Generally, most fans think that the reveal of Retribution’s motives could follow two paths: the faction will either be made up of bitter ex-WWE superstars who want to avenge themselves or NXT rookies who hope to make an emphatic debut. If the masked individuals came from the Black & Gold brand, WWE would probably use superstars with some star power. Logically, of the options available, two names jump out.
At one point not so long ago, Dominik Dijakovic and Tommaso Ciampa were regularly featured on NXT. Dijakovic had “future main eventer” written all over him., and Ciampa could have been considered the brand’s heart and soul. Now, both men have faded into the background. Dijakovic was rumored to be called up to the main roster, but those plans didn’t materialize. These two superstars have been ignored and cast aside, and it’d make sense if they lashed out the way Retribution has. Aside from Dijakovic and Ciampa, few NXT superstars seem like logical members of Retribution, though, so these two may continue to languish on the Black & Gold brand.
One popular theory surrounding Retribution argues that the group is comprised of the superstars WWE fired earlier this year. On the long list of releases, Rusev, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Eric Young EC3, Curt Hawkins, Lio Rush, Zack Ryder, Heath Slater, Aiden English Erick Rowan Mike & Maria Kanellis, and Curtis Axel jump off the page. Unfortunately, most of these superstars have signed with other companies. The only ones who are technically available are Rusev, Rush, English, Axel, and the Kanellis duo. No Way Jose is another possibility; maybe he got tired of dancing. Of these names, Rusev and English could be good choices.
While Rusev could be ruled out at the moment, given his positive COVID-19 test, he arguably has more star power of anyone on that list. It’s been rumored that the people currently under the Retribution masks aren’t actually the ones who will be revealed as the group’s true members. In that case, maybe Rusev could be a key player in the stable a few months from now. But his frustration with WWE in recent months has been well-documented, so he may not choose to come back. Still, it could be fun to see Rusev Day, a fan-favorite team, reunite as two frustrated ex-employees.
Finally, as with most WWE mysteries, there’s one man who could be the mastermind. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense for Mr. McMahon to be the mastermind behind a group that has wreaked havoc on WWE RAW and WWE Friday Night SmackDown; Retribution used a chainsaw to destroy the ring and assaulted members of the audience. But this is the same man who once tried to use the NWO as a lethal poison to kill WWE. This time, McMahon may not be trying to kill the company; he could be trying to save it.
In storyline, McMahon could say that he’s tired of watching WWE destroy itself by doing the same thing over and over again. McMahon’s motivation could be summarized by borrowing one of his classic lines, “It’s time to shake things up again.” The Chairman could decide that WWE, the way it’s currently constructed, needs to be radically changed. If so, a destructive group like Retribution could catalyze that process. It may seem crazy, but another, “It’s been me all along” moment from McMahon would not be the weirdest thing WWE has done.
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