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RETRIBUTION took over WWE again this week. During the main event of Monday Night RAW, RETRIBUTION laid out the Mysterios to end the show.
The WWE Universe has been attempting to figure out the identities of RETRIBUTION for nearly some time now, but at the moment, not a single member has been revealed. Considering that every time they've attacked RAW or SmackDown we've seen a new line-up, it's been quite difficult to narrow it down.
It also hasn't helped that, the majority of the time, the RETRIBUTION members that we've seen were of similar stature. However, on Monday Night RAW, each member was noticeably unique from one another. It's been a running joke that all of RETRIBUTION so far has been a little on the short side, but on August 24th, two of the men that attacked Rey Mysterio and Dominik were absolute giants.
Given that, could this be the official starting six members of RETRIBUTION? If so, who are they? To narrow this down at all, we've got to eliminate members of the NXT roster that are used on TV regularly or are currently in a storyline. So as much as fans may want to see them, Kayden Carter and Johnny Gargano aren't working with RETRIBUTION.
Let's take a shot in the dark and see if we can point out some of RETRIBUTION this week. We're starting with a man that's been seen on RAW and NXT many times but hasn't been able to set the world on fire as of yet.
#6 Shane Thorne makes RETRIBUTION Mighty
Okay, this may just be the inner fan hoping to see the TM-61 member get some love on the main roster. Still, across the IWC, fans seem to believe that The Mighty Shane Thorne may have been on Monday Night RAW this week working with RETRIBUTION.
Thorne's NXT run was mired by two incredibly unfortunate events.
First he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of competition for nine months following an incredible showing in the 2016 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Then Thorne's tag team partner, Nick Miller, left WWE in December 2018, officially disbanding the team.
After Miller left, though, the WWE Universe was able to notice something about Thorne. Namely, Shane Thorne is very good at wrestling. Seriously, Thorne is one of the brightest diamonds that a fan could find in NXT, which is frustrating considering how little he's used on the brand.
During the ongoing COVID-19 era in WWE, Thorne was able to reunite TM-61 in a sort by bringing in another former tag team partner, Brendan Vink. Reportedly, the company was incredibly high on the duo, and they even got paired up with MVP. However, as soon as they picked up their first win on RAW over 2 Fly Crew, they were moved right back to NXT.
Right there is a reason that Thorne could have for wanting some much needed payback, or RETRIBUTION, against WWE. The second they started to build steam, the rug was pulled right out under his legs.
Is Shane Thorne rampaging through RAW with RETRIBUTION? It's possible.
#5 RETRIBUTION may surprise us with Santana Garrett
Yet another NXT Superstar that has all the talent and upside in the world but hasn't yet been given a real opportunity to break through, Santana Garrett is someone in need of RETRIBUTION against a company that's ignored her accomplishments.
Garrett has an interesting look and, for those that followed her career before WWE, can vouch for her in-ring ability. A former NWA Women's Champion, WOW Tag Team & World Champion, and Stardom Champion, Garrett has a long list of accolades behind her.
Despite all that, Garrett has rarely been shown on-screen in WWE, and only picked up around a dozen victories in her NXT career. At 32 years old, Garrett is currently in her prime, and just needs that one opportunity to prove herself.
Much like another Superstar later on in this list, the Midwest Sweetheart just needs her moment to shine, and maybe the right group backing her up. Would RETRIBUTION be that factor? It's hard to say.
However, we don't really know much about RETRIBUTION baring that they hate WWE. With that and assuming that these are mostly NXT Superstars, we can only presume their anger stems from a lack of opportunities or betrayed trust. Garrett fits into one of those categories for sure.
#4 RETRIBUTION may use Dio Maddin as an enforcer
From working commentary on Monday Night RAW to getting absolutely demolished by Brock Lesnar to Lesnar's Wrecking Crew partner Shelton Benjamin laying him out on RAW Underground, the former Shogun of the ROW's WWE run hasn't gone exactly as planned. Seems like he could be looking for some RETRIBUTION against RAW in that regard.
Still, Maddin is a large man and former NFL Offensive Tackle, so the 29-year-old definitely has the athletic skill to turn things around. What he needs is a vicious streak, and it looks like he may have found that in RETRIBUTION.
While again, none of the speculations have been confirmed, it seems that we saw Dio Maddin appear on Monday Night RAW donned in the RETRIBUTION garb. If that was him, the group certainly has found quite an enforcer.
Maddin may have been laid out by Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin, but in neither situation did he stand down to either man. In fact, he stood tall, regardless of the situation. This is a man willing to stand up for what he believes, which, in a group like RETRIBUTION is quite dangerous.
#3 Mia Yim could be the HBIC of RETRIBUTION
Yes, there was a rule about not putting anyone in here that's recently been on TV regarding RETRIBUTION. However, Mia Yim's storyline surrounding Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae has finished up, and she's got nothing else going on in WWE. The HBIC of NXT is, also, someone willing to throw hands at the drop of a hat, and someone perfect for RETRIBUTION.
"But who would Mia Yim be targeting on the main roster," you may be asking. It's an easy question if you're someone that follows Mia Yim on social media. Yim has a longstanding rivalry with Hurt Business member Shelton Benjamin. Yim credited Benjamin for helping her out during one of the most difficult phases of her life, and the two have a pretty unique bond.
However, they've also been throwing jabs at each other on Twitter for several years now. This may just be the fan in me but, if WWE ever had the guts to do an intergender match of any kind, Mia Yim and Shelton Benjamin is a match made in heaven. After all the remarks made between the two, maybe Yim took RETRIBUTION as an opportunity to get that from the Gold Standard?
There's also the idea that WWE tries to keep couples together on brands, and Yim is dating the latest call-up to Monday Night RAW, Keith Lee, so this seems like an obvious choice on that alone. Though, that may put RETRIBUTION up AGAINST Lee. That would be fun.
#2 RETRIBUTION found a Vision in Vanessa Borne
How has RETRIBUTION been getting through security every week? One would think that they've got someone on the inside, right? Vanessa Borne has been hanging around the main roster for quite a while now. We haven't seen her on NXT with Aliyah throughout this whole Robert Stone Brand storyline because she's no longer a part of the Black & Gold Brand.
Back in January, she'd re-signed with the company and was reportedly moved up, though we haven't seen her on RAW or SmackDown. Perhaps she's been waiting on the perfect time to make a statement. Maybe she's been waiting on an opportunity to present itself. Regardless, even if it wasn't the original intention, we may have Vanessa Borne finally making her main roster debut thanks to the group.
Our very own Tom Colohue has stated that he's heard from sources that Borne may be in the group. Fans were able to point out a pretty specific detail about one of the female members a while back, noticing some curly hair that looked similar to that of Borne.
If the Vision was one of the six RETRIBUTION members, she may have been the one on the far left that
#1 RETRIBUTION will force the WWE Universe to Feast Their Eyes on Dominik Dijakovic
Pretty much since the beginning of this entire angle, the WWE Universe assumed that Dominik Dijakovic was one of the members, if not the possible leader of RETRIBUTION. On Monday Night RAW, someone similar in build to him and a man similar to his size (Dio Maddin) lawn darted Rey Mysterio into a ring post.
It was believed that Dijakovic would be in the NXT North American Championship hunt throughout the summer. However, a merciless beatdown from Karrion Kross forced him off TV for months. Since then, we've not seen nor heard a word from Dijakovic, and around that time was when RETRIBUTION appeared.
His former frienemy and the man that he helped build up on NXT, Keith Lee, however? Well, Keith Lee is now on Monday Night RAW and has been slung right into a main story feud between Randy Orton and WWE Champion Drew McIntyre.
Dijakovic was left behind, and that could give him a big reason in ambushing RAW talent, eventually leading to an attack on the man he once respected in the Limitless One. Is that enough to lead Dijakovic to join RETRIBUTION?
Disagree? Who do you think we saw with RETRIBUTION on RAW? Let us know in the comments.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
