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WWE RAW opened the year with a fantastic episode. There was hardly anything negative about it and if we were to sit and nitpick the negatives, it wouldn't be as fun. No doubt heading into Royal Rumble, WWE has done well with all the storylines and RAW kicked off with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman making a big announcement, two major title matches and a lot of progress.
More names have entered the Royal Rumble 2020 match and the show ended with a legend returning to RAW after two years away. All in all, we have no complaints whatsoever about the show and with all that's happened, we present to you a stacked edition of the things that WWE subtly told us.
We can't wait for next week's episode of RAW and with three major matches happening (including a first-time-ever stipulation bout), these were the things that WWE majorly hinted at to start 2020.
#7 Signs of a split incoming
When Lana came out with Bobby Lashley on RAW, she was understandably not happy. The wedding was officiated without the fancy set-up, cake or anything, and he declared the couple as husband and wife.
This time, there was no drama at the wedding, but Lana went on a little rant about what happened last week, screaming furiously. Rusev appeared on screen and while Lashley told him to shut up, he interrupted Lana - with her expression immediately changing.
WWE subtly hinted at the fact that the Lana-Lashley romance won't be lasting too long. Moreover, the big payoff is next week as the two men go head-to-head after months of build. While their split won't be immediate, it's inevitable and the first cracks between the couple were exposed tonight. It'll be interesting to see how long WWE decides to have their marriage storyline go on.
#6 Brock Lesnar's Royal Rumble plans
Brock Lesnar's music will go down as the first of the decade. It's no secret that Lesnar appears every year at the Royal Rumble, seemingly contractually obligated to compete in the Big 4 PPVs.
Many wondered who his challenger would be for the WWE Championship, but much to everyone's surprise, Lesnar won't be defending the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Instead, Paul Heyman said that he'll be competing in the Royal Rumble match - entering at #1. The last time that the WWE Championship wasn't defended at the Royal Rumble was a full 30 years ago.
Likely, the reason why he isn't defending the Championship is simply that he's cleared out the division. Sure, they could put him in a filler match, but it doesn't seem as though the rising stars of RAW are ready for the bout.
Moreover, they have to save the big bout for WrestleMania so it's going to be interesting to see what happens.
#5 Aleister Black's winning streak could end soon
Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy have reportedly been in the list of superstars who Paul Heyman intends to push as the future of RAW. Two great picks with Tom Colohue tweeting that the production instructions to both men were simply to "go out there and get over".
Black has been undefeated and he has gotten the better of the Australian Buddy Murphy on every chance that he's had. However, their rivalry is far from over. WWE knows that the two men know how to make each other look good, and even in defeat, Buddy Murphy has looked fresh and relevant.
After Black's quick and effective win over Shelton Benjamin, he was beaten down by Buddy Murphy, indicating that their rivalry will continue. To add to Murphy's legitimacy, we expect him to end Black's singles undefeated streak since coming to the main roster last year.
#4 Asuka is Becky Lynch's kryptonite, but not for long
Becky Lynch has done a better job of anyone before her in putting over Asuka. Her respect for The Empress is clear and she declared her as the "only woman" to ever beat her fair and square.
She was, of course, referring to last year's Royal Rumble 2019 opener where Asuka submitted her, retaining the SmackDown Women's Championship. This time around, it's Becky Lynch defending the title and it's going to be an interesting bout. We expect it to surpass their last contest, which was fantastic in its own right.
WWE has done a great job with the dynamic of The Man and The Empress, with Asuka being presented as the kryptonite to Becky Lynch. It's a great bit of storytelling since Becky Lynch acknowledged herself as the "golden goose" of the company.
We do, however, expect the RAW Women's Champion to finally overcome Asuka.
#3 Kicking off RAW with an incredible match - the story continues
The first match of RAW this decade will go down in history - Andrade vs Rey Mysterio for the United States Championship. WWE did a great job in selecting this as the opening match and after Brock Lesnar made his bombshell announcement, the proceedings were underway for the first title match of the night.
As always, the two proved why they're among the best in the business, putting on a fantastic high-level contest. Mysterio had initially won the match but the decision was reversed after the referee spotted Andrade's leg on the rope - which was the case only because Zelina Vega put it there.
Afterward, Mysterio would get involved with Vega and accidentally took her down, which allowed Andrade to get the win. He ripped off his mask again and later in the night, Mysterio got his revenge and put his mask back on. The feud is set to continue and is far from over.
#2 Drew McIntyre's potential character change and Royal Rumble chances
Drew McIntyre may not have been in any active storyline for a while now, but WWE has made sure to protect him the best they can. He has been gaining some momentum slowly but steadily and after decimating No Way Jose in a matter of time, he declared himself as a participant in the Men's Royal Rumble 2020 match.
What was interesting, however, is the fact that he acted like a babyface after the match. He teased a face turn by interacting with the crowd and hitting a Claymore Kick on No Way Jose - even though that's not a very babyface thing to do.
However, his popularity was audible in the arena and on TV and with the string of wins that he's picked up, we believe that he has a legitimate chance at winning the Royal Rumble match. He could even turn face in the process.
#1 A big comeback for The Big Show
Samoa Joe told Kevin Owens earlier in the show that he had a man to be their third partner for the main event against Seth Rollins and AoP. He showed Owens by opening a dark room and the former Universal Champion was more than relieved, confident of their chances.
It was revealed later in the main event to be The Big Show - who made his return to RAW after two years away. The crowd was hot for him, even going as far as to chant "We want Big Show" and giving him a huge pop for the hot tag.
The Big Show's return doesn't necessarily mean a big comeback run, but it will mostly result in him having an appearance for the Royal Rumble 2020 match. We understand that slots in each brand are limited but The Big Show always adds to the spectacle of the show when he eventually gets eliminated.
Also read: 6 WWE superstars who can eliminate Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble 2020
