As WrestleMania draws near, there are still two episodes of Monday Night Raw ahead of the big event. In order to have a clearer picture of what to expect, here is what you should know heading into the episode:
Despite getting physical with Triple H last week, Seth Rollins is still far from the top of his game. The King of Kings zeroed in on Rollins’ injured knee, leaving him agony as Raw went off the air.
In that same segment, the tension between Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon reached its breaking point. Foley suggested Stephanie be fired, which eventually led to a brief fight between Foley and Triple H. Left reeling after a low blow, Foley’s relationship with the Raw leadership appears to be dead and buried.
Although she defeated Nia Jax via disqualification, Bayley didn’t seem to be on top of the division last week. Jax assaulted the Women’s Champion until she was left in a crumpled heap. Sending a clear message that she wants the title, will the powerhouse receive the opportunity?
With Paul Heyman by his side, Brock Lesnar foreshadowed his win over Goldberg at WrestleMania. Intent on winning the Universal Championship, the Beast Incarnate appears confident heading into the event.
By interrupting the No. 1 contenders match last week, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have made things far more difficult for themselves. Now, they have to defend their championship against Cesaro and Sheamus as well as Enzo Amore and Big Cass. The match will take place at WrestleMania, with the next step in their feud likely to occur Monday.
Frustrated over her unfair treatment as of late, Dana Brooke attacked her mentor Charlotte Flair. Choosing to strike out on her own, what challenge will the young woman face first?
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So without further ado, here are Daily DDT’s top four predictions for what will occur on Raw.
Undertaker Returns to Raw
While the Dead Man was absent last week, his WrestleMania opponent Roman Reigns kept himself busy. Not only did Reigns defeat Jinder Mahal, but he also participated in a segment with Shawn Michaels. Although Michaels made it clear he was in the Big Dog’s corner, the younger athlete refused to listen to his advice. To Reigns, Michaels had already tried and failed to beat the Undertaker. To close out the conversation, he told the Heartbreak Kid that he’d retire the Dead Man, just as Undertaker had retired him years ago.
Should he choose to appear on Raw, expect Undertaker to act on the disrespect Reigns has shown him. He’s already had a long and historic career, yet the veteran seems to have no intentions of slowing down. If anything, Undertaker is in better shape than he has been in years. This upcoming match will show us a lot of things, including how much gas Undertaker has left in the tank.
Since Reigns is set to compete against Braun Strowman tonight, this presents the perfect time for Undertaker to arrive. Strowman cannot afford another loss against the Big Dog, so having Reigns’ lose due to interference would be the best course. It would allow both men to remain strong, and in turn, would progress the ongoing rivalry between Reigns and Undertaker. Whether or not Reigns manages to fight back this time isn’t crucial, as he can always strike on the final Raw before WrestleMania. Whatever decision is made, expect to see the storyline between Undertaker and Reigns to progress further.
Two Rising Stars Fight aor a Shot at the Title
Over the past few months, both Dana Brooke and Nia Jax have been prominent on Monday Night Raw. For Brooke, she received her spotlight aided Charlotte Flair in her quest to become the top female on the roster. As for Jax, the monstrous woman carved a path for herself by dismantling the competition. Each competitor has impressed thus far, but neither have been able to make that big step towards the Women’s Championship.
To rectify that issue, the Raw leadership could present the women a chance to compete at WrestleMania. This scenario would involve both superstars going to either Stephanie McMahon or Mick Foley and demanding a title shot. Placed into a match against one another, the winner would become the fourth participant in the Women’s Championship match. As of now, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and the champion Bayley are all confirmed for the event.
Although either woman could do wonders with such an opportunity, odds are Jax emerges victorious. Her work as of late has been absolutely stellar, and every week her presence becomes greater. A match at WrestleMania is well within reach for her, while Brooke has been a bit directionless as of late. While her decision to separate from Charlotte was welcome, we hadn’t seen much of Brooke before the event. Hopefully, the young woman is allowed to gain experience on her own, because she certainly has potential to succeed.
The Clock Winds Down for the General Manager
One of the developing storylines on Raw has involved the power struggle between Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon. Always the down to earth legend, Foley has entertained audiences with his happy demeanor since his return to WWE. Giving all talent a chance to shine and sticking up for the superstars he believes in, Foley is the ideal authority figure. His fairness has been evident throughout his tenure as General Manager, and while he gets upset with talent he’d never openly sabotage their career.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, Stephanie is a ruthless and cold-hearted authority figure. For years she’s achieved success through lying and manipulation. Never one to shy away from confrontation, the Commissioner makes it clear who she does and doesn’t support. If you win her over, expect an easier rise to the top with plenty of help along the way. Disappoint her, and you’re lucky if you can escape her wrath intact.
When these first announced their partnership, plenty of fans were skeptical of how they’d work cohesively. At first, the pairing was a success and the two were on the same page for a number of things. As time went on, bit by bit the two differing personalities came to collide. By the time Raw rolled around last week, things had reached a fever pitch between the two. Threatening to fire Foley, Stephanie demanded that he present one superstar to be fired.
Instead of complying, Foley decided to name Stephanie as someone who should be removed from Raw. The segment ended with Triple H getting involved and a fight breaking out, which lead to Foley in pain and Stephanie furious. This path will eventually lead to Foley being fired, with tonight possibly being the catalyst for that decision.
The Former Best Friends Go at It
Ever since Kevin Owens betrayed Chris Jericho last month, things have not boded well for either man. For Owens, he has struggled to regain the momentum he lost in his quick loss to Goldberg at Fastlane. Jericho hasn’t fared much better, participating in losing efforts against both Samoa Joe and his former friend. Considering that their feud should be one of the hottest things on Raw, it’s rather disappointing to see their storyline struggle.
Tonight, Jericho and Owens have the opportunity to build some significant steam heading into WrestleMania. Jericho’s popular segment has delivered several historic moments over the years, with this next installment offering plenty of potential.
One of the things they need to do is reestablish the importance of the United States Championship. The championship has been an afterthought over the past few months, a trend that needs to stop soon. This is especially important since their upcoming match has the belt up for grabs. If this isn’t achieved, then it’s going to be difficult for fans to grow invested in the mid-card title.
Above all else, these two superstars need to draw out the feelings they have about one another. Owens should be viewing Jericho as a weak link who did nothing to hold him back. The former Universal Champion could even blame his former friend for putting him against Goldberg and causing him to lose his title.
As for Jericho, he needs to convey that while the betrayal is unexpected, he would’ve eventually done it anyway. These doesn’t need to be a face versus heel battle, but rather an issue over which man carried the other to success.
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What do you think will occur on Monday Night Raw? Let us know in the comments below.