Professional wrestling veteran Bully Ray believes World Wrestling Entertainment is positioning Mexican star Penta for a permanent spot at the top of the card. Speaking on the latest edition of the "Busted Open" radio show, the former WWE Tag Team Champion analyzed the presentation of Penta over the last two episodes of WWE Raw, concluding that the promotion's creative team is actively signaling his status as a legitimate main-event competitor.
The assessment follows a high-profile stretch for Penta, who challenged Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship in Mexico City on the September 14 edition of WWE Raw. Although he was unsuccessful in capturing the title, his performance and subsequent presentation on television suggest that upper management views him as a top-tier asset moving forward.
The championship opportunity in Mexico City
Penta earned his shot at "The Original Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns by winning a preliminary tournament, a booking decision that Bully Ray notes demonstrated early trust from the WWE creative team. According to Ray, the match was specifically designed to elevate Penta's standing regardless of the win-loss outcome.
"In Mexico City, Roman Reigns went over, but my god, did Penta get over," Ray said during his broadcast. "Opened up the eyes of creative. They were high on Penta as it was. We saw how Penta debuted. Penta went over in the tournament. Penta was the chosen one going into that match with Roman. Like, they knew, Penta is at the level where he can win the tournament, face Roman in Mexico City, and we know this will work."
In professional wrestling terminology, a performer can "get over" with the audience by delivering a compelling performance that commands respect and fan interest, even when losing the match to the established champion.
Post-match presentation on WWE Raw
The true test of a performer's trajectory often lies in how they are booked the week after a major championship loss. Rather than sliding back down the card, Penta opened the subsequent episode of WWE Raw and stood victorious by the end of the broadcast. Ray highlighted this specific formatting as a deliberate message to the viewing audience.
"That is the WWE telling their fanbase that this is the way we perceive Penta moving forward, and this is the way you should be perceiving Penta moving forward," Ray explained.
He described the promotion's strategy as a form of calculated crowd psychology to establish new headliners. "[WWE said] 'We think Penta is a main eventer, and we're going to tell that to you because we want you to react and respond to Penta like he's a main eventer moving forward,'" Bully Ray added, noting that the former Intercontinental Champion enjoyed a highly successful night of television.
What happens next for Penta
The sustained momentum was solidified on the most recent episode of WWE Raw, where Penta officially qualified for the upcoming men's Money in the Bank ladder match. This marks his second consecutive appearance in the high-stakes match, having also competed for the championship-opportunity briefcase last year.
By immediately transitioning from a World Heavyweight Championship program with Roman Reigns into a marquee pay-per-view qualifying match, the company has kept Penta at the center of its primary storylines. Whether this current trajectory culminates in a world title run remains to be seen, but the creative direction indicates that a substantial WWE push for Penta is actively underway.
0 Comments