5 things you need to know before tonight's WWE Monday Night RAW (January 14th, 2019)

In just a few hours, the WWE will host, the latest instalment of Monday Night RAW.

2018 was a truly huge year for the red brand, from the shocking debut of 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey to the heartbreaking relinquishing of the Universal Championship by Roman Reigns, to the even stars like the B-Team capturing gold.

And 2019 is shaping up to be just as exciting, with an epic RAW being promised tonight.

With the Royal Rumble approaching, the men and women of Monday Nights are hoping to prove themselves before the iconic pay per view, where they will get the chance to punch their ticket for a guaranteed title match at WrestleMania 35.

But before the Rumble, they need to survive tonight, with a huge triple threat title match already being announced.

Here are five things you need to know before tonight's WWE Monday Night RAW

#5 Opponents at the Rumble, partners tonight

Banks and Rousey will team tonight to face Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka.

At the Royal Rumble, Sasha Banks has the chance to do what no woman has been able to do in WWE: pin, or submit, Ronda Rousey.

Since joining the company last year, Rousey has been one of RAW's biggest stars, impressing in her WrestleMania 34 debut, and capturing the RAW Women's Championship at Summerslam.

Banks is no stranger to the title herself, winning it on four occasions, and hoping to make it number five in just a few weeks.

Tonight though, the adversaries will put their rivalry aside to face Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka, in what will be a hard-hitting tag team match.

With the impending title match between the two firmly lodged in the minds of Rousey and the Boss, will these two Superstars be able to co-exist?

#4 Is the Monster among Men ready for the Beast?

Lesnar and Strowman met face to face on RAW last week.

Braun Strowman will have one more shot to capture the Universal Championship when he takes on Brock Lesnar for the title at the Royal Rumble pay per view.

The two have met many times in 2018 (including last year's Rumble event), and whilst the Beast has always had Strowman's number, the Monster Among Men is hoping to break this chain tonight.

Last week's showdown between the two in person may not have gotten physical, but there's no doubt that Braun and Brock are ready to tear each other apart.

However, the former RAW Tag Team Champion is still rehabbing from surgery from an elbow injury, and with Lesnar hoping to make this reign just as long as his last time with the Red-strapped title, will the Beast be victorious again?

#3 The road to the Royal Rumble continues

John Cena, who won the Rumble match in 2008 and 2013, announced his participation last week.

The Royal Rumble pay per view is less than two weeks away, and the show is stacking up to be a huge event.

For the second time ever, the company will host two Rumble matches, with 32 of the potential 60 total spots already filled.

With just under half of the spots remaining, there's still the chance of men and women from RAW, SmackDown Live (and maybe even NXT) to announce their contention into the historic matches.

Since it's inception in 1988, the Royal Rumble match has helped define Superstar's careers, with some of the all-time greats winning the match, including Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

Which two Superstars will add their name to that illustrious line-up in less than two weeks?

#2 Will The Revival expose the conspiracy tonight?

Will Dash and Dawson be able to plead their case and get another RAW Tag Team Title shot?

On the Christmas Eve edition of RAW, as well as last week's, The Revival had the chance to finally capture the RAW Tag Team Championships.

Unfortunately for the team of Dash and Dawson, a series of rotten luck has stopped them from winning, including incompetent refereeing from officials.

With Bobby Roode and Chad Gable riding high as the champions of team Red, there's only so much longer that the Revival can plead their case before the robed warriors move on to their next challengers.

There's no doubt that the former NXT Tag Team Champions will be trying to plead their case to the Authority this week, though even if they do, the question remains will they be believed, and will they finally get a fair shot at tag team gold?

#1 Triple threat action for the Intercontinental Championship

Who will leave Monday Night RAW as the Intercontinental Champion?

Since returning to the company in April last year, Bobby Lashley has been nothing but impressive, though has yet to capture any championship gold.

Last week, however, the Destroyer certainly showed off his power, planting Seth Rollins through a table, during his Intercontinental Championship match against former Shield-brother Dean Ambrose, helping Ambrose to retain the title.

Whilst this may be seen by the WWE Universe as a cowardly attack on a prone Rollins, it must have certainly impressed someone backstage, as Rollins and Lashley will challenge the self-proclaimed moral compass of the WWE tonight in triple threat action for the title.

With no champion's advantage, tonight might very much be the final night of the Ambrose reign, as the WWE Universe wait and see who will enter the Rumble match as the Intercontinental Champion.