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Welcome to this week's edition of RAW Preview! We're now touching just two weeks towards SummerSlam and this will be the penultimate RAW to the biggest party of the summer.
Last week's RAW was a fantastic episode, with Shane McMahon's return resulting in the introduction of RAW Underground. To add to things, RETRIBUTION's arrival seems to be shaking things up and we're going to get to that very soon.
Despite losing his United States title match to the returning Apollo Crews on RAW, MVP and The Hurt Business still stood tall at the end of the show. Let's jump right into what to look forward to on RAW!
#5. Kevin Owens takes on Randy Orton in a dream match on RAW
Randy Orton is challenging Drew McIntyre for the WWE title and the 13-time World champion has been one of the focal points of RAW in the pandemic era. Kevin Owens hasn't been in a feud lately, but that hasn't stopped him from getting entangled in various situations against various Superstars.
Kevin Owens had a rather interesting conversation with Ric Flair on RAW and told him to tell Randy Orton to challenge him for a match. Surely enough, it was booked for a week later and tonight, The Viper/ Legend Killer will face Kevin Owens on RAW in a dream match, presumably in the main event (because that's the only slot for it).
We're not sure what Drew McIntyre will do on the episode or if he'll even get involved in any way, but he doesn't seem like the kind of Superstar who would.
We expect Randy Orton to pick up the victory, simply because he's been on a whole other level these last few months. However, we hope that it's going to be a good match with a good finish.
#4. RETRIBUTION returns to RAW
Last week on RAW, we saw a few people in hoodies lighting an important electrical system on fire. While the damage that was done then was minimal, what happened on SmackDown took the WWE Universe by surprise.
The group, comprising of a few men and a couple of women wreaked havoc on SmackDown and what they did on RAW paled in comparison. RETRIBUTION, as they call themselves, took over the arena, even forcing commentators Corey Graves and Michael Cole to flee the scene.
After an attack on a "crowd" member/developmental talent, one member took a chainsaw and cut the ropes. We've seen various invasions on RAW and WWE in general, but we're not yet sure who these people are and why they're doing what they're doing.
We expect a groundbreaking announcement from RETRIBUTION tonight, whether it's a reveal of the members, their leader, or simply their motives. Either way, tune in to RAW because it's going to be an exciting segment. Whether it has SummerSlam implications or not, we can't be sure, but it's the most highly-anticipated part of RAW.
#3. What's going to happen on RAW Underground this week?
The entire WWE Universe was taken by surprise when it was announced that Shane McMahon would be returning to RAW. While there was some speculation for a few hours, we soon found out that WWE was introducing a new set of segments to RAW in a series of fights - known as RAW Underground.
A Shane McMahon idea, it features a "shoot" style fight that's closer to MMA. There are no ropes and there aren't many rules either. While we saw some names such as Dabba-Kotto rise, some of the recognizable names included Dolph Ziggler, The Viking Raiders, and the three members of The Hurt Business.
Towards the end of the show, Kayla Braxton hinted at the location of RAW Underground and The Hurt Business showed up and decimated everyone present. The episode of RAW ended with MVP saying "We're The Hurt Business. And business is good".
RAW Underground is going to be interesting to watch and we wouldn't be surprised to see MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin continue to dominate while also possibly scouting for new recruits.
#2. Asuka vs Bayley - If Asuka wins, she earns a RAW Women's title match at SummerSlam
A few weeks ago, Asuka faced Bayley in a Champion vs Champion match and it was then-RAW Women's Champion Asuka who won on that occasion. Asuka then faced Sasha Banks and it was The Boss who defeated Asuka to claim the RAW Women's Championship for the fifth time in her career.
It also marked the end of Kairi Sane's run in WWE as The Pirate Princess said farewell after that. Asuka, now all alone, has to face Bayley as her first obstacle to get her rematch against Sasha Banks - which she should have gotten anyway given the circumstances of her title loss.
Either way, we expect Asuka to overcome the odds and secure a RAW Women's title match against Sasha Banks at SummerSlam. Bayley wasn't too happy with her partner after RAW Women's Champion Sasha Banks made the declaration of her match against Asuka without consulting her.
It's going to be a fun one to watch!
#1. Will Seth Rollins get his revenge on Dominik on RAW?
One of the most exciting parts of RAW has been seeing 23-year-old Dominik's rise to stardom. While he's only beginning his journey towards becoming an established WWE Superstar, he's certainly showing the boldness and the heart of his father Rey Mysterio - the man he's seeking retribution for.
So far, the young Dominik has managed to get the better of Seth Rollins and Murphy. Dominik challenged Seth Rollins to a match at SummerSlam and it was made official. Many people, including WWE commentators, questioned the decision of Dominik to challenge Seth Rollins - one of the best wrestlers in the world.
The psychological factor of the rivalry will play a big role in determining how the match goes and how much of a chance Dominik stands. Without his father Rey Mysterio's help, we imagine that his chances of winning are incredibly slim, but in WWE, you can never say never. Either way, we'll find out whether Dominik continues to get Seth Rollins' number on RAW or if he gets a taste of brutality from The Monday Night Messiah.
How did Ric Flair spend $1500 at a pizza place? More details here
