Overview

• Dominik Mysterio defeated Penta at WWE Backlash 2025 to retain the Intercontinental Championship, with multiple interferences from Judgment Day members and El Grande Americo influencing the outcome.
• Mysterio's fan reactions have shifted significantly since WrestleMania 41, with audiences increasingly embracing him as a tweener or fan-favorite character.
• The match highlighted growing internal friction within The Judgment Day, particularly between Mysterio and Finn Balor, as WWE appears to be building toward a faction split.
• Penta, despite his loss, continues to gain popularity as a standout performer on Raw, with WWE reportedly planning a reunion with his brother Rey Fenix as the Lucha Brothers in the future.
• WWE's creative direction reflects a strategy of long-term storytelling, protecting emerging stars like Penta while capitalizing on the organic rise of Mysterio's character.