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Welcome to this week's special edition of things WWE subtly told us on the RAW after Extreme Rules! What a great episode it was. Minus the underwhelming DX angle to end the show, almost everything else was done right.
It was a generally exciting episode with new angles and some big changes that will take place in WWE programming in the future. That's why we won't waste too much time or space with the introduction and get right into it:
#5. The direction for Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel is clear after RAW
This week on RAW, Bobby Lashley came out for another standard United States Championship defense. However, Brock Lesnar attacked him by hitting the F5, locking in the kimura, and leaving him in a terrible condition.
Seth Rollins exploited this despite being banged up himself and provoked Lashley into continuing with his US Title defense. Unsurprisingly, the match didn't last long, and Rollins became the new United States Champion.
This means that Lesnar vs. Lashley will be the direction for Crown Jewel. In all likeliness, Lesnar will avenge his 2022 Royal Rumble loss, making their tally 1-1.
It may also mean that the peak of Bobby Lashley's push is over. If it is, it has been an incredible run between post-WrestleMania 2020 to late 2022 – undoubtedly the best of his career.
#4. The Sami Zayn story and the cracks in the Bloodline
The Bloodline opened RAW this week, and what a segment it was! The tension was palpable, and everybody played their role to perfection. We're aware that Sami Zayn's popularity has been increasing, but we didn't realize it would be to the level where he would unexpectedly overshadow Roman Reigns.
His telling off of Jey Uso, his challenge to Riddle, and the overall story of the cracks in The Bloodline is brilliant and a breath of fresh air. The cracks continued to show, and the match between Riddle and Sami Zayn was crucial because Roman Reigns specifically instructed Jey Uso to ensure that Zayn won.
Instead, the Zayn-Jey Uso clash continued, resulting in Riddle taking advantage and getting the victory. Signs of tension are showing, but WWE will likely drag this out for the rest of the year.
#3. Is Candice LeRae being used as an obstacle for Bayley and Damage CTRL, or are there WarGames implications?
Candice LeRae faced Bayley this week on RAW, and while the latter tried to get a win to bounce back, it ended up backfiring. The Poison Pixie picked up a victory that was presented as a fluke, but Damage CTRL ultimately got the better of her.
This story could be used for Bayley's downfall. But in all likeliness, it wouldn't be surprising if this was a hint that LeRae would team up with Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka against Damage CTRL and one other star at Survivor Series: WarGames.
#2. Is Dexter Lumis inevitably getting that contract?
Dexter Lumis crashed The Miz's birthday party on RAW, and the segment even resulted in a hilarious botch involving Maryse. Ultimately, The Miz ran away, and in a segment with three of the DX members, Brian James, aka Road Dogg, told the two-time Grand Slam Champion that he would face Dexter Lumis on RAW next week.
The stipulation is that if Lumis wins, he gets a contract; if he loses, he will be gone. The result seems pretty apparent here, and it's a subtle sign that the payoff is finally coming.
#1. Judgment Day's next challenge has been revealed
Rey Mysterio finally picked up a win on RAW – the first televised singles win he has had since late March 2022. However, Dominik, the biggest heat magnet in WWE right now, along with his fellow Judgment Day members, took him out.
It was only after this that Finn Balor called AJ Styles out, and The Phenomenal One didn't wait a second. While he teased joining them at first, he brought out Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson – meaning that Judgment Day's next big feud is here.
Did you enjoy this week's season premiere of Monday Night RAW? Voice your thoughts in the comments section below!
