Retribution debuted at a time when WWE's ratings were in freefall. The promotion desperately needed something new, so it took a gang of hooded figures and had them wreak havoc across Raw and SmackDown. It took a while before the promotion zeroed in on the final members of the faction, but once it did, it seemed like there was at least some sort of plan in place.
Unfortunately, things haven't worked out at all for the chaotic group, as even the reveal of Mustafa Ali as the faction's leader has not done much to save Retribution. The promotion has already made a lot of mistakes with the faction, but there is still time to fix things.
10 Failure: What Is Really The Plan?
When Retribution first debuted, WWE spent several weeks having the faction just destroy equipment and beat wrestlers up. There was no reason, it was just anarchy and the act grew old quickly. With Mustafa Ali as the leader, their reason for existence isn't much clearer; just why does Retribution exist?
At first, it seemed like they banned together to avoid being overlooked, but then it seemed like Mustafa Ali wanted them to reveal all the lies behind the scenes, as The Mystery Hacker. As the weeks have gone by, their reason for existence hasn't become clearer, so it is exceptionally difficult to care about anything they do.
9 Remedy: Streamline Focus
Retribution is very much all over the place. If WWE wants fans to care about the faction, then it needs to decide just why they should care. Are they hell-bent on establishing themselves as forces to be reckoned with, or are they conduits of truth, revealing all the lies and secrets held backstage? Or are they here just to bring chaos and mayhem to Monday nights?
Either belief would lead the faction down a vastly different path, but it is a decision that WWE needs to make soon. Otherwise, Retribution exists merely for the sake of existing and fans will lose even more interest than they already have.
8 Failure: The Masks & Names
When Retribution finally unmasked, fans hoped that the faction would pick up some momentum; after all, wrestlers like Dominik Dijakovic, Shane Thorne, and Mia Yim had the potential to be extremely compelling characters on Monday Night Raw.
Instead, WWE gave them stupid names like T-Bar, Slapjack, Mace, and Reckoning. It didn't stop there, they were saddled with ridiculous masks that would fit right in with any B-grade post-apocalyptic science fiction movie. It immediately made the entire faction look goofy and silly. The weird modulated voices also didn't help. They are unnecessary crutches that extremely talented performers have been saddled with.
7 Remedy: Lose All Of It
It would make sense that the members of Retribution would want to keep their identity a secret when they were faceless anarchists. But now that they have been signed to an official contract by the promotion, there is absolutely no reason for the ridiculous masks or names.
WWE should give them back their NXT names and lose the masks, as they take direction from Mustafa Ali. Not only will they be taken more seriously as competitors, but fans will also have more reason to care about the wrestlers. WWE loves to act like a wrestler's NXT history doesn't really exist, but giving them back their names, at the very least, will give fans something to connect to.
6 Failure: Mustafa Ali Is Suddenly A Wimp
Mustafa Ali had the potential to be a huge babyface for WWE. He was likable, connected with audiences and there wasn't even a hint of dis-ingenuity in his gimmick. But WWE wasted him in the role, so fans were happy when he turned heel and revealed himself to be the leader of Retribution.
But suddenly, Ali became an absolute wimp. He has consistently run away from competition, has relied on the rest of Retribution to bail him out, and just seems like a coward in general. Overnight, pretty much everything about Ali changed and it just doesn't make sense, especially with him turning out to be the Mystery Hacker.
5 Remedy: Make Him Cold & Calculating
The SmackDown hacker was not a run-of-the-mill cowardly heel. He was cold, calculating, and bred dissension on the blue brand. That is the Mustafa Ali fans need to see leading Retribution.
Instead of him being a cowardly leader, he should turn the rest of Retribution into his attack dogs. Ali continues working as the hacker, revealing secrets on the red brand and finding people for the rest of the faction to target. Once they are done with The Hurt Business, Retribution needs to be given a real incentive while choosing their next targets.
4 Failure: Reckoning Has Nothing To Do
With Mercedes Martinez sent back to NXT, Reckoning (Mia Yim) is the only woman in Retribution. This has meant that while the rest of the members have feuded with The Hurt Business, she has done close to nothing. That is an absolute waste of Yim's talents.
Yim has a lot to offer, both in the ring and on the mic. Instead of making use of her considerable talent, WWE has relegated her to a role of a sidekick, with her faking some sort of seizure on a recent episode of Raw in the hopes of helping her team with the distraction.
3 Remedy: Give Mia Yim More Agency
With the Raw Women's Championship scene struggling a fair amount in recent months, WWE should send Reckoning to the Women's Division. Not only would it open up a bunch of new match opportunities, but Mia Yim representing Retribution in the division will also expand the faction's reach.
If not that, then have her advise Mustafa Ali on his decisions. Maybe even have her push him to send the rest of Retribution after Keith Lee, who she could resent for leaving NXT without her. Not only would that be a fresh feud, but it would also give Yim a lot more agency than she has right now. WWE could also tap into their history before joining the promotion.
2 Failure: They've Been Buried
When Retribution entered a feud with The Hurt Business, WWE had all the pieces in place to book a phenomenal faction vs. faction feud. Not only is The Hurt Business one of the best parts of Raw, but the sheer amount of talent involved would have guaranteed some great matches.
Instead, Retribution has been buried by The Hurt Business on a weekly basis. Every single member of the faction looks like an absolute chump, undeserving of the opportunity they have received by being given a contract on the main roster. Retribution has lost whatever little credibility it had, especially with The Fiend decimating them with ease.
1 Remedy: Actually Turn Them Into A Threat
WWE either needs to pull the plug on Retribution's feud with The Hurt Business, or it needs to have them do something drastic, like take MVP out of commission for a couple of months. Once that is done, WWE needs to turn Retribution into an actual threat. Split them up; send Yim to the Women's Division, let Dio Maddin and Shane Thorne go to the tag team division, and have Dijakovic be Ali's enforcer in the singles division.
Not only would this lead to Retribution becoming a bigger part of Raw but splitting them up also opens up more potential feuds for all its members. Let them all pick up some wins, even win some midcard gold and maybe that will be enough to salvage Retribution's disastrous run.