Post by The Gangsta on Jul 26, 2015 11:16:17 GMT -5
WWE Monday Night Raw: 7/27/2015
SummerSlam is four weeks away, but Kevin Owens is as hot as asphalt in August coming out of Thursday night’s SmackDown, where he brutalized Cesaro after The Swiss Superman’s near-victory over WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Will we see K.O. and The King of Swing collide Monday night? What else is in store one week after The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar’s chaotic, locker room-clearing brawl?
1. How will the Authority maintain order this week?
Last week’s Raw played host to one of the most out-of-control brawls in WWE history, when Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker traded punches all over the arena before local law enforcement — not to mention nearly the entire WWE locker room — intervened and put an end to the carnage.
With an anticipated WrestleMania 30 rematch between The Beast Incarnate and The Deadman looming at SummerSlam, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon are no doubt taking steps to ensure that their blockbuster main event is protected and that the weeks leading up to The Biggest Party of the Summer are as smooth as possible. Expect The Authority to assert their power on Monday night.
2. Who is a greater threat to Team Bella?
After Charlotte scored a big win over Brie Bella and Sasha Banks at WWE Battleground last week, the daughter of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair conquered “Brie Mode” once again on Raw. Sasha, meanwhile, made former Divas Champion Paige submit to the Bank Statement that same night, proving that Team B.A.D. — Beautiful And Dangerous — more than lives up to their ominous moniker.
The Bella Twins countered the emergent threat of Team B.A.D. by defeating The Boss and Naomi on SmackDown, but Team Bella can hardly rest on its laurels, especially considering that they’ve yet to earn a victory over Team Paige since the group’s formation.
As these trios jockey for position, it’s clear that despite their differences, Team B.A.D. and Team Paige each have Team Bella and the coveted Divas Championship in their sights. Which team should Nikki, Brie and Alicia Fox fear more? Should The Bella Twins continue fighting a war on two fronts, or will we see them turn their adversaries against one another?
3. Will Cesaro get his hands on Kevin Owens?
Is it “Fight, Owens, Fight” or “Run, Owens, Run”? That was the question coming out of SmackDown, when K.O. walked out on his match against Rusev. The scenario was not all that different than what we witnessed on Raw, when Owens abandoned Rusev in the night’s Six-Man Tag Team Match. Cesaro — who takes immense pride in his ability to entertain the WWE Universe — confronted Owens about his disappearing act on Thursday night, and was met with a retaliatory Pop-up Powerbomb before SmackDown went off the air.
Cesaro isn’t one to back down from a challenge, and Owens was clearly throwing down a gauntlet of some kind by assaulting the former United States Champion. Will we see these rivals collide on Raw? And if they do, will Owens stand and fight or will he retreat once again?
4. What Wyatt mind games await Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns?
At WWE Battleground, Luke Harper officially rejoined Bray Wyatt’s macabre family, helping The Eater of Worlds defeat Roman Reigns. The following night, Dean Ambrose aided his former Shield “brother,” saving The Big Dog from a savage two-on-one assault.
Even though The Lunatic Fringe is the uncrowned king of mind games — just ask Seth Rollins — Ambrose still fell victim to Wyatt’s theatrics on SmackDown, when The New Face of Fear and his hulking disciple distracted the unstable Superstar and cost him his match with Sheamus. Will Ambrose and Reigns be ready should Wyatt and Harper strike again? Can you ever truly be ready when The Wyatt Family is involved?
5. Is John Cena right about Seth Rollins?
Last week on Raw, United States Champion John Cena told WWE World Heavyweight Champion that “it’s not the title that makes the man, it’s the man that makes the title,” going on to call The Architect a “joke” and a disgrace of a champion. The Cenation leader then issued a challenge to throw down, right then and there, and the so-called “Future of WWE” instead vacated the ring.
Although Rollins defeated Cesaro in a highly competitive SmackDown main event, Cena made an interesting point: Have Rollins’ nefarious actions as of late made the WWE Universe lose respect for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? Is the United States Title more prestigious because of the fighting champion who holds it? Regardless, we wouldn’t be surprised if the tense exchange between Cena and Rollins last Monday night spurs another altercation — perhaps a more physical one — this week.
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