After the Blue brand stole the thunder with an immense Money in the Bank Ladder match to cap off a wild night in St.Louis, it’s over to the denizens of Monday Night Raw as the build to WWE Great Balls of Fire gathers clip.
Follow our Live coverage of Monday Night RAW right here on Sportskeeda.
Roman Reigns, however, has SummerSlam on his mind as he takes centre stage yet again, this time to make an important announcement about his plans for the pay-per-view. What that is, one can only guess.
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But what we do know is that Samoa Joe’s feud with Brock Lesnar got turned up a notch when the Submission Machine stood toe-to-toe with the Beast Incarnate last week and ignited a brawl for the ages. Will we pick up where we left off again on Monday?
And what of the rivalry between the Kingslayer, Seth Rollins, and the Eater of Worlds, Bray Wyatt? Wyatt got the upper hand with his Houdini act last week, but Rollins is hardly the type to cower in front of the Face of Fear.
Running through all these intriguingly poised storylines and more, here is our preview of Monday Night Raw!
#1 What will Roman have to say?
Roman Reigns has promised to make an announcement regarding his status for WWE SummerSlam on this week’s Raw and knowing the Big Dog’s penchant for the earth-shattering, your guess as to what it is, is as good as mine.
Could it be about him challenging for a Title? After all, the Miz needs a large glass of shut-up juice served to him after conning his way to a seventh Intercontinental Title reign.
Could it, perhaps, involve him calling out the winner of the Samoa Joe – Brock Lesnar to a Universal Title match at the pay-per-view? Samoa Joe earned his shot at Lesnar’s Title the hard way, and it remains to be seen if Reigns can just call out the winner of that match and expect to be gifted one.
Or could it, seeing as how he’s not a “free agent”, involve challenging a returning John Cena?
As I said, your guess is as good as mine.
Also read: 5 possible announcements Roman Reigns can make on WWE Raw
#2 The Man versus the God
Seth Rollins is the Man. Make no mistake about it.
But ever since he vanquished the King at WrestleMania 33, he’s been flitting from one opponent to the next, without really discovering the feral purpose of battle with anyone of them. Until now.
Bray Wyatt has a knack for bringing out the worst (and sometimes, best) in you with his mind games and occult ways, forcing you into corners you don’t like and toying with the ideals that you hold dear.
After pulling off a disappearance act last week that would have certainly given Rollins sleepless nights, what devious plan does the Eater of Worlds have up his sleeve next? Or will it be the Architect who seizes the initiative by coming out swinging?
#3 The Bar has been set
After usurping the Hardyz’ Raw Tag Team Titles at Extreme Rules by virtue of inches, Sheamus and Cesaro once again barely managed to hang on to their Raw Tag Team Titles in a 2 out of 3 falls match against the legendary duo last week on Raw.
But as that was their rematch clause exercised, the Hardyz now find themselves in a position where they will have to work their way to the top of the line to challenge for the Titles again.
The Bar, on the other hand, have managed to glean themselves some breathing room and will be looking forward to their next challenge on Raw...that is, if the Hardyz don’t plan on playing party poopers again.
#4 Is Bayley too “good” for her own good?
As Alexa Bliss demonstrated at Extreme Rules, the WWE is an unforgiving place.
One momentary distraction or one minuscule lapse is all that is required for you to find your back streaked with purple Kendo Stick marks, as Bayley figured out to her detriment when she unsuccessfully challenged for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship.
But even in the face of a setback and increasingly adversarial competitors, she refused to...” embrace the hate” in an interview with the Saviour of Misbehaviour, Corey Graves.
Will Bayley’s conviction and undying adherence to her ideals cost her dearly in the long run? As it stands, with Nia Jax looming, it already looks like the WWE Raw Women’s Championship picture has moved on without her.
#5 The Beast finds its match
What Samoa Joe did last week on Raw is something few men have ever accomplished. He stood face-to-face with Brock Lesnar and matched him, strike for strike.
Given the ferocity of the Beast Incarnate and the general feeling for their own well-being, only a handful of Superstars have even stepped to Brock Lesnar, let alone willfully attack him – repeatedly.
If there was one message that Joe has wanted to deliver ever since earning the right to challenge for the WWE Universal Title at Extreme Rules, it is that he does not fear Brock Lesnar.
And after last week, that has never been more apparent.
Could this week’s episode of Raw, however, bear a similar message from the Beast Incarnate? Tune in to find out!
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