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WWE RAW should be interesting this week. We're just three RAW episodes away from SummerSlam 2021 - the biggest WWE pay-per-view of the calendar year. RAW may not have been particularly great last week, but this episode seems a lot more promising.
We will see legends return, feuds progress, and hopefully, good character development as well. While SmackDown seems to be the more "stacked" side heading into SummerSlam, there appears to be some promise for a good episode of RAW this week. Here is what you can look forward to:
#5. Nikki A.S.H. faces Charlotte Flair in a No Holds Barred rematch on RAW
This isn't exactly a highly-anticipated rematch. Merely a week after Nikki A.S.H. dethroned Charlotte Flair by cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase, The Queen instantly challenged her to a match on RAW to prove that her victory was a fluke.
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While the story should have likely led to Charlotte Flair losing again, it didn't. Nikki A.S.H. was beaten convincingly in her first week as the RAW Women's Champion.
It should be mentioned that before this match, it was announced that the RAW Women's title match at SummerSlam would feature Nikki Cross defending against Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match.
This essentially confirms that Becky Lynch won't be returning to RAW on time for SummerSlam. Either way, the main event was slightly underwhelming last week as Charlotte Flair proved herself right by beating the RAW Women's Champion.
Nikki A.S.H. cut a lackluster promo and challenged her to a rematch this week, making it official. However, this week on RAW, the two women will face off in a No Holds Barred Match.
We can only hope that Nikki A.S.H. will win with the advantage of the stipulation, but there could also be a scenario where the popular champion gets beaten again just as she did last week.
It was simply a bad look for the new RAW Women's Champion to lose last week with a beatdown from Charlotte Flair.
#4. Riddle has a (literally) massive challenge on RAW
This week on RAW, Riddle faces a colossal challenge in the form of 7'3 giant Omos. At first, Omos was simply AJ Styles' bodyguard, but he is now his tag team partner and one-half of the RAW Tag Team Champions.
Usually, it's been Omos who has been doing the heavy lifting for the team, getting the main pinfall in nearly every victory they've had so far as the RAW Tag Team Champions. After defeating The Viking Raiders, their feud with the former Champions seems to be over.
For some reason, the RAW Tag Team Champions targeted Riddle in his match against John Morrison last week and even cost him, for some reason. It ensued in a post-match beatdown for The King Of Bros, indicating that he will be their next feud.
But it won't just be him. Randy Orton has been absent for over a month now and has laid low. Advertisements in Chicago seem to indicate that The Viper will be returning to RAW this week at last.
This means that the 19-year veteran will likely return to save his tag team partner from a beatdown by the RAW Tag Team Champions. It will also instantly set up Styles & Omos vs RK-Bro at SummerSlam - leading to a significant title change.
#3. Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal's feud heats up on RAW
Drew McIntyre was confronted by Jinder Mahal, Veer, and a lawyer last week on RAW. The Modern-Day Maharaja demanded an apology, but it was nowhere near accepted.
Veer turned out to be the sacrificial lamb last week on RAW, but the match ended in a disqualification instead. Ultimately, Drew McIntyre got to have the last laugh as he even blasted Jinder Mahal's attorney with a Claymore Kick.
This is the Drew McIntyre we've been waiting to see for the last few months on RAW. Admittedly, he began to "soften up" a bit in the last few months leading up to RAW. The Drew McIntyre who carried WWE through most of 2020 wasn't the same man who cracked jokes and talked about his sword having history with the Loch Ness monster.
It seems as though Drew McIntyre has brushed all the ridiculousness aside and is all set for a big SummerSlam showdown against former 3MB teammate Jinder Mahal.
Will Jinder Mahal finally get the better of Drew McIntyre on RAW this week? Or will The Scotsman continue to humiliate the former WWE Champion?
#2. Damian Priest continues his US title pursuit on RAW
Sheamus was full of confidence on RAW after ending his feud with Humberto Carrillo the previous week. However, there were no breaks for the United States Champion as the next challenger was already waiting.
That challenger was none other than Damian Priest, who faced Sheamus in a non-title match on RAW. Damian Priest has been carrying a wave of momentum despite not being too heavily featured in June and July.
It sets up a potential SummerSlam clash between the two RAW superstars. WWE hinted on their website that Damian Priest might have re-injured Sheamus' nose on his way to victory.
Don't be surprised to see United States Champion Sheamus on RAW this week with his face mask again. What seems inevitable is Sheamus ducking Damian Priest and making every possible excuse not to defend his title against him.
Hopefully, WWE does away with these "Championship Contender" matches on RAW that have become increasingly frequent in recent weeks.
#1. Goldberg returns to RAW
Unsurprisingly, Goldberg wasn't present on RAW last week. When Bobby Lashley was asked once more about Goldberg's SummerSlam challenge for the WWE Championship, a furious Bobby Lashley said that he wouldn't even dignify the legend with a response.
It was evident that Bobby Lashley didn't want anything to do with Goldberg, but his former Hurt Business teammates Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander came out. It was quite an incredible squash match on RAW as the Almighty WWE Champion destroyed both Benjamin and Alexander simultaneously.
It was the perfect showcase for the WWE Champion and the dominant run that he has been on. But all of that could come crashing down at the hands of WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg.
On RAW tonight, Goldberg returns after two weeks to respond to Bobby Lashley and MVP's "non-answer." Will Goldberg manage to goad MVP and Bobby Lashley into accepting his WWE Championship challenge? Or will authority figures Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville be forced to play their hands on RAW?
Either way, this is going to be the main feud on RAW heading into SummerSlam 2021.
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