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Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on RAW. It was a strong showing for the red brand, although there were certain points that could have been executed better.
The episode essentially served as a celebration for the great Randy Orton upon completing 20 years on the WWE main roster. It was an integral part of the night, and we'll get right to that. It was also the penultimate RAW before WrestleMania Backlash 2022. So what went down? Here is what WWE subtly told us this week:
#6. The Randy Orton celebrations and the implications
Randy Orton was the central figure on Monday Night RAW this week. The show started off by honoring him and it ended with him on top. It was quite a detailed segment with many superstars emerging, primarily to set up the main event.
The Cody Rhodes-Randy Orton reunion was wholesome, and the Ezekiel story continues to be one of the most entertaining ones in WWE today -- especially when only Kevin Owens has acknowledged that he is Elias while nobody else seems phased by it in the slightest.
The segment set up an 8-man tag team main event, where Randy Orton, Riddle, Cody Rhodes, and Ezekiel defeated The Usos, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins.
Should RK-Bro unify the titles, expect The Viper to go after Roman Reigns. He is one of the last legitimate opponents left for The Tribal Chief, and the feud could happen before SummerSlam.
#5. Becky Lynch's return feud and the fallout
Becky Lynch's character work is unparalleled in the women's division. The Charlotte Flair-Ronda Rousey feud has been deservingly getting flak, but anything that Lynch has touched has turned to gold.
This was surprisingly the first time in three years that she walked into RAW without a championship — an incredible stat in itself. The record-breaking RAW Women's Champion was in a state of shock and delusion, vowing to win the title back but not knowing where to start.
Her reaction when she heard her old rival Asuka's music hit was nothing short of priceless. Everything in this segment was done to perfection. Lynch, given her current state, is likely to lose her feud to the Japanese star, who is returning for the first time in nine months.
#4. The arm-wrestling contest on RAW and the fallout
This week on RAW, Bobby Lashley faced Omos in an arm-wrestling contest. It was good to see Lashley getting the respect that he deserved, and he defeated his rival in an arm-wrestling contest.
Omos would attack him post-contest and establish himself as the true dominant force. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out at WrestleMania Backlash. From the look of things, Omos could get a big win over Lashley with MVP now by his side.
#3. Damian Priest's revenge and an indirect feud conclusion
Damian Priest finally got a match against Finn Balor this week, but without the United States Title on the line. The Irishman's losing streak was acknowledged and we wouldn't be surprised to see it turn into a storyline.
Balor was the sacrificial lamb yet again as the 39-year-old avenged his defeat on the February 28 episode of RAW. The faction is now called Judgement Day and anything that happens will be to the direct benefit of Priest and Edge.
#2. Mustafa Ali's return and long road back up
It's a long way back to the top for Mustafa Ali. The superstar who previously requested his release from WWE late last year made his first TV appearance in six months.
He directly challenged Theory for the US Title but was declined, so he faced The Miz and defeated him in his return match. However, it seems like WWE is sidetracking him with a feud against Tommaso Ciampa to keep him out of the US Title picture for a little longer.
Watch Vince Russo and Diamond Dallas Page discuss Ali's contract situation in the video below:
#1. What's next for Bianca Belair?
Bianca Belair jumped over a few hurdles to retain the RAW Women's Title this week. First, Sonya Deville restarted the match after getting counted out before making it a no count-out and no DQ match.
This prompted Zelina Vega and Carmella to return even though they broke up. However, they were unable to help Deville as Belair retained the title. It's essentially WWE's subtle way of saying that they have no plans whatsoever for The EST Of WWE at WrestleMania Backlash.
