Penta is headed to the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match after surviving a frantic Triple Threat qualifier in the main event of WWE Raw.
The former AAA Mega Champion defeated Dragon Lee and Dominik Mysterio in a high-paced three-way contest, taking the place of Solo Sikoa after Sikoa was abducted backstage by 946 before the scheduled match. The abrupt change turned the night’s planned qualifier into an opportunity for Penta, and he made the most of it with a decisive springboard Mexican Destroyer to Mysterio.
With the victory, Penta joins Trick Williams, Bron Breakker, and Je'Von Evans among the competitors already confirmed for the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. It is a significant achievement for Penta, whose combination of explosive aerial offense, striking, and dangerous lucha-inspired offense proved to be the difference in one of Raw’s most eventful matches.
Solo Sikoa’s Absence Changed the Raw Main Event
Sikoa had been set to compete in the qualifier, but the situation changed before the bell when 946 abducted him backstage. That left WWE needing a replacement for the match, and Penta stepped in to face Lee and Mysterio with a Money in the Bank position on the line.
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The circumstances surrounding Sikoa’s removal from the contest added an unpredictable layer to the main event. Rather than the originally scheduled field, Raw closed with three wrestlers whose contrasting styles created a rapid, constantly shifting Triple Threat match. Penta brought the power and creativity that have defined his career, Lee relied on speed and precise aerial attacks, and Mysterio repeatedly looked to turn every opening into an opportunity for a shortcut or a sudden finishing sequence.
While Sikoa’s status following the backstage abduction remains uncertain, Penta did not let the unusual circumstances distract from the assignment in front of him. He entered a match with no margin for error and left with a place in one of WWE’s most consequential annual ladder matches.
Penta, Dragon Lee and Dominik Mysterio Set a Relentless Pace
The action began with Penta and Lee sending Mysterio out of the ring, allowing the two masked rivals to briefly square off one-on-one. That opening did not last long. Penta quickly seized control by launching himself over the ropes with a tope con hilo that wiped out both opponents at ringside.
Lee answered with an aerial attack of his own, taking Penta down on the outside and making it clear that he intended to match Penta’s urgency from the start. The early exchange established the tone for the bout: every competitor was prepared to take risks, and no wrestler could afford to focus exclusively on one opponent for long.
Mysterio soon found himself in danger when Lee attempted a Styles Clash. Penta broke up the move with a superkick, preventing Lee from potentially ending the match before it had fully developed. Penta then pursued Lee to the top rope, but Lee fought him off, opening the door for Mysterio to return and engage Lee in a slugfest.
Lee gained momentum with a double stomp to Mysterio, only to run straight into Penta. Penta drove Lee into the corner, and the sequence broke down into a rush of offense that left all three men down. The match’s momentum continued to swing from one contender to another, with no one able to establish a sustained advantage without being interrupted.
Dragon Lee Came Close to Securing the Briefcase Opportunity
Mysterio eventually took control for a stretch, but Lee remained a persistent threat. Lee set Penta up for his corner handstand stomp, looking to punish Penta in a vulnerable position. He later sent Penta to the floor with a flying hurricanrana and attempted to follow that up with a cannonball dive.
Before Lee could complete the attack, however, Mysterio intercepted him with a 619. That interruption was a reminder of the unique challenge of a Triple Threat match. A wrestler can create the opening for a victory, but another opponent can instantly capitalize on it. Lee had repeatedly shown the ability to overwhelm both rivals with his speed, but Mysterio’s interruption prevented him from building toward a clear finishing stretch.
Mysterio then went for a frog splash on Penta, but Penta got his knees up. The counter opened the door for Lee, who delivered a Styles Clash to Mysterio and came extremely close to earning the victory. Penta broke up the pinfall at the last possible moment, preserving his own chance to qualify.
That near fall was arguably Lee’s best opportunity of the match. He had neutralized Mysterio and appeared poised to secure a major win, but Penta’s awareness kept the contest alive. In a Money in the Bank qualifier, merely being impressive is not enough; a competitor must remain alert to every threat until the final three-count. Penta did exactly that.
Penta Overcomes Mysterio’s Late Rally
As the match entered its closing stages, Penta produced one of the most punishing moments of the night. He delivered a Mexican Destroyer to Lee on the apron, taking Lee out of immediate contention and narrowing the battle to Penta and Mysterio.
Mysterio responded by catching Penta with a 619 and following with a frog splash. Penta kicked out, refusing to let Mysterio steal the qualifying spot after such a hard-hitting sequence. Mysterio then attempted to create another opening by removing a top turnbuckle pad, but the gamble backfired.
Penta sent Mysterio crashing into the exposed turnbuckle area. With Mysterio staggered, Penta climbed to the ropes and delivered a springboard Mexican Destroyer for the pinfall victory.
The finish was definitive and encapsulated Penta’s performance throughout the bout. He absorbed a sustained offensive push from Mysterio, survived Lee’s near-fall sequence, and capitalized instantly when Mysterio’s turnbuckle strategy failed. Penta did not simply outlast his opponents; he found the decisive opening and executed a match-ending move with no hesitation.
The Men’s Money in the Bank Field Continues to Take Shape
Penta now moves forward alongside Williams, Breakker, and Evans in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Each confirmed participant brings a very different path and approach to the upcoming contest, but Penta’s addition gives the field a competitor especially suited to the chaos that comes with a ladder match.
His performance against Lee and Mysterio showed why. Penta was willing to take to the air, comfortable fighting at ringside, capable of stopping an opponent’s pin attempt in a split second, and dangerous enough to end a match from an unconventional position. Those attributes are particularly valuable in a ladder environment, where wrestlers must manage multiple opponents and quickly shift between offense, defense, and survival.
Money in the Bank matches reward timing as much as durability. The eventual winner does not need to defeat an opponent by pinfall or submission, but must instead climb a ladder and secure the coveted contract while every other entrant attempts to stop them. Penta’s Raw victory came because he recognized the right moment to act after Mysterio’s exposed-turnbuckle plan went wrong. That instinct could become vital when the briefcase is hanging above the ring.
For Dragon Lee, the result will be difficult to accept after he came within moments of pinning Mysterio following the Styles Clash. For Mysterio, the loss came after a late push that included the 619 and frog splash, but his attempt to use the exposed turnbuckle ultimately created the opening Penta needed.
For Penta, though, the outcome is clear. A sudden replacement opportunity became a major career moment on Raw. After Solo Sikoa was removed from the scheduled match by 946, Penta stepped into the main event, overcame two elite opponents, and earned his place in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.