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WWE RAW after Fastlane 2021 will kickstart several WrestleMania feuds tonight. A couple of matches from the Red brand have been confirmed for the upcoming pay-per-view. But there are still a few top champions who are still looking for their WrestleMania challengers. In addition to that, the show will also witness the aftermath of a major return.
In this article, we will take a look at things that can unfold on WWE RAW this week.
#1 ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt continues tormenting Randy Orton on WWE RAW
The recently concluded pay-per-view hosted an intergender match between Randy Orton and Alexa Bliss. The latter had several tricks up her sleeves, but her best move included bringing back ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt back on television after three months. He was last seen back in December when he was set on fire by Orton. The Viper has not known peace on WWE RAW since that day.
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During The Fiend’s absence from the Red brand, Bliss did her best to play with Randy Orton’s mind. She wanted the WWE RAW Superstar to pay for his hostile actions towards The Fiend. Only this time, both The Fiend and Bliss had a lot of fun while manipulating Orton on WWE RAW. This led to a match at Fastlane, and a returning Fiend helped Bliss in defeating Orton at the pay-per-view.
It is evident that this feud is far from over. Orton is expected to seek answers on WWE RAW as he desperately wants to end this rivalry once and for all. While Orton is frustrated about the mind games, The Fiend and Bliss are more than willing to keep The Viper guessing at all times. The duo could still attack Orton to set up a brutal match at WrestleMania.
This is one of the matches that the creative reportedly wants for WrestleMania. The feud has been going on for a long time on WWE RAW, and a good cinematic match might be the perfect way to end it. Now that The Fiend is back, the creative will look to make this storyline more intense with both superstars exploiting each other’s weaknesses.
The Fiend’s return also implies that Alexa Bliss can use a little distraction from her playdates with Randy Orton. Not so long ago, she managed to win against WWE RAW Women’s Champion Asuka. It is possible that the creative will soon have her revisit the champion, especially now that Asuka needs a title feud ahead of WrestleMania.
#2 Drew McIntyre turns his attention towards Bobby Lashley on WWE RAW
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus delivered two epic matches on WWE RAW earlier this month. They once again met inside the ring at Fastlane in a No Holds Barred match, and it accounted for one of the most physical matchups in recent history. Their bout ended with McIntyre picking up a well-deserved victory over his former best friend.
With a win over Sheamus, McIntyre has cleared his path to the WWE Championship. Last week’s WWE RAW episode confirmed that Lashley would defend his title against McIntyre at WrestleMania 37. The Hurt Business member was the biggest reason why McIntyre lost his title, and the latter is now looking for his revenge.
The two superstars also feuded last year when McIntyre was the champion. Lashley has been great since winning the title and is bound to deliver a brutal feud alongside McIntyre on WWE RAW. Considering that The Hurt Business would often outnumber McIntyre in the rest of the storyline, the creative can also bring new allies for The Scottish Warrior.
#3 Keith Lee makes his return on WWE RAW
Keith Lee has been away from WWE RAW for a while now due to medical reasons. However, he is now expected to make his return to the Red brand soon. Lee was initially supposed to challenge Lashley for the United States Championship at Elimination Chamber in a triple-threat match. However, he had to miss the pay-per-view, and Riddle managed to get his hands on the gold.
As long as Lee is medically clear to compete inside the ring, now would be the best time to bring him back. The creative can even have him turn heel by attacking Riddle on WWE RAW. This will set up a title match between the two superstars at WrestleMania. Considering the history shared between them, Lee and Riddle can deliver an unforgettable match at the upcoming pay-per-view.
A heel turn would be a good change for Lee. It will simultaneously tease a potential alliance between him and The Hurt Business. Bobby Lashley himself welcomed the idea, and adding Lee to the faction will add to the group’s dominance on WWE RAW. Even if he doesn’t turn heel, Lee would be one of the best challengers for Riddle’s title.
#4 Braun Strowman hunts for Shane McMahon on WWE RAW
Ever since his return on WWE RAW, Braun Strowman has been involved in a feud with Shane McMahon. The latter made fun of Strowman’s stupidity, and the latter refused to accept this kind of bullying. We saw McMahon humiliating The Monster Among Men on the Red brand, leading to a match being booked between the two superstars at Fastlane.
However, Shane seemingly sustained an injury while warming up for his match at the pay-per-view. Elias replaced him, and an irritated Strowman unleashed hell upon The Drifter. After picking up a quick victory, Strowman went looking for Shane McMahon, and they could cross paths on WWE RAW tonight. The creative is seemingly heading towards a WrestleMania match between them.
Although this storyline will fetch a spot for Strowman at WrestleMania 37, he undoubtedly deserves to be a part of better storylines. Once his feud with Shane McMahon ends, Strowman should be allowed to chase titles on WWE RAW. He poses a credible threat on the roster and should be involved in more compelling narrations.
#5 Ali clashes with RETRIBUTION members on WWE RAW after betrayal
Fastlane 2021 witnessed the split of WWE RAW’s infamous stable, RETRIBUTION. It all started when Mustafa Ali resorted to attacking his group members every time they lost a match. At the pay-per-view, Riddle defeated Ali to retain his United States Championship. This led to Ali snapping once again, but the RETRIBUTION members, T-Bar and Mace, confronted their leader.
First, Reckoning and Slapjack walked away from Ali. Following that, T-Bar and Mace chokeslammed Ali inside the ring. They made their feelings pretty clear about their leader, and Ali is expected to address that on WWE RAW tonight. This could lead to a match between him and T-Bar where the winner will walk out as RETRIBUTION leader.
This was a good booking decision that will now bring much-needed attention towards RETRIBUTION. The stable was struggling on WWE RAW, and it desperately needed a new face. Someone like T-Bar deserves a shot at restoring the original idea behind the group. As for Ali, he could do better as a singles superstar or even look for an ally to compete in the tag team division.
#6 Rhea Ripley makes her main roster debut on WWE RAW
This week's episode of WWE RAW will see Rhea Ripley make her much-awaited main roster debut. The promotion confirmed the date of her arrival on the Red brand last week. The fans are excited to welcome one of the most brutal superstars on NXT. Ripley has already established her dominance on the Black and Gold brand and will look to do the same on Monday nights.
Several good feuds await Ripley on WWE RAW. Last year, Charlotte Flair defeated her to become the NXT Women's Champion at WrestleMania. Ripley might be keen to seek revenge against The Queen by pinning her at WrestleMania this year. She also shares a brutal history with Shayna Baszler that dates back to their NXT days.
A rivalry between both these superstars guarantees entertainment, and it has the potential to change the women's division on WWE RAW forever. Alexa Bliss also has a bone to pick with Ripley as the latter had eliminated Bliss from the Women's Royal Rumble match in a humiliating manner earlier this year. Lastly, Ripley can also set her sights on the WWE RAW Women's Championship and kickstart a feud with Asuka right after her debut tonight.
