1 edition of Raw.