5 things WWE RAW got right before Royal Rumble: Brock Lesnar takes his challenger lightly; Kevin Owens wins

WWE RAW booked an interesting go-home episode before Royal Rumble. Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley opened the show ahead of their WWE Championship bout at the upcoming event.

Meanwhile, the creative team built tensions between Becky Lynch and Doudrop through a backstage segment. Things got out of hand as the latter attacked Lynch just days before their RAW Women's Championship match.

Alpha Academy tested RK-Bro's intelligence in a unique academic challenge on the show. Kevin Owens also challenged Damian Priest for the United States Championship after pinning him last week.

The Miz's planned celebration for Maryse's birthday did not go too well as Edge and Beth Phoenix got back at the It Couple. They will meet in a mixed tag team match at Royal Rumble.

All in all, the episode was interesting. Check out the five things WWE RAW got right on the episode before Royal Rumble.

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#5. Brock Lesnar continued to take Bobby Lashley lightly on WWE RAW

Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley opened WWE RAW this week with a weigh-in. After a good interaction last week, WWE looked to make things more interesting before their title match on Saturday.

Lashley was up first, and he was announced at 273 pounds. Lesnar did not seem interested in the segment and wore jeans, cowboy boots, and a hat, weighing 286 pounds.

The All-Mighty lashed out at Lesnar for not taking the situation seriously. The Beast Incarnate laughed it off and put himself over before exiting the ring as Lashley looked on.

There was no need for a weigh-in since WWE doesn't function on weight classes. However, Lesnar's attitude helped put the opening segment over as it showed that he isn't afraid of his opponent.

Royal Rumble will give Lashley the opportunity of a lifetime to prove himself against the man he has been chasing forever. WWE must give him a good match even if he ends up on the losing end.

Lesnar's new character and attitude have helped build fans' interest. It will be interesting to see how he treats Lashley in the ring at Royal Rumble.

#4. Bianca Belair and Queen Zelina put on a good show on WWE RAW

The first match of WWE RAW saw Queen Zelina and Bianca Belair compete in the ring. The latter used her strength to take down her opponent early and dominated the action.

Zelina got back into the match with a Stunner. She sidestepped The EST and sent her into the middle turnbuckle, but Belair caught her on the turnbuckle and lifted her for a press slam.

In the end, Belair countered the Code Red and hit K.O.D. for the win. It was good to see two superstars give it their all in the limited TV time on Monday night. WWE should look to provide both women with some top spots at Royal Rumble this week.

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#3. Randy Orton took down Chad Gable after a good match

A Spelling Bee competition took place between Alpha Academy and RK-Bro. After that, Randy Orton and Chad Gable kicked off their match. The two men kept things technical for a few minutes before getting down to business.

Otis provided some distractions to help his partner in the contest. Riddle and he exchanged blows outside the ring as the action picked up.

Gable countered a punt kick into an ankle lock. The Viper escaped and hit the R.K.O. for the win. Riddle and Orton continue to work great as a team.

Their rivalry against Alpha Academy has been pretty good and has elevated the tag team division. The two teams will likely collide for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships at Royal Rumble.

#2. Damian Priest lost his cool once again on WWE RAW

Last week, Kevin Owens handed Damian Priest his first pinfall loss on WWE RAW. He got a United States Championship opportunity against The Archer of Infamy this week.

KO tried to hit a Stunner early, but Priest shoved him away and took control of the match. The two men exchanged good moves, and Owens played his heel character well.

Expectedly, Priest lost his cool against his challenger. He stomped down on Owens in the corner and ignored the referee’s warnings, leading to a disqualification win for KO.

The match was good, and it looks like WWE will book a rematch between the two stars at Royal Rumble. Owens deserves a title run after having a good run on RAW recently.

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#1. AJ Styles gave Austin Theory a run for his money on WWE RAW

Austin Theory picked up a victory over Finn Balor last week. The youngster looked to do the same against AJ Styles this week. Fresh off a match against Grayson Waller, Styles was ready for the energetic superstar.

Theory was excellent once again, and Styles gave him the chances he needed to get ahead. Late in the contest, the former tripped his opponent on the top rope, but the referee caught him using the ropes during a pin. AJ recovered and hit the Phenomenal Forearm for the win.

Theory and Styles were excellent in this contest. The Unproven One showed that he was ready for the big leagues once again. After a win over Balor, he delivered another excellent performance against Styles.