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Look, because of the current circumstances in WWE at the moment, we know that SmackDown was forced to replay the entire Boneyard match and RAW may indeed be forced to follow suit in that regard. But at the same time, RAW can use the resources it has to tell a few very compelling stories.
Here are 5 surprises that can potentially take place on RAW as WWE builds to Extreme Rules and beyond. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts with regard to whether you think that the following surprises will enhance the RAW product or not, dear reader.
With that in mind, these are 5 surprises that could definitely happen this week...
#5 Aleister Black joins Seth Rollins' alliance on RAW
Am I the only one who feels like Aleister Black has lost a lot of the momentum that he had during WrestleMania if you consider that he just seems like he's part of a larger collective now, adamant on taking Seth Rollins down on RAW? The man with the coolest entrance on RAW just seems like he's become yet another guy on the RAW roster. And the easiest way to remedy this would be a change in personality, where he taps into his heel persona.
Even if there's a vast ocean of fans that want to see Aleister Black compete as a babyface, I think that he can retain a bit of the edge that he has, as a heel. Plus, as it stands- the heels on RAW (Seth Rollins, Murphy, and Austin Theory) are outnumbered by the babyfaces (Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, Humberto Carrillo, and Dominik).
And yes, Seth Rollins could very well recruit Black into the dark path, and still not have him stray far from his character.
#4 The hacker reveals Bayley mocking Sasha Banks during the contract signing segment on RAW
Mustafa Ali used to be a SmackDown Superstar not long ago, but he was quietly shifted to RAW recently. This was confirmed in a report by PWInsider and this is not a bad thing at all, because now, the hacker can spice things up on RAW with certain dramatic segments.
Now, we know that two contract signings have been announced for RAW- both the Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler signing for the WWE Championship as well as the Sasha Banks and Asuka contract signing for the RAW Women's Championship. On the surface, this seems like a way to close out RAW with a big inter-gender match but there may be more to it than that, in my personal opinion at least.
What if the hacker appears for the first time on RAW with footage of Bayley backstage joking about how relieved she is that she convinced Sasha Banks to go for the RAW Women's Championship?
It could really make things interesting between the two 'best friends' thereafter.
#3 Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre cross paths on RAW
I had a chance to chat with Drew McIntyre prior to Backlash and the WWE Champion weighed in on why he wishes to work with Randy Orton, perhaps the top heel on RAW. This is what Drew McIntyre said about working with Orton at some point down the line on RAW, presumably for the WWE Championship:
There's a reason I want to work with him for the world title because I want to learn. Because there aren't too many guys around anymore that have learned from the best. Been around for a long time and can really pull you up. So, anybody that works with him will absolutely benefit.
This is the perfect feud for SummerSlam, so what if the two men cross paths down the ramp on this week's episode of RAW? They just glance at each other and there is no physical altercation but yes, there is a promise of a later feud, at some point in the future. It would certainly make for very compelling television.
#2 Lana and Natalya recruit Nia Jax to their stable on RAW
Prior to WrestleMania, I had a chance to speak to Lana and I asked her if there was a female Superstar that she would like to manage. And yes, she would mention a RAW Superstar who has been causing quite a stir in the roster at this time. Her name is Nia Jax and she is currently embroiled in a heated feud on RAW with one Charlotte Flair.
I wonder if Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard want Lana to be the female MVP on RAW and manage a stable of talent. So, she could be the brains of the operation, Natalya could be the workhorse, while Nia Jax, if she is recruited on this week's episode of RAW, could be the powerhouse of the collective, in my opinion. It would certainly make for a very formidable unit.
And when Charlotte Flair is ready to return to RAW again, she could tear it up with Natalya with a series of matches before she goes on to face Nia Jax.
#1 The Big Show destroys Randy Orton on this week's episode of RAW
Even though the match hasn't been made official for Extreme Rules yet, it is clear from last week's confrontation on RAW that The Big Show and Randy Orton will likely clash at Extreme Rules 2020. And for this match to be a believable clash in 2020, where a section of the WWE Universe believes that the big man still has a chance, The Big Show needs to get the upper hand on RAW.
Randy Orton needs to give The Big Show enough cause to snap and unleash his inner giant on RAW and he can likely do so with a sneak attack. But at the same time, the veteran Big Show is no slouch and yes, he can take the fight to Orton, possibly putting the 'Legend Killer' through a table at the very start of RAW.
Do you think this match should main event Extreme Rules?
Or should it actually play out on RAW instead, maybe in the subsequent weeks as we await Edge's return?
How did Ric Flair spend $1500 at a pizza place? More details here
