5 Surprises that could take place on RAW this week

RAW comes to us this week from Orlando, Florida, and it will be the first live show in some time. The previous two editions were taped to allow the talent to spend quality time with their families. Is it any wonder that the lineup for the show seems absolutely packed, this week? From Lesnar to Strowman, from Cena to Hogan, everyone's in the building.

Of course, a packed lineup alone does not guarantee a good show. What makes a show special is whether the men and women involved in it are placed in meaningful segments or not. In my opinion, RAW needs a genuine surprise or two for the show to be memorable and for the viewership to bounce back again.

Mind you, WWE has not been able to break the 2 million mark over the Holiday season. This is the first time in the brand's history that something like this has happened.

And this is why it is critical to book surprises to spice the product up.

---

#5 Finn Balor steps up to Intercontinental Championship contention

It's time for Balor to hold some gold once again

To Dean Ambrose's credit, he has been a fighting Champion on RAW. It's a good thing that he's become Champion at a time when the McMahon family has promised changes. He's been taking on the likes of Tyler Breeze and Apollo Crews every week.

This is not to disparage either man, but before either match commenced we knew that Ambrose was retaining the Intercontinental Championship. He needs a serious feud, especially for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. And there is no better contender for him than Finn Balor.

The crowd really wants to see Balor become Champion again. As a result, they'll be red hot if Balor challenges Ambrose this week. The match could happen either this week or even at the Royal Rumble.

#4 EC3 challenges John Cena

The Top 1%er could make his debut and get the ultimate rub from Cena

Anyone who's followed EC3 in Impact Wrestling knows just how amazing a character he can be if booked right. He did not fare nearly as well in NXT which is an in-ring product but could do exceedingly well in a sports environment show like RAW. And there's no better way to make a splash than by challenging the top dog to a wrestling match. Well, John Cena will be on this week's show.

Remember how Chris Jericho got an immediate rub by interrupting The Rock? John Cena could be interrupted by EC3 leading to an altercation between the two men. You couldn't book a better debut for the man.

EC3 doesn't even need to win a match in the following weeks. He could write Cena off TV, with a brutal attack.

#3 Seth Rollins steps up to Brock Lesnar

Will a charged up Seth Rollins finally challenge The Beast Incarnate?

Yes, Brock Lesnar makes his return to RAW this week. Braun Strowman will also be on the show, ahead of their Universal Championship match at the Royal Rumble. The two men could take each other out, but that would be very predictable indeed. What if Seth Rollins were to enter this mix and threaten Lesnar to take his title off him?

Seth Rollins is rumoured to be the Royal Rumble winner and is also supposedly going to be the man who challenges Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 35. Last week, we saw Triple H urging him to tap into an aggressive side of his personality.

I can imagine Rollins and Lesnar having a little showdown. It could be a teaser for WrestleMania.

Much like a trailer before the movie release!

#2 Drew McIntyre also enters the Universal Championship picture

McIntyre could be backed to be a top guy almost immediately, after last week

We always knew that Drew McIntyre was the chosen one. Unfortunately, his first run did not pan out in a way that he would have liked. In his most recent run, he's been able to reinvent himself and actually looks like a genuine top-tier superstar.

WWE has successfully managed to build him up into a really vicious heel. I think that it's time for him to have a showdown with Brock Lesnar, to build to a future confrontation at some point. This is because they don't want another Braun Strowman on their hands, a man who challenges for the title but loses time and time again.

McIntyre viciously put away Dolph Ziggler last week and then cut a really intense promo. He announced to the world that he was the 'King of the Jungle'. He can back up his words on this week's show.

#1 The Revival capture the Tag Team titles

Gable and Roode could finally lose their gold

The WWE Universe has been behind The Revival from the word go. This may finally be their night. They take on the Tag Team Champions- Bobby Roode and Chad Gable in a lumberjack match for the prestigious Tag Team Championships. One thing we do know is that the match will be spectacular.

This could be a great way to bring the division back on track once again. It's been about urinating general managers and not about the actual in-ring action in weeks past, but these two teams have a chance to start a new era in tag team wrestling. I'm hoping that it inspires the other teams to step up as well.

There will also be the 'Moment of Bliss' segment with The Goddess. You don't want to miss out on this special segment.

Be sure to join us for our live coverage of RAW.