According to a report from WWE , the mysterious faction that caused chaos on the latest episode of Monday Night Raw is called Retribution.
The report states that little is known about the anarchistic group, but their sole purpose is to cause mayhem on the red brand. During the latest episode, the group destroyed an electrical generator and caused technical difficulties to the show throughout the night.
Microphones also cut out several times throughout the show. This was particularly noticeable during Kevin Owens’s interview segment with Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan.
Announcer Tom Phillips speculated that the technical issues were due to a storm in the local area, but the faction’s involvement was confirmed courtesy of security footage later on.
The group interfering with the show’s production was reminiscent of the hacker who appeared on Friday Night SmackDown earlier this year. The culprit wasn’t revealed, but reports stated the company planned on using Mustafa Ali in the role. It’s worth noting that Ali recently joined the red brand’s roster.
The stable’s name suggests that the members are aggrieved superstars taking their anger out on the company. Ali — along with other underutilized talents — fits the profile in terms of performers who have aired grievances about WWE in recent months.
A wild night just got wilder. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/ZEjCRT647L
— WWE (@WWE) August 4, 2020
The faction’s black attire and hoods drew comparisons to Antifa on social media. However, Pro Wrestling Sheet noted afterward that the group is not political. The product has been apolitical for years now, so this is unsurprising news.
According to the Pro Wrestling Sheet report, the stable has an issue with how much control officials place over performers. These views echo fan criticisms of the wrestlers being micromanaged, so perhaps it’s a sign that the talent will be given more creative freedom moving forward.
Retribution’s goals and members should be more evident in the coming weeks, but the storyline could be part of the company’s plans for an edgier product. As The Inquisitr reported on Tuesday, there are reportedly plans in place to go back to an Attitude Era mentality.
This could also see the formation of even more factions. Retribution joins Hurt Business and Seth Rollins’ disciples as the latest stable to appear on Raw in recent times.
The Attitude Era was synonymous with iconic factions, and Vince McMahon appears to be a fan of grouping superstars together again. The chairman has predominantly favored singles competition during the PG era, but if the rumors are true, the promotion could be entering a new phase.