Absent WWE star to return as part of major stable? - 4 Possible replacements for JD McDonagh if he leaves The Judgment Day
The Judgment Day continues to run WWE. The stable, which dominates Monday Night RAW, comprises five members: Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, and Dominik Mysterio.
As a collective, the stable holds multiple titles. Finn and Damian hold both the RAW Tag Team Titles and the SmackDown Tag Team Titles since the belts were unified in 2022. Meanwhile, Rhea Ripley is the reigning Women's World Champion. Dirty Dom was recently the NXT North American Champion.
The only member of the group to not hold gold while in the stable is the newest, JD. With that being said, McDonagh may not have much time to win a title. He was seemingly almost kicked out of The Judgment Day on RAW this week after losing to R-Truth before being told he was just being pranked.
While his banishment from the group was a joke, for now, there are members of the stable who dislike JD. Beyond that, they made it clear losing to Truth like he did was unacceptable. As a result, The Irish Ace could be booted sooner rather than later. This article will look at who could replace him if it does happen.
Below are four possible replacements for JD McDonagh if he leaves The Judgment Day.
#4. Drew McIntyre has worked with Rhea Ripley in the past
Drew McIntyre is a powerful WWE Superstar currently signed to the RAW brand. He is a multi-time world champion who has also found success on NXT and in various indie companies in between his stints with the largest wrestling company in the world.
The Scottish Warrior is currently in a major spot on WWE Monday Night RAW. He injured Sami Zayn, defeated Jey Uso in singles competition, and will soon battle Seth Rollins for a second time over the World Heavyweight Championship.
McIntyre is no stranger to working with The Judgment Day. He was seen working out a deal with Rhea Ripley and even represented Team Judgment Day at Survivor Series WarGames. While Drew had clear tension with Damian Priest, he could be a massive boost to the stable.
#3. Lyra Valkyria could be the second female star
Lyra Valkyria is a phenomenal talent. She first started her WWE career on the NXT UK brand, which unfortunately shut down in the second half of 2022. She later moved to NXT in the United States and has rapidly become a top star on the brand.
The Irish star is the current reigning NXT Women's Champion. She won the title by defeating her inspiration and role model, Becky Lynch, at WWE NXT Halloween Havoc. Lyra will soon defend her title against Blair Davenport at NXT New Year's Evil.
Rhea Ripley and Lyra have a bit of a history together. Rhea showed Lyra respect until Valkyria called The Ripper out for always helping Dominik Mysterio. They eventually had a match that Rhea won. The respect almost certainly lingers between the pair, which could mean Lyra may join the stable one day.
#2. Dexter Lumis could return to WWE television
Dexter Lumis is one of the most unique wrestlers in the industry. He first rose to prominence in TNA Wrestling before signing with WWE. He was released due to budget cuts implemented by Vince McMahon but was re-hired by Triple H in 2022.
Unfortunately, Lumis has been absent from television for quite some time. His last match on WWE RAW came in the form of a Battle Royal appearance in May. Prior to that, his last bout on the brand was a tag team match in March.
While many believed Lumis' absence may be due to an injury, recent reports have disputed that point. If he is healthy, the spooky superstar could be the perfect choice to replace JD McDonagh.
Both guys are weird, but Dexter has the power to pull off being a more imposing figure, befitting the likes of Rhea and Damian.
#1. R-Truth already wants to be in the faction
R-Truth is a long-time veteran of professional wrestling. He first broke into the industry in the 1990s and joined the then WWF early on. He was released but found success in TNA Wrestling before re-joining WWE. Truth has remained part of the company ever since.
The veteran superstar was actually out of action for quite some time following an injury he suffered on WWE NXT last year. He made his return at Survivor Series WarGames and has become a regular fixture on Monday Night RAW in the weeks since then.
Notably, Truth has managed to convince himself that he's a member of The Judgment Day. Even when the group attacked him, Truth is convinced that was a form of initiation.
Given that he beat JD McDonagh on RAW in a "loser leaves The Judgment Day" match, it would make sense for the former 24/7 Champion to replace The Irish Ace.