5 Replacements for Penta on WWE RAW

Penta unfortunately lost his Last Time is Now Tournament match on WWE RAW to Solo Sikoa after referee stoppage. The former AEW star landed awkwardly on his shoulder when attempting a high-flying move outside the ring.

He took to social media to claim he'd be back soon, but there isn't currently a timetable for his return. With his injury comes a void in the middle of the roster. Despite not winning gold, he was a regular challenger for the Intercontinental title.

Penta also took part in Money in the Bank. Since he'll miss some time, one of the next five WWE stars could replace him on RAW.

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#5. Santos Escobar swaps brands

Santos Escobar used to be a fixture on SmackDown, but saw his spot dwindle as his contract expired in early fall. He re-signed, but hasn't shown up on RAW or SmackDown.

Berto and Angel, however, were still used a few times in his absence. If Escobar moves to RAW, it could either be with Legado Del Fantasma or as a singles act.

He's great in the ring and has charisma. Officials just haven't completely tapped into it yet. He could fill Penta's spot.

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#4. Tony D'Angelo makes an impact

Tony D'Angelo hasn't been seen in months. He was "whacked" in a pre-taped segment after the Family disbanded in NXT. His contemporaries - Grayson Waller, Carmelo Hayes, and Bron Breakker - are already on the main roster.

While he'd need a slight tweak of his character, D'Angelo should be on the main roster. Penta's unfortunate injury could be the opportunity to bring him up.

He could join the Vision or get his feet wet by himself. His amateur wrestling credentials could also put him in American Made with the Creeds.

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#3. Carmelo Hayes rises in the ranks on RAW

Carmelo Hayes had a great showing against Gunther on RAW. (Image Credit: WWE.com).

After a recent face turn and victory over Bronson Reed and the Vision, Carmelo Hayes could easily fill Penta's spot on RAW. He hasn't found his groove yet on SmackDown, so moving wouldn't be a huge deal.

If the Vision is going to keep going through faces, they'll need some new ones instead of the Usos and CM Punk all the time.

Opposing one of WWE's top factions would do wonders for his popularity. They could also play on his NXT history with Bron Breakker. It's so easy, it writes itself.

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#2. Austin Theory returns to relevance

Austin Theory has been absent from RAW for the last few months. Waller allied with the New Day, signaling an end to A-Town Down Under. Theory was once thought to be the future of the business, and he was on that path for a few years.

Over the last two, however, he seemed to lose more than he won. A quick squash loss to Jey Uso killed his credibility. Bringing Theory back to RAW in any capacity would be a win since he's a great in-ring performer.

The roster has changed enough that he could portray a heel or a face. Joining the Vision is a possibility. He could line up with Otis, Akira Tozawa, and Maxxine Dupri since he can play a comedic character.

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#1. Oba Femi looks for new challenges

Femi faces Ricky Saints for the NXT Championship at Deadline. Saints was the first person to pin The Ruler of NXT in a long time, so losing that title back to Femi would be a waste of that moment.

Having the title go back to the former holder would reset things to how they were over the last year. He's already faced most of the top names. Saints should hopefully retain at Deadline.

That would allow Femi to move up to RAW and potentially oppose the Vision or Gunther. He could have physical showdowns with Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Sheamus, Gunther, Rusev, and others.