'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The road to the Royal Rumble pay per view continues this week as WWE Raw rolls through San Antonio, which ironically enough, was the location of last year’s Rumble event.
With title matches that need to be made and Rumble participants still to be announced, the excitement is growing for the final Raw before the show’s 25th anniversary spectacular next week.
Follow Sportskeeda's coverage of Monday Night Raw right here.
While last week’s effort may not have blown anyone out of the water, it was still an arguably better show than SmackDown Live – and given that the Mixed Match Challenge is right around the corner, that can only be a good thing.
With two massive events coming up you could argue that this is something of a go-home show and that alone should be enough to get people tuning in. So with all of that being said, here is our five-point preview of tonight’s edition of Monday Night Raw.
#1 Strowman’s Dominance
Last week saw Braun Strowman dismantle his Royal Rumble opponents Brock Lesnar and Kane, and now, revenge is surely just around the corner. The Monster Among Men may have been the one standing tall at the end of Raw seven nights ago, but you just know that Kane and Lesnar aren’t going to take it lying down.
The build to this triple threat showdown has actually been quite solid all things considered, but it still needs that final push heading into Philadelphia. With next week’s 25th-anniversary show being extremely legend-heavy, it makes sense that the final hype for the Universal title match would take place tonight.
#2 Roman’s Revenge
When The Miz made his long-awaited return last week it genuinely did feel like a big moment, and while we may have to wait until Raw 25 for his Intercontinental Championship rematch, you just know that Roman is coming to try and respond after being beaten down by The Miztourage.
Reigns is still struggling to make much of an impression as a babyface and everyone knows that, and it’s no surprise that Dean Ambrose’s recent injury didn’t help matters. Reigns vs Miz could actually be a really fun feud if they book it correctly, and given that Roman is one of the best in the world at fighting against the odds, we’re looking forward to seeing what he can produce.
#3 Nia Jax vs Asuka
While Nia Jax’s current ‘storyline’ with Enzo Amore is utterly nauseating, she’s still showing signs of improvement with each passing week. In addition to that, she’s also got her sights firmly set on winning the Royal Rumble, and tonight will give her the perfect chance to prepare for the event when she goes one on one with Asuka.
This is a bout that could genuinely take place at WrestleMania one day, and we hope that it does. It’s not a stretch to imagine that these two women will be the final two in the Rumble match in a few weeks time, so it’ll be fun to get a preview of the carnage that will ensue if they do face off in the battle royal match.
Who knows, maybe we’ll even see Asuka’s first defeat.
#4 Jordan’s Retribution
The geeky & annoying side to Jason Jordan’s character seems to be driving a lot of people crazy, and yet to us, it’s so obvious to see that the audience is being worked. Jordan’s slow-burning heel turn is fun to watch, and given that he cost his team the match last week, it’ll be interesting to see how he can make it up to Seth Rollins in San Antonio.
The duo is set to defend their Raw Tag Team Championships against Sheamus & Cesaro at the Rumble, and they’ll need to ensure that they are on the same page. Plus, with so much being on the line as we enter the Road to WrestleMania, you have to wonder whether or not they’ll pull the trigger on Jason’s turn sooner rather than later.
#5 Woken Matt’s Run Continues
Woken Matt Hardy is one of the most interesting characters in all of professional wrestling, which is a sentence that we never could’ve imagined typing a few years back. Matt has been able to completely transform his career, and when he first came back to WWE, he was even able to mask over his new persona for a few months.
But now it’s time to let him out, as Matt continues down the road of a fascinating rivalry with Bray Wyatt. The two seem poised to square off sooner rather than later, and while some fans may want WWE to wait until WrestleMania, we think that it’s safe to say the majority of WWE Universe members are happy to see them go one on one tonight.
Will the two square off in Texas? You’ll have to tune in tonight for the answer.
