Last week on Raw, it was firmly established that WWE is invested in a new heel monster, who goes by the name of Braun Strowman. From toppling an ambulance to breaking a ring in half, the exploits of the monster among men have become significantly more vicious, since the conclusion of Wrestlemania 33.
Following his rampage in the last few weeks, in this piece, we analyse what’s in store for his fortunate fans and unfortunate opponents. Also, we delve into what’s planned for the rest of the roster, as we head into the Payback pay-per-view. With that said here is our preview of what could be an interesting episode of Raw.
#5 Will Roman Reigns be hiding in the trash?
Roman Reigns suffered a personal tragedy this week (with the loss of his brother Rosey aka. Matt Anoa’i), and one wonders what his state of mind currently is. However, with only days to go until the Payback PPV, we think it is quite possible that he will make his comeback this week and take out the indestructible Monster Among Men.
The big question is, will Roman Reigns be hiding in the garbage?
Also read: WWE Raw Results April 24th, 2017; live updates
Kalisto challenged Braun Strowman to a Dumpster Match this week (he had been tossed into a dumpster the week prior by Strowman), with a botched tweet. Kalisto initially said all monsters have weaknesses but went on to say that Braun Strowman is no monster.
While Strowman may or may not be a monster, he certainly is far higher up the card than Kalisto is, and we don’t see the match lasting over a minute unless Roman Reigns interferes. If he does, cue the ‘Roman is garbage’ memes.
#4 Will The Miz and Maryse imitate another couple?
For those who are unfamiliar with the show, WWE has a series running parallel to the wrestling content- entitled ‘Total Divas’. John Cena and Nikki Bella are an integral part of the show, much like The Miz and Maryse.
The A-List Couple used elements from the show to parody John Cena and Nikki Bella, leading up to their Wrestlemania match. Now that another member of Total Divas, Dean Ambrose is on Raw, still feuding for the Intercontinental Championship...we wonder if The Miz and Maryse will parody him and his girlfriend SmackDown Live announcer- Renee Young.
While Renee Young may be on another brand, the entire Payback PPV scenario consists of Superstars on different brands. It is clear that The Miz holds the Intercontinental Championship very close to his heart and that he'll go to any lengths to retrieve it from Ambrose.
We hope their Raw program is as entertaining as their SmackDown Live one was.
#3 Will Finn Balor continue to wrestle against jobbers?
Finn Balor made his triumphant return at the Raw after Wrestlemania 33. Unfortunately, a stray elbow from Jinder Mahal temporarily halted his progress after his return, while it catapulted Mahal to the top of the WWE food chain.
Last week, we saw him wrestle Curt Hawkins and of course, beat him in almost no time.
Is creative waiting until Payback is done to book a program between Balor and some other Superstar? Are they playing it safe, considering his recent concussions? This episode of Raw could bring us a step closer to discovering the answer to these questions.
#2 Will we see the first cracks in the Hardy Boyz?
We had recently reported in an exclusive piece that The Hardyz not using their ‘Broken’ gimmicks from TNA had nothing to do with Anthem. Instead, Vince McMahon did not understand or appreciate the Broken Universe and saw The Hardy Boyz merely as Team Extreme from over a decade ago.
However, considering the popularity of the gimmick and the ‘Delete' chants, McMahon is keen on bringing the Broken Universe to WWE when this incarnation of the Hardyz is done for good.
While this is not expected to happen until The Hardy Boyz drop their belts, could we see a glimpse of The Broken Hardyz this week? Keep in mind that a large portion of WWE's audience does not watch Impact Wrestling at all. The transition will need to be carried out, quite judiciously
#1 Is this Jericho's last Raw for a while?
Chris Jericho will get his US title rematch at the Payback pay-per-view, and immediately after, he will go on tour with his band Fozzy. After what has been the best run of his already Hall of Fame-worthy career, Chris Jericho will take a hiatus from the ring.
His band's tour continues all through the month of May into June, and we’ll definitely miss him. We think it's safe to say that this may be his last Raw for some time now.
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