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Last night's episode of WWE Monday Night RAW had all of the makings of an instant classic after several bombshells dropped throughout the show. Not only did The Miz decide that he no longer wanted his place in the Elimination Chamber match, but Lacey Evans also announced her pregnancy.
There is also the small fact that Keith Lee wasn't part of last night's show and there were hints that he may not be medically cleared to compete on Sunday night in his match against Bobby Lashley and Riddle. It was definitely a show that caught the attention of the WWE Universe, but Lacey Evans' pregnancy announcement seems to be the one getting the most attention on social media.
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Reports from WrestlingInc suggest that the former NXT star is legitimately pregnant, which is the main reason for the swerve in her storyline with Charlotte Flair. But did WWE need to bring the pregnancy into it? Here are five reasons why this may have happened.
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#5. WWE found out late and needed to write Lacey Evans out of her match against Asuka
There were reports ahead of this week's episode of RAW that suggested a storyline would be taking a dramatic change heading into this weekend's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, but it was quite a vague report. It was only when RAW finally went to air that the WWE Universe was able to piece together that Lacey Evans was the storyline in question, which means that WWE could have found out at the last minute.
Like any other profession that includes physical contact, pregnant women are unable to compete from the moment it's determined that they are expecting a child. This means that there was no way that Lacey Evans could have been taken out of her match physically, without WWE gaining some backlash from their fanbase had the fact been revealed later.
This means that it's likely WWE felt this was the only option at short notice and it would allow Evans to make the real-life announcement on live TV. This allows her to be replaced this weekend with only days to spare.
It's currently unknown who will replace Lacey Evans in the RAW Women's Championship match at Elimination Chamber, or whether The Sassy Southern Belle will remain on WWE TV to continue this storyline alongside Ric Flair in the coming weeks.
#4. WWE has seen the recent AEW pregnancy announcements and wanted to get one step ahead with Lacey Evans
Pregnancies in WWE have come in thick and fast over the past few years, with several current and former stars announcing that they are set to add to their families. Lacey Evans now joins this exclusive club.
The Bella Twins seemed to begin the trend last year, before Becky Lynch announced her news in May. Sarah Logan went on to announce her pregnancy a few months later and AEW's Brandi Rhodes and Renee Young were later added to the list.
Whilst Jon Moxley's announcement on AEW Dynamite was a throwaway promo, Cody and Brandi were handed quite a cute announcement when it was revealed that they were expecting their first child.
This left both couples trending for several hours on social media and obviously, WWE knew that another pregnancy announcement would hit the headlines again. With the apparent news that Lacey Evans' pregnancy is legitimate, meaning the storyline can't go in the same direction that Lana's recent announcement did, WWE had to think outside the box. This was seemingly the most creative angle the company could come up with at short notice.
#3. The Lacey Evans announcement will allow Ric Flair to turn face on WWE TV
Whilst it has been revealed by several outside reports that Lacey Evans' pregnancy is legitimate, WWE obviously can't include her real-life partner in storylines. Which is why Ric Flair is now presumed by many to be "the father."
The 71-year-old was overjoyed when Lacey Evans made the announcement on RAW last night, since he knew this was another piece of leverage he could use in his feud with Charlotte.
That being said, there could be quite an interesting swerve to this storyline. It could be discovered that Evans' baby actually isn't Flair's, and The Nature Boy is then able to join forces with Charlotte once again.
Evans and Flair have only been together on TV for a short time and this announcement means that Evans can't wrestle on TV for the next few months. The company may be forced to become creative with this story, if it isn't dropped altogether, after this weekend's RAW Women's Championship match.
#2. There is now a plan to replace Lacey Evans in the WWE storyline
Lacey Evans and Ric Flair have become quite the formidable couple on WWE TV in recent weeks and this weekend could have been Evans' chance to become a Champion.
WWE obviously didn't know about her pregnancy last week, since she took on Charlotte and won the chance to face The Empress of Tomorrow. Which means that this was definitely a last-minute decision.
Peyton Royce joined forces with Lacey Evans again this week as part of their tag team match with Charlotte and Asuka. Which means that the former IIconics member could remain by Evans' side for the rest of this storyline.
If Lacey Evans is unable to wrestle, then Royce could step in and settle her differences with Charlotte instead. This would give the Australian star the TV time that she has been craving since her split with Billie Kay. Whilst this isn't ideal given the circumstances, it's a way for the feud with continue heading into WrestleMania before hopefully being wrapped up.
#1. WWE loves a good shock and Lacey Evans' pregnancy fits the bill
Pregnancy announcements aren't exactly rare on WWE TV. Several of the most recent ones have been legitimate, whilst Lana's was purely a storyline.
In the past, relationships like the one between Lacey Evans and Ric Flair have flourished because of the shock factor. It's easy to believe that the creative team thought the shock of this announcement would be enough to push it forward.
Mae Young and Mark Henry were once in the same position before the WWE Hall of Famer went on to give birth to a hand. This was obviously a very different time when WWE could get away with a lot more controversy on TV. So it's interesting to think of how this story could move forward without offending any members of the WWE Universe.
It's also worth noting that if Lacey Evans goes onto maternity leave without wrapping this story up, then Charlotte Flair could "kayfabe" have a new brother or sister in a few months' time. Something that could be addressed when The Sassy Southern Belle makes her return.
