5 things WWE subtly told us on RAW: Edge assaults 3-time Champion, 4-month storyline finally ends (March 9th, 2020)

Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on RAW! It's been an interesting start to the week with Elimination Chamber but unfortunately, a relatively weak PPV followed up with a somewhat weak show.

None of the matches were bad, but the big issue was the lack of storyline development that happened - especially given that we're just a month removed from WrestleMania 36. WWE is going to have to step up their game big time in the coming month and hopefully, we see creative in full force and superstars more motivated than ever.

They can't simply rely on part-timers and legends, but there were still many positives to the show as well. RAW has raised the bar this year and despite the lack of storyline progression, there were quite a few interesting talking points that we'll get to right away.

---

#5 Edge's return

Edge is back

Edge's return was undoubtedly the most highly-anticipated part of RAW. He had been attacked over a month ago in the night after the Royal Rumble. It was the retired two-time United States Champion and former Tag Team Champion MVP who was in the ring ready to welcome him.

He felt that Edge lost focus and wanted to take him under his wing. Edge came to the ring furious - waiting for Randy Orton. Instead, MVP kept goading him and asked him how his wife Beth Phoenix was following Orton's assault on her a week earlier.

Edge took his frustrations out on MVP hitting him with a spear and then using a submission hold that we've never seen him utilize before. He even hit Randy Orton with an RKO as The Viper tried to strike him when he wasn't looking.

It seems evident that Edge wants to return in a big way and implement something new into his moveset.

#4 Drew McIntyre ends a big storyline

The end

Rowan has been in a weird place creatively this past year. A year ago, he was accompanying Daniel Bryan to the ring at WrestleMania 36 and this year...he was walking around with a cage. Once he moved to RAW, it meant the end of his partnership with Daniel Bryan.

After that, he started appearing with a cage and covering it, scaring his opponents who looked at it. The story started around November last week, he revealed what was inside the cage for the first time. It was a giant spider.

With an underwhelming payoff, WWE decided to squash the story in no time and this week, Drew McIntyre took on Rowan, squashing him in a fairly short match. However, during the match, McIntyre would squash the cage with the steel steps, effectively "killing" the spider and ending the story after four months.

Perhaps it was needed after WWE realized that they didn't have any good ideas to pay off that storyline. The big question is as to what Rowan will do.

#3 WWE is trying hard to push Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair

A big match awaits

It's the first time that the Royal Rumble winner is choosing to face a Champion from NXT. Given that Charlotte Flair is on RAW and she's already feuded with Becky Lynch many times before, it makes sense that WWE would want to try something fresh while giving a push to the NXT brand.

As to what the level of success is, we can't be sure. However, it seems as though WWE is struggling with a legitimate build to the feud while having people interested. Due to Rhea Ripley's lack of presence on RAW, there hasn't been too much crowd investment in her.

Fans who watch NXT know that she's the real deal, but the reality is that the NXT audience is different and smaller than the RAW and SmackDown ones. Unfortunately, the latest segment between Ripley and Flair did next to nothing to build excitement for WrestleMania.

WWE is trying very hard and we hope that they're able to pick up the pace.

#2 AJ Styles exposes The Undertaker

AJ Styles on RAW

AJ Styles challenged The Undertaker for a match at WrestleMania 36. While The Undertaker didn't appear this week, it allowed The Phenomenal One to cut a promo - where he said that The Undertaker doesn't have that same mystique anymore and essentially said what many fans did - that The Undertaker should have retired after losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30 and that he ruined his 2017 retirement (which Styles called a "beautiful" moment).

He even brought up Michelle McCool's name and used The Undertaker's real name - Mark Callaway. WWE wants to go in a different direction with this rivalry and whether it means a character change or a proper storyline, things will come to a head next week as AJ Styles and The Undertaker will have a face-to-face contract signing.

Things are going to get interesting and the way Styles phrased his promo, it appears that we could get something on the lines of a casket match.

#1 Aleister Black joins the resistance

Aleister Black accepted an offer - just not the one that Seth Rollins wanted

The Monday Night Messiah Seth Rollins approached Aleister Black in his darkroom alongside his old rival Buddy Murphy. He went to Black and asked him to join his team and the Dutchman politely refused, with Rollins aggressively responding that if he isn't with him, then he's against him.

Black accepted the offer for a fight and their first meeting was scheduled for later in the night. In typical RAW fashion, an interjection saw a DQ and things broke down between The Viking Raiders and The Street Profits against Rollins, Murphy and The AoP. It resulted in an 8-man tag team match where Rollins pinned one-half of the tag team champions Montez Ford to pick up the win for his team.

Kevin Owens' interjection at the end backfired as well, with Rollins standing tall at the end. We're not sure what this means for the Tag Team title picture, but Aleister Black has finally entered the resistance and it'll be interesting to see where it goes.