5 things WWE subtly told us on RAW: Huge return next week, multi-man title match set for TLC? (December 2nd, 2019)

Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on RAW! This was, believe it or not, the penultimate show to TLC and it feels weird because it has hardly felt like a build. Perhaps that's what happens when you have merely 3 episodes to build to a PPV, but this isn't the first time that WWE has been in such a situation.

Either way, the direction isn't bad but this episode wasn't the best, certainly when compared to last week, where the show was stacked from start to finish. Either way, the direction of some interesting storylines continued while some took new twists and turns.

It's quite surprising that there haven't been any TLC announcements as yet but we expect that next week, it'll be full of them. Next week is the go-home show to the final PPV of the year and we hope you start gearing up. Until then, here's what WWE subtly told us on the latest episode of RAW.

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#5 A possibly major stipulation for the Rusev-Bobby Lashley feud

That was fun

We know this isn't exactly your favorite part of the show so let's get this one out of the way first. We mentioned last night on the RAW Preview that there would be arrests of a different kind and it wasn't against the man with the restraining order against him.

Instead, it was Bobby Lashley and then Lana who were both arrested, giving Rusev some comeuppance for the second time in this rivalry.

It's only been the last two weeks where Rusev has gotten favorable momentum on his side and this only means one thing - their TLC clash is going to have some major stipulation. While it obviously won't be a TLC match, it could be a chairs match or something extreme.

#4 Randy Orton vs AJ Styles intensifies

This is getting interesting

The last time that AJ Styles and Randy Orton faced off was earlier this year, and during their brief feud, it was Orton who was the heel and Styles who was the babyface. This time around, the roles are reversed and oddly enough, it seems more interesting this way.

AJ Styles has seemingly chosen not to go right after the United States Championship that he lost to Rey Mysterio last week, but instead go for the man who cost him the title - Randy Orton.

Tonight, after Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre had a brief confrontation (teasing a match in the future), The OC came out to surround Orton and even began a beatdown, only for Ricochet and Humberto Carrillo to save him.

The Orton-Ricochet alliance is turning out to be an interesting one but it may not develop just yet. We predicted last week that this would be the rivalry we're getting and Styles vs Orton seems to be the direction we're headed towards for TLC. It merely intensified this week.

#3 Becky Lynch will return... but when?

Asuka awaits The Man

This has been the first time since WrestleMania 35 that there's been a notable absence in a RAW Women's Championship feud. Sure, there was no RAW Women's title match at Survivor Series, but Becky Lynch atleast had Shayna Baszler and Bayley to feud with.

At TLC, the advertisement stated that Becky Lynch would be teaming up with Charlotte Flair to take on The Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, and on RAW, the current champs defeated Charlotte Flair in a handicap match.

While the result was certainly expected, so was the return of Becky Lynch to save Charlotte Flair. That didn't happen and she didn't show up at all! That was a bit surprising and many are now asking when The Man will be back.

The answer to that question appears to be next week as it's a match that's going to be built with less than a week left. If Becky Lynch doesn't return, it simply doesn't make sense. However, she does deserve the break she's been getting.

#2 The United States title picture could have one or two or more challengers

Rey Mysterio with Ricochet and Humberto Carrillo

Rey Mysterio ideally should have a United States Championship defense at TLC and hopefully, it will be a ladder match. There isn't much time for a build per se, but that isn't required to have a great match.

From the look of things, Rey Mysterio has two potential challengers on his plate - Ricochet or Humberto Carrillo. While they could easily have a #1 contenders match next week, they should ideally have a Triple Threat match at TLC instead.

If Drew McIntyre were to be added to that mix, it would be perfect since his size brings an entirely different dynamic in a ring full of comparatively smaller wrestlers. Either way, a ladder match would be fireworks and WWE shouldn't pass up the opportunity and simply omit him from the card.

A multi-man match being set for TLC is the way to go and it has the potential to be the match of the night.

#1 The suspicious Rollins-AoP association

What is happening?

Seth Rollins was supposed to open RAW with an apology to Kevin Owens but the former Universal Champion didn't buy the "apology" for a second, and as expected, AoP made their presence be known.

Owens, just like us, suspected that Rollins and AoP have some sort of association with each other but The Architect refused to acknowledge that and vehemently denied any such association with them. And yet, oddly enough, AoP simply let him pass through without any protest as such.

They certainly want people to think that they have an association with Rollins and it's getting very confusing yet very interesting. It led to Owens eventually calling out someone else for a challenge and it was Bobby Lashley who answered.

For the second week in a row, Owens was ambushed and attacked by AoP, adding more suspicion and possible truth to what he believes is an alliance with Seth Rollins. There was more intrigue added to this potential "alliance", but is it even fair to call it that?

We'll be back this Friday Night for the next edition of "things WWE subtly told us".