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It's the third last RAW before WrestleMania 35. You read that right. Next week will be the penultimate episode of RAW, and time seems to be flying faster as we quickly wind up the road to WrestleMania.
And what an episode it was last week! It ended with a No DQ Falls Count Anywhere match between Drew McIntyre and Dean Ambrose. McIntyre ended up beating Ambrose, but brutalized him afterwards, much to the shock of Renee Young on commentary.
Kurt Angle revealed that he'll be retiring at WrestleMania 35, and is set to announce his opponent. On his potentially last match on RAW, he wrestled and defeated Apollo Crews in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
Bobby Lashley became the new Intercontinental champion, while Ronda Rousey was confronted by an unlikely name. Brock Lesnar's old roommate Shelton Benjamin made a shocking RAW debut, while the Batista and Triple H segment was....something.
Without dragging on, let's look forward to what you can expect for RAW this week!
#7. Seth Rollins looks for retribution
On the very night that Brock Lesnar returns, Seth Rollins will have to take on Drew McIntyre in a grudge match for his Shield-brother Dean Ambrose. It seems like all the bad blood has been put aside between the two, and with Ambrose's future uncertain, he got rag-dolled and brutalized by Drew McIntyre last week.
The Scottish Psychopath truly lived up to his name, and Seth Rollins has a big challenge ahead of him on RAW. Will he manage to walk out with the victory? McIntyre really hasn't been losing all that often, to begin with.
Moreover, his confrontation with Brock Lesnar will likely be later on the show, so it's going to be interesting how things work out for Seth Rollins. It could end up being really bad.
#6. Give him what he wants!
Ok so we're going to have to address the elephant in the room. We, like many others and probably you as well, have no idea what on earth that Batista-Triple H segment was. For someone who's had so much success in Hollywood lately, Batista really didn't keep his composure.
Either way, it begs the question as to whether he's going to make his presence known on RAW. Will he get what he wants?
#5. The Beast Incarnate returns
Brock Lesnar is finally back for the first time after the Royal Rumble. He assaulted the Rumble winner Seth Rollins and instantly set up a match against him at WrestleMania. While he's been loafing around, Rollins has continued to tear it up.
Will we get an explanation over Shelton Benjamin's sudden allegiance towards Paul Heyman? Will he once again appear on RAW and align with Lesnar in a shocking move?
#4. Kurt Angle to announce his retirement opponent
It seemed inevitable but now that it's official, it really does seem kind of odd. Kurt Angle has been on our screens for nearly two decades now, whether it was with WWE or with TNA/Impact Wrestling.
Either way, right in front of his hometown crowd of Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania, Angle revealed that he will be having his farewell match at WrestleMania 35. It's an apt time for him to retire and hopefully, he gets the respect he deserves on his way out.
As to who he's facing? It could be anyone from Baron Corbin, to Drew McIntyre, to Finn Balor or any of the other younger stars. You know for sure that Angle wants to have a dream match on his way out, and tonight on RAW, he's all set to announce his WrestleMania opponent.
Who will it be? Voice your opinions below!
#3. Beth Phoenix to come out of retirement?
Natalya seemingly ended her alliance with Ronda Rousey, saying that she really doesn't know who to trust in this business. While it's true, there is one person who's always had her back - her best friend Beth Phoenix.
We know the altercation that took place post-Fastlane after Sasha Banks & Bayley defeated Nia Jax and Tamina. Last week on RAW, Natalya and Beth Phoenix headed to the ring together with revenge on their mind, and they ended up getting the better of the powerful duo.
With the two teams warring, it looks like Beth Pheonix is returning to the ring for WrestleMania. The two people who are going to be dragged into this is Sasha Banks and Bayley, as they look to defend the WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania.
Is a triple threat the direction we're headed for WrestleMania? Is The Glamazon officially back?
#2. Dana Brooke gets her first-ever title shot
Last week, Ronda Rousey went on a rather bitter tirade against Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and the WWE fans. Naturally, they were booing her, but unlike the two names expected to show up, it was the unlikeliest one in the locker room who would go and stand up to Ronda Rousey - Dana Brooke.
Dana Brooke has been very vocal about the fact that she's neglected and not been given the same opportunities, but she cut a very passionate promo standing up for the women and the locker room, only to get utterly decimated by the RAW Women's Champion.
Now, Dana Brooke has a big opportunity against Ronda Rousey for the RAW women's Championship. It's actually the first-ever title match she's received on television, including her NXT tenure.
If that doesn't go to show how much she's been neglected, then nothing is going to.
#1. Finn Balor gets a mystery partner against Lashley and Rush
Last week, Finn Balor, unfortunately, lost the Intercontinental Championship to The Almighty Bobby Lashley, all thanks to the help of Lio Rush. This ended his extremely brief reign as Intercontinental Champion, hardly even getting one defense of the title in.
Either way, having done a media tour and other obligations in the UAE right after, Balor returns to the United States in Chicago to take on Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush in a tag team match.
His match is advertised as him and a "mystery partner", but who knows who's going to show up. We believe that Finn Balor's mystery partner will, in fact, be The Monster Among Men Braun Strowman.
Strowman has been allied with Balor before, and with no direction for him on RAW at the moment, he probably won't mind giving a helping hand to Balor.
