WWE Raw Predictions: Triple H, Shawn Michaels Throw Down Gauntlet

Treading Water

When Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam to (finally) become the Universal Champion, it was supposed to be the beginning of a new era on WWE Raw. With a world champion on television every week, main event feuds could actually progress in a timely fashion. New main eventers could potentially be created, too, by having the opportunity to challenge for the title without waiting years to do so on a rare Lesnar appearance.

Of course, The Beast is still owed a championship rematch, which we’ve learned is happening at Crown Jewel in a triple threat match also involving Braun Strowman. Heading into Raw tonight, Reigns has only defended the Universal Championship three times — once the night after SummerSlam against Finn Bálor, once against Strowman at Hell in a Cell, and once the next night against Baron Corbin.

Add in the fact that Reigns’s partner in The Shield Seth Rollins is the Intercontinental Champion, and Strowman’s new pals Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre hold the Raw Tag Team Championships, the entire men’s title picture on Raw is tied up in one feud. Clearly, the Universal Championship isn’t going anywhere before Crown Jewel on Nov. 2, so if anything is going to change, it would be one of the other championships.

This whole idea of spinning the wheels in the mud in regards to the Universal Title is what was supposed to be avoided when Lesnar finally dropped it. But it’s more of the same old same old until that rematch takes place, which will put the brakes on the entire main event picture. Tonight on Raw, figure on nothing of consequence happening with Reigns, Strowman, or the Universal Title.