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Drew McIntyre will kick off the new year in style this week when he defends his WWE Championship on the first episode of WWE RAW in 2021. Keith Lee won the chance to challenge for the title, and now he's looking look to win his first championship since his promotion to the main roster.
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The former NXT Champion has a lot of potential, but most fans think he's not ready for the title yet. This week's episode of WWE RAW is also Legends Night, so anything can happen. Anyone could get involved in this bout, and this interference could lead to a rematch at WWE Royal Rumble.
In WWE, anything is possible. Lee could kick off 2021 with a massive upset win on Monday. Or some interference could force this match to become a triple threat contest. It could even force this bout to be rescheduled. Here's a look at five ways Lee's match with McIntyre on WWE RAW this week could end.
#5. Keith Lee wins the WWE Championship
Keith Lee is a veteran inside the squared circle, even though the former NXT Champion has only been part of the company for a few years. Lee has already made quite an impression on the main roster, and WWE could be planning to kick off the year with a shocking victory for "The Limitless One."
It's hard to argue that 2020 wasn't the year of Drew McIntyre. But in a new year, a new star could lead the company. Lee was recently sent back down to the WWE Performance Center for more training. There, he has been working on his in-ring skills, and the improvement has been obvious in recent weeks. WWE could reward Lee for this work with his first title on the main roster.
Though it's more likely that a title change could happen at WWE Royal Rumble, WWE has been looking to improve the ratings for their flagship show. A WWE Championship change this week could be the company's way of showing the WWE Universe that anything can happen on WWE RAW.
#4. Drew McIntyre retains the WWE Championship
This week's episode of Monday Night RAW will have a lot of moving parts because several WWE legends will be in attendance. The likes of Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan will be at the show, and WWE probably has some big plans for them.
It's unlikely that WWE would book Drew McIntyre to lose his championship on the same night. The news of a title change could be lost among the other headlines from Legends Night. Having McIntyre retain the title is a safe way to avoid any problems like that.
McIntyre could find a way to retain his championship on Monday. From there, he'll go on to defend the title at the end of the month at WWE's first pay-per-view of the year, Royal Rumble.
McIntyre dominated WWE Monday Night RAW throughout 2020. He'll probably continue to do so in 2021. The Scottish star should continue to enjoy a successful run atop the red brand leading into WWE WrestleMania 37, which is a few months from now.
#3. Drew McIntyre retains the WWE Championship via disqualification
Champions in WWE have a distinct advantage when it comes to title matches. A championship can't change hands via a disqualification or a countout. So Drew McIntyre has a solid chance to leave WWE RAW with his title still around his waist. Utilizing this technicality could protect both McIntyre and Keith Lee.
If there is interference in their match, McIntyre could retain the WWE Championship via disqualification. It's also possible that if he believes that he's unable to win the match fairly, McIntyre could choose to get himself disqualified so he can retain the title.
Likewise, Lee could also be disqualified if the pressure of the position is too much for the former NXT star. That development would also allow McIntyre to retain his championship.
This match is an easy way to get viewers to tune in. But WWE might choose to draw this friendly feud out until the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. No matter what happens on WWE RAW this week, it's likely that Lee will be handed a rematch later in the month.
#2. Sheamus interferes and the WWE Championship Match turns into a Triple Threat
Sheamus and Drew McIntyre have had an interesting storyline in recent months. But the Irish star came up short last week on WWE RAW when he looked for a chance to challenge McIntyre for the title.
Of all the superstars on the red brand, it makes the most sense to have Sheamus get involved in this title match. "The Celtic Warrior" has a point to prove to both men. While the interference would cause a disqualification, McIntyre is a fighting champion. So he could ask Adam Pearce to turn the match into a triple threat bout.
McIntyre recently retained the WWE Championship, so he's probably feeling confident. Sheamus' interference could also end his friendship with the champion. Of course, if Sheamus costs McIntyre the title, he wouldn't have anything to take from "The Scottish Psychopath."
As a result, Sheamus could instead interfere by taking out both men. That way, fans could see a Triple Threat Match between all three stars at WWE Royal Rumble.
#1. The Miz teases another cash in with his WWE Money in the Bank contract
The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at WWE TLC. But he came up short, so Drew McIntyre was able to retain his WWE Championship. After the show, it was made clear that John Morrison illegally cashed in at WWE TLC.
So The Miz fought to be given his contract back. Last week on WWE RAW, Adam Pearce returned the briefcase to The Miz. Now, he has another chance to become the WWE Champion.
Could The Miz choose the night where all of the legends make their return to cash in? At the very least, it's likely that "The A-Lister" could tease a cash-in in order to send a message to McIntyre. But given what happened at WWE TLC, he shouldn't be blindsided by another cash-in attempt.
There are several stars who could walk out of WWE RAW this week as the WWE Champion. With the briefcase back in his possession, The Miz has regained his place as one of the men in contention for the title.
