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Welcome to this week's edition of RAW after the Royal Rumble 2023 preview. It was an incredible night on Saturday, with two of the Rumble winners securing their tickets to WrestleMania.
By the end of the night, it wasn't even the Rumble matches that people were talking about - it was the aftermath of the main event between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens.
This episode will feature the immediate fallout of the Royal Rumble event, and it's the first RAW on the road to WrestleMania 39. So let's begin:
#6. What will be the fallout from the main event of Royal Rumble 2023?
Roman Reigns brutalized Kevin Owens in the main event of the Royal Rumble - retaining his Universal Championship as expected. However, post-match, he continued to attack an already unconscious Owens and put Sami Zayn in a position where he forced him to attack his (former) best friend.
Sami Zayn was vocal, telling the Tribal Chief that enough was done, but Reigns tried to gaslight him the same way he did to Jey Uso in 2020. Only this time, it didn't work. Zayn stood in an all-too-familiar position for Roman Reigns - behind his back with a chair in his hand.
In a shocking twist, Sami Zayn attacked Roman Reigns before dropping the steel chair and profusely apologizing to Jey Uso - the only member of The Bloodline to stand up for him.
An attack on Zayn followed, with Jey Uso walking out and refusing to take part in the aftermath. Following the sight of Sami Zayn and KO lying unconscious on the mat as the show ended, we will see the fallout of it all.
For Sami Zayn, it will kickstart his first babyface run in over 5 years. For Kevin Owens, his road to WrestleMania will likely align with the former Honorary Uce.
#5. Will Brock Lesnar return to RAW for retribution against Bobby Lashley at the Royal Rumble?
Brock Lesnar returned to RAW last week to cost Bobby Lashley his US Title match against Austin Theory. Lashley made a surprise appearance on SmackDown, only for Lesnar to take him out.
In the Men's Royal Rumble match, The All Mighty got a measure of revenge as he eliminated The Beast Incarnate - with the latter spending less than 2.5 minutes in the match.
This likely means that 10-time World Champion Brock Lesnar will have his WrestleMania match against Bobby Lashley confirmed soon - hopefully as early as tonight.
#4. Rhea Ripley's big choice on RAW
Rhea Ripley made history in the Women's Royal Rumble match. While she became the sixth Women's Royal Rumble winner, her victory was perhaps more impressive than everybody's before her.
Despite getting attacked by Beth Phoenix earlier in the night, she entered at number one and lasted for 1 hour, 1 minute, and 8 seconds. Along with #2 entrant Liv Morgan, this was the longest time spent inside the Women's Royal Rumble.
Also, in doing so, Ripley became the first woman to win the Royal Rumble in the #1 spot and the fourth person overall (Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, and Edge were the others).
On RAW tonight, The Eradicator will have a big choice to make - it's either RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair, or SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair - who she previously faced three years ago at WrestleMania 36.
However, before she can make her choice, we expect Edge and Beth Phoenix to be her next hurdle at the Elimination Chamber.
#3. What will happen between Becky Lynch and Damage CTRL?
Becky Lynch had an average showing in the Women's Royal Rumble - lasting a little under 11 minutes and getting two eliminations. However, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Bayley and Damage CTRL were responsible for eliminating her.
With Damage CTRL constantly getting the better of Big Time Becks, will she finally get a measure of revenge on the red brand this week?
#2. Does the Elimination Chamber await Bianca Belair?
Bianca Belair put away Alexa Bliss at the Royal Rumble to retain her RAW Women's Championship. In over two months, she will complete a year with the title, but her next big challenge awaits.
In under three weeks, she will likely have to put her RAW Women's Title on the line against five other women. While she won the chamber match last year, the odds aren't necessarily in her favor to win it again.
Will The EST of WWE have to defend her title inside the chamber? Or will we see a #1 contender's match like we did last year?
#1. The Rhodes to WrestleMania begins
Cody Rhodes entered the Men's Royal Rumble match at #30 and eliminated the #1 entrant Gunther (who lasted a whopping 71 minutes and 40 seconds), to win the match.
With the victory, his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 39 is secured. Unlike Rhea Ripley, there is no choice for him to make. Roman Reigns has had a stronghold of the Universal Championship for nearly 900 days, and it doesn't look like that will end before WrestleMania.
We will likely see the returning Cody Rhodes address Roman Reigns on RAW and for their rivalry to begin.
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