Picture this: a WWE faction shrouded in mystery, wreaking havoc during the unpredictable COVID-19 era, but with a twist that could have flipped the script entirely – a fierce female at the helm! Imagine the impact on wrestling's biggest stage if a woman had led the charge instead of the usual suspects. But here's where it gets controversial: what if this shift in leadership was dismissed too soon? Stick around as we unpack the behind-the-scenes story of Retribution, revealing insights from Mustafa Ali himself that might just make you rethink WWE's bold (or not-so-bold) decisions.
Mustafa Ali, the charismatic former WWE star, reminisces about the shaky beginnings of what became the Retribution stable – or perhaps, more accurately, the utter absence of any solid groundwork. This group left an indelible mark on WWE history by stirring up chaos in the locker room amid the pandemic's uncertainties, and Ali stood as its central figure. He was joined by a roster of talented performers, including Donovan Dijak (known as T-BAR), Shane Haste (Slapjack), Mason Madden (Mace), Michin (Reckoning), and Mercedes Martinez (Retaliation), each bringing their own edge to the ensemble. Yet, as Ali shared during a virtual event with K&S WrestleFest, WWE initially toyed with an idea that could have redefined the group's dynamics: appointing a female leader to steer the ship.
"Honestly, it felt like there wasn't a real blueprint from the start," Ali explained candidly. "Rumors floated around that a woman might take the top spot, and I recall Sonya Deville's name popping up in those conversations." (A big shoutout to Fightful for their spot-on transcription of this fascinating chat.)
For context, Sonya Deville – a dynamic force in WWE at the time – was locked in a heated rivalry with her ex-tag team partner, Mandy Rose. Their feud reached a boiling point in a brutal No Disqualification match at SummerSlam 2020, where the loser had to pack up and leave WWE. Deville came out on the losing end and vanished from television screens for quite a few months, leaving fans wondering about her next move.
As for Retribution, it unraveled dramatically in early 2021 during WWE Fastlane. The non-leader members turned on Ali in a shocking betrayal, walking out and ambushing him right there in the ring. Following that fallout, Ali teamed up with Mansoor to form a new tag team partnership, while Mace and T-Bar forged ahead as a formidable duo. Meanwhile, Deville reinvented herself as an on-screen aide to WWE's authoritative figure, Adam Pearce, helping enforce rules from behind the scenes.
Fast-forward to today, and Deville is navigating life as a free agent after parting ways with WWE in February 2025. Ali, on the other hand, has taken on leadership once more, helming a new faction called Order 4 in TNA, proving his knack for rallying teams hasn't dimmed.
And this is the part most people miss: Could a female-led Retribution have challenged WWE's traditional power structures, perhaps inspiring more diverse storylines or even boosting female representation in the industry? Some might argue it was a missed opportunity to shake up the status quo, while others could say it might have diluted the group's raw intensity. What do you think – would a woman like Deville have transformed Retribution into an unstoppable force, or was the original male-led setup just right? Do you believe WWE should experiment more with gender-swapped leadership in stables? Drop your opinions in the comments below; we'd love to hear your take and spark a lively debate! For more on Ali's WWE days, check out this related piece: Mustafa Ali Still Wants To Do A WWE 205 Live Roundtable Reunion.
