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From a new stipulation in the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania to a demonic summoning, this week's edition of WWE RAW featured many contrasting moments.
The fallout episode of RAW after Fastlane included some big developments for the WrestleMania pay-per-view. While the show wasn't perfect by any means, it was certainly entertaining in parts. Let's hope that the next two weeks can add more significance to a few WrestleMania storylines that haven't yet properly connected with WWE fans.
Let us know your thoughts about this particular episode in the comments section below.
Here are the five biggest news stories from this week's episode of WWE RAW (March 22, 2021).
#5 Bad Bunny will make his in-ring debut at WWE WrestleMania 37
During this week's WWE RAW, The Miz fully transitioned away from the WWE Championship scenario and built on his feud with the popular rapper — Bad Bunny.
Next week, there will be a premiere of The Miz and John Morrison's music video for "Hey Hey, Hop Hop" — a diss track that promises to end Bunny's successful rapping career. The A-Lister laid out a WrestleMania challenge to the rapper before his singles contest against Jeff Hardy.
Hardy has been on a losing streak since February 8, and things did not change for the veteran during this week's show. Prior to his latest match, Hardy challenged The Miz's credibility to win the bout without any shenanigans. Unexpectedly, The A-Lister requested Morrison to go backstage so that he could prove a point to The Charismatic Enigma.
With no help from Morrison, The Miz was able to defeat Jeff Hardy during this week's WWE RAW. As good as this development was for The A-Lister, it doesn't seem like WWE has any concrete plans for Hardy during this year's WrestleMania season.
After the match, Bad Bunny hit The Miz with a guitar and accepted his challenge for The Show of Shows.
Damian Priest and John Morrison will likely play some key roles during this WrestleMania match as well.
With the inclusion of foreign objects in The Miz and Bad Bunny's feud, is it possible that a no disqualification stipulation could be announced soon?
#4 The New Day introduced some tension between AJ Styles and Omos on WWE RAW
The New Day engaged in a silly segment with AJ Styles and Omos during this week's WWE RAW. Styles gave his own reasons why he and Omos are an undefeatable duo, but Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods disagreed with this assessment.
Are Omos and Styles even a real team? Will Styles just drag down Omos' chances of winning a match? Does The Phenomenal One even know his bodyguard's favorite color, ice cream, and WWE Superstar?
Sure, their segment was more lighthearted in nature, but it introduced some legitimate questions in a comedic context. This verbal back-and-forth led to a singles match between Styles and Kingston on WWE RAW.
The New Day duo was able to outsmart Styles and Omos, which allowed Kingston to win the match against The Phenomenal One.
Although a lot of fans were initially opposed to The New Day's RAW Tag Team Championship win, they could very well lose the titles to Styles and Omos at WrestleMania.
Unlike this face-heel dynamic, it wouldn't have made sense to pair two heel teams - The Hurt Business and Styles/Omos - against each other at The Show of Shows.
#3 Bobby Lashley laid out an interesting offer to members of the WWE RAW locker room
Bobby Lashley and Sheamus fought each other to kick-off this week's WWE RAW. Even though The Celtic Warrior had been part of a grueling No Holds Barred match at Fastlane, he still put up a legitimate fight against the current WWE Champion on RAW.
Eventually, Lashley prevailed as the winner with the help of the Hurt Lock. As Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin of The Hurt Business attacked Sheamus after the match, Drew McIntyre came to his former friend's rescue. Lashley and McIntyre had an intense face-off, although MVP encouraged the WWE Champion to save his aggression for later.
As for Sheamus, a United States Championship feud with Riddle was teased this week. So it doesn't seem like The Celtic Warrior will get lost in the shuffle anytime soon.
Later backstage, MVP and Lashley made it clear that they weren't happy with Alexander and Benjamin's unnecessary interference in the opening bout. After all, it made Lashley look like he needed help to win the match, which shouldn't have been the case at all.
On top of that, Drew McIntyre did not want Cedric Alexander or Shelton Benjamin to interfere in his WrestleMania clash against Bobby Lashley. As a result, he fought the former RAW Tag Team Champions in a two-on-one handicap match during the same episode.
The Scottish Warrior overcame the duo, meaning Alexander and Benjamin are now banned from ringside during the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania.
This embarrassment for The Hurt Business prompted a frustrated Bobby Lashley to give a unique opportunity to RAW's low-ranked talent. He offered them a title shot in exchange for dismantling Drew McIntyre before WrestleMania.
This interesting development will certainly create a huge target on McIntyre's back next week. Who do you think will grab Lashley's offer on WWE RAW?
#2 Rhea Ripley secured a dream match at WWE WrestleMania 37
Charlotte Flair was supposed to challenge Asuka for the WWE RAW Women's Championship soon, but The Queen recently revealed her COVID-19 diagnosis to the public. In Flair's absence, Peyton Royce and Rhea Ripley stepped up against Asuka on WWE RAW.
Royce cut a passionate promo on RAW Talk not too long ago. As a result of that promo, the former tag team star got an opportunity in a match against The Empress of Tomorrow.
Peyton Royce has improved in the ring to a great extent, and her in-ring performance against Asuka seemed just as passionate as her RAW Talk promo. Although Royce did not win, she proved her worth among other stars in the women's division.
After the match, Rhea Ripley made her official debut as a member of the Monday Night RAW roster. She directly challenged The Empress of Tomorrow to a RAW Women's Championship at WWE WrestleMania 37. In return, Asuka accepted Ripley's challenge to set up a dream match for The Show of Shows.
Both stars have never faced each other in a singles match before, so fans are unquestionably excited for this showdown. Then again, Charlotte Flair could return just in time to make this a triple threat contest at WrestleMania.
Regardless of what will happen in the next two weeks, it seems like the RAW Women's Championship picture has finally become an exciting part of the Red brand.
#1 Alexa Bliss summoned The Fiend to set up a major WWE WrestleMania 37 match
Randy Orton met his worst fears at WWE Fastlane, and the nightmare did not end for him during this week's RAW.
The Viper wished to summon The Fiend and end their saga in WWE. During the last segment of this episode, Orton came out to the ring with a concealed bag. However, instead of The Fiend, it was Alexa Bliss who arrived at the scene to make Orton's wish come true.
She brought out the mysterious Pandora's Box to summon The Fiend. Many fans had previously theorized that the box's true purpose would be related to Bray Wyatt's alter-ego, and they were certainly correct in that regard.
As The Fiend appeared in the ring, Orton produced a gas can from the concealed bag and proceeded to light up his rival once again. Wyatt's alter-ego did not move an inch to add more weight to the surreal nature of their segment.
The Viper even delivered an RKO to The Fiend, but Bliss' presence distracted him from the task at hand. This allowed The Fiend to rise in time and lock in a Mandible Claw on Orton, eventually hitting him with the Sister Abigail maneuver.
WWE RAW's demonic duo celebrated their triumph at the end of the episode. Additionally, Alexa Bliss seemingly confirmed The Fiend and Randy Orton's WrestleMania clash by pointing at the huge logo. WWE has confirmed the match as well, although there isn't a stipulation attached to it at the moment.
As far as the philosophy behind this feud is concerned, did WWE indirectly confirm a popular fan theory that Bliss is now in control of The Fiend? After all, she summoned Wyatt's alter-ego at her own will, which has created more intrigue behind their dynamic in WWE.
Do check out the latest edition of 'Legion of RAW' with Dr. Chris Featherstone and former WWE Head Writer Vince Russo in the video embedded above.
