5 biggest questions from WWE RAW, NXT, and SmackDown this week

WWE RAW had a few interesting moments this week.

As expected, Seth Rollins came out to gloat about his win for Team RAW at Survivor Series. The Messiah then attacked Finn Balor before their scheduled match to make a statement. Will the two men get into a lengthy rivalry soon?

Big E faced Austin Theory for the WWE Championship in a surprise booking. Is Theory going to become the next big star of the brand soon?

Grayson Waller got a big opportunity against Tommaso Ciampa on WWE NXT. Grayson put on a great show against the NXT Champion but fell short of a victory. Is Grayson going to get some more big opportunities on NXT soon?

Carmello Hayes overcame Johnny Gargano and Pete Dunne in an NXT North American Championship match. It will be interesting to see who steps up to Hayes for the title following TakeOver: WarGames.

WWE SmackDown determined the next challenger for the Universal Champion through a Battle Royal. Was it the right call to book a Battle Royal rather than a traditional match to determine Roman Reigns’ next opponent?

Ridge Holland had an unsuccessful SmackDown debut on Friday night. He was defeated by Cesaro. Will The Bothercauser hit second gear to teach The Swiss Superman a lesson?

Take a look at the five biggest questions from RAW, NXT, and SmackDown this week.

---

#5. Is Austin Theory in line for a massive push on WWE RAW?

Austin Theory was drafted to WWE RAW recently after a good stint on NXT. Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae helped the superstar get prominence before he was drafted back to the main roster.

Theory’s first run on the main roster started well last year but came to an end soon after. It looks like things will be different this time around. Austin was part of Team RAW for Survivor Series, where he performed well and earned praise from Seth Rollins the next night.

Theory was also revealed as the man who stole Vince McMahon’s Cleopatra’s Egg and got a WWE Championship opportunity for his antics. He has gone from being a relative newcomer to a top guy on RAW in a matter of weeks.

Is WWE looking to push Theory to the top after getting him back on RAW? Will the young superstar deliver this time and prove his critics wrong?

There's no doubt that Theory has the looks and charisma to become a top star. The right bookings can eventually make him one of the faces of the company. All he needs to do is stay grounded and work hard to become the next big thing in the company.

#4. Is Nikki A.S.H. losing her push on WWE RAW?

Nikki A.S.H. started getting a decent push on WWE RAW after taking on her new role as Almost a Superhero. She won the WWE Money in the Bank briefcase and the RAW Women’s Championship.

It looked like the higher-ups were impressed by her new gimmick and were looking to push her. She won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Rhea Ripley and had a decent run with it.

However, Nikki was not part of Team RAW for Survivor Series even though Ripley made the cut. She recently took the pin to lose the Women’s Tag Team Championships too.

Is Nikki losing her push on RAW? Is the creative team over her character already? Her recent string of losses suggests that she will be moving down the card again.

---

#3. Will the loss to Cora Jade affect Mandy Rose’s value on WWE NXT?

WWE usually protects its champions unless it’s building towards big rivalries. Mandy Rose took on the young Cora Jade on WWE NXT this week in a non-title match.

Jade was on the back foot for most of the match but pinned the NXT Women’s Champion after a distraction from Kay Lee Ray. Rose’s in-ring skills have come under the radar a few times in the past, and she lost her first singles match after NXT Women’s Championship victory.

Will a loss so soon after her title win affect her reign as the champion? Is the loss going to dent Rose’s value on NXT?

WWE could have put Jade up against any of the other Toxic Attraction members. The loss could certainly affect the superstar in the weeks to come.

#2. Is the men’s WarGames match going to affect the future of WWE NXT?

WWE NXT recently went through a revamp that saw many new superstars come in. The brand has gotten a boost, thanks to the new superstars.

This year, the creative team has decided to book a match between the new and the old stars of NXT for the men’s WarGames contest. The idea seems good but can affect the two teams involved negatively.

Can the new superstars of NXT afford a loss at WarGames? Will it be a smart idea to put down a team of veterans to get the new stars over?

With no Undisputed ERA on this year’s show, several new stars will compete inside the steel cage. A loss for either team could hurt their overall credibility.

---

#1. Will Sami Zayn get a Universal Championship match on WWE SmackDown?

Sami Zayn was prominent on WWE RAW, where he helped find Cleopatra's Egg. Even though he didn't get the promised WWE Championship match, he did challenge the United States Champion during the show.

On WWE SmackDown, Zayn competed in a Battle Royal to crown the next challenger for Roman Reigns. Zayn worked smartly and eliminated Jeff Hardy to pick up the win. After the match, Kayla Braxton announced that Brock Lesnar would return from his suspension next week.

Will Zayn get his Universal Championship match once Lesnar returns? Or will The Beast Incarnate take away another opportunity from Zayn just like he did at the 2019 Money in the Bank?

Sami Zayn has been a great asset for WWE for several years. He has played an incredible character that has allowed him to become a top heel. A match against Reigns could be good for the superstar.