WWE Monday Night Raw preview: December 18, 2017

We are slowly inching towards WWE's next 'big' pay-per-view, Royal Rumble, and the WWE creative is slowly putting the wheels in motion for what they have planned for the fans for the night of the big fight.

Some of the RAW superstars were in action at the WWE Tribute to the Troops 2017, where Shield took on the deadly trio of Samoa Joe, Sheamus and Cesaro. While Absolution had the chance to get one over the Women's division after last week's ambush.

The Beast Incarnate will also be present tonight as Kurt Angle will finally reveal who Brock Lesnar's Royal Rumble opponent will be.

RAW will be coming live to us from The Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island and here is the preview of what promises to be a blockbuster night.

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#5 Who and what is next for The Bar?

What does the time have in store for them?

The Shield and Bar have been feuding for a while now and it appears that the rivalry has reached its end, or has it?

Will Rollins and Ambrose be Bar's Royal Rumble opponents, where the recently united stablemates will sow the seeds for another split? After all, all good things must come to an end, right?

WWE creative have a lot of room to experiment with this storyline and it will be interesting to note just how they plan to take it forward.

At WWE Tribute to the Troops, The Shield bested The Bar and Samoa Joe in a Six-Man Tag Team match. It could be possible that the Bar vs. Shield thing has run its course and the Raw Tag Team Champions' opponents for the Royal Rumble will be decided by one way or another tonight or in the coming weeks.

Like I said, the creative team have a lot of room to try something new and surprise the WWE Universe. For now, we will have to wait and see, exactly Who or What is next for the Bar?

#4 Will the Great War finally begin?

The Great War needs to begin... NOW!

Matt Hardy has been "Woken" but the WWE Universe has only witnessed extraterrestrial exchanges between him and Bray Wyatt so far. In-flesh, they are yet to cross paths.

The duo, who have been interacting through vignettes, have hyped up the Great War in recent weeks and it is only apt that the first blow is landed sooner rather than later.

Will the "Woken" one finally come face to face with the "Eater of Worlds"? Will the Great War finally begin? Or will the extraterrestrial exchanges continue?

#3 Absolute Absolution!

Is there any stopping for the trio?

Revenge is a dish, best served cold. And Absolution had a taste of some of that only last week when the entire Women's locker room came out to put an end to their ruthless destruction.

Absolution did get one back over the others as they beat the team of Sasha Banks, Bayley and Mickie James at Tribute to the Troops, but what will they do about the others?

Will Paige and her aides be able to hold their own against the rest? Or will Absolution be undone for the second week in a row?

#2 Who will invade The Big Dog's yard next?

Whos next for Roman Reigns?

The Big Dog has laid down the marker. It is his yard and he is not letting anyone invade his territory.

The WWE Intercontinental Champion picked up a win over Cesaro last week, in what was an epic battle between two supremely talented wrestlers.

Cesaro, like Jason Jordan and Elias before him, tried and failed in his attempt to win the title from Reigns. What has the WWE planned for "The Big Dog" next?

Is the long-awaited battle of the Samoans on the card? Will Samoa Joe and Reigns finally meet for a singles fight? Or will it be Cesaro once again?

Or has the WWE planned a Christmas surprise for the Intercontinental champion? Let your imagination run wild!

#1 "The Beast" is back!

What awaits the "Beast Incarnate"?

The battle of the behemoths finally looked to reach its fever pitch last week when Kane and Strowman squared in the middle of the ring for the right to challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at WWE Royal Rumble.

However, the battle between the two monsters soon descended into chaos and the two were counted out by the referee. The Beast still doesn't have an opponent for Royal Rumble, but that is likely to change tonight with Lesnar returning to television tonight, with his agent Paul Heyman.

Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, and Paul Heyman (and a few others too) will meet in the middle of the ring to set things straight tonight.

Could "The Beast" be in for some double trouble at Royal Rumble, as he defends his title against both Braun Strowman and Kane in a triple-threat match?

There is an upside to every angle if you think. Strowman can face Lesnar and further enhance his ever-growing reputation.

Or will the match, 14 years in the making finally see the light of day? Will Kane finally face Lesnar in a singles match, the Big Red Machine vs. The Beast Incarnate?

Or will a true challenger emerge from all this chaos? And what if, it is not Strowman or Kane? Someone different altogether, someone demonic, or something demonic? Maybe, a demon king?

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