5 Takeaways from this week's WWE Raw (16 July 2018)

Eight matches took place as WWE Raw emanated from Buffalo, New York this week.

The show began with Paul Heyman interrupting Kurt Angle after the Raw GM threatened to strip Brock Lesnar of the Universal Championship. After a six-Superstar summit, it was decided that two Triple Threat matches would take place and the winners would face off in a #1 contender match next week to determine who challenges Lesnar at SummerSlam.

The first Triple Threat (Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre) was won by Reigns following a spear on Balor, while the night’s main event (Bobby Lashley vs. Elias vs. Seth Rollins) was won by Lashley after he pinned Elias.

In the women’s division, Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox ended in a no contest after a brawl at ringside, Sarah Logan defeated Ember Moon, and Ronda Rousey made a surprise appearance to set up her Raw Women’s Championship match against Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam.

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Elsewhere on the show, Dolph Ziggler and The B-Team recorded non-title victories over Bobby Roode and The Ascension, respectively, while Mojo Rawley defeated Tyler Breeze and The Authors of Pain were victorious against Titus Worldwide.

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In this article, let’s take a look at five things that stood out from the episode.

#5 Bobby Roode needs a heel turn now more than ever

Bobby Roode interrupted Dolph Ziggler on this week’s episode of Raw to issue a challenge to the Intercontinental champion. However, what he hoped would be a title match ended up being a non-title contest, which was won fair and square by Ziggler after a superkick.

“The Glorious One” has been anything but ‘glorious’ throughout his 11-month babyface run on the main roster, and this week’s segment was further proof that he needs to return to being the heel character that made him so successful in NXT.

Following the match, he was mocked backstage by Mojo Rawley, who stopped playing to the crowd last year and is now reaping the rewards as a bad guy – something Roode is destined to do in the not-too-distant future.

#4 Roll on Women’s Tag Team titles

Sasha Banks and Bayley returned to the ring after their

It was reported last week by Pro Wrestling Sheet that WWE officials are considering holding an all-female event in late September or October, reigniting talk that Women’s Tag Team Championships could finally be introduced.

This week’s Raw featured three separate women’s storylines: Ronda Rousey’s ongoing battle with Alexa Bliss; Sasha Banks and Bayley’s latest frenemy update; and Ember Moon’s match against another Riott Squad member, Sarah Logan.

We’ve seen multiple times since the 2016 WWE draft that, if women aren’t involved in the title picture, their matches have absolutely nothing riding on them, which makes it difficult for fans to care about the storylines and what happens next.

If and when tag titles are brought in for the women, these current non-title storylines will feel a lot more important and matches like Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Alicia Fox & Dana Brooke will actually carry some kind of consequences.

#3 The one positive of Brock Lesnar’s continued absence

Paul Heyman did Brock Lesnar's talking for him this week

Was it ever really in doubt that Brock Lesnar was going to return to WWE to defend his Universal Championship at SummerSlam? Not really, despite the storyline breakdown in negotiations with Raw GM Kurt Angle about his next title defence.

There has been a lot of negativity surrounding “The Beast” and his Universal title reign over the last few months, but nobody can deny that his match at SummerSlam against Roman Reigns or Bobby Lashley will be one of the most anticipated of the summer.

Unlike at WrestleMania 34, where fans hijacked the main event between Lesnar and Reigns because the outcome seemed obvious (it wasn’t!), the upcoming SummerSlam encounter really could go either way.

Will Lesnar retain and take the title with him to UFC? Or will we finally get a full-time major title holder on Raw again? Whatever happens, and regardless of the match quality, we’ll all be interested in the outcome.

#2 No legendary returns

Two days before her Monday Night Raw suspension ends, Ronda Rousey made a surprise appearance this week to set up her Raw Women’s Championship match against Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam.

However, that wasn’t the legendary return that some fans were holding out for on this week’s episode, with Hulk Hogan, John Cena and The Undertaker all rumoured to be returning to WWE television at some point in the build-up to SummerSlam.

In Hogan’s case, he was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame before Extreme Rules on Sunday, leading many people to believe that he could soon make an on-screen return, while Cena vs. ‘Taker II is rumoured to be happening at next month’s PPV.

Maybe, just maybe, one or more of the three will appear next week… or are we asking for too much?

#1 Is Jason Jordan’s return imminent?

Jason Jordan and Seth Rollins are former Raw Tag Team champions

Seth Rollins lost his rematch for the Intercontinental Championship against Dolph Ziggler in the main event of Extreme Rules, while he failed to earn an opportunity at the Universal Championship after losing this week’s Triple Threat main event to Bobby Lashley.

So, now that he is without a title storyline heading into SummerSlam, WWE’s recent booking of “The Kingslayer” leads us to believe that his next opponent could well be the returning Jason Jordan.

Looking at the rest of the roster, who else could he possibly face? Kevin Owens, perhaps, but why? Braun Strowman? Probably not. Mojo Rawley? No way. Drew McIntyre again? We’ve just seen that!

Jordan has reportedly been cleared for the last two months and WWE has been waiting for the right opportunity to reintroduce him back to television. He has lots of unfinished business with Rollins, more than anybody else on the roster, so don’t be surprised if we see the two collide at SummerSlam.

Edited by Shiven Sachdeva