WWE posts a “Five-Point Preview” for Monday Night Raw every week. Since WWE airs Raw live, it’s the only current WWE program that you can’t find spoilers for online. WWE does give viewers a glimpse at the night’s events, but no matches have been confirmed for the Royal Rumble go-home show. WWE.com’s preview looks at five different stories in the WWE Universe that are scheduled to get some air-time on Raw .
Tonight, with John Cena out for months, the Royal Rumble being less a week away, and Brock Lesnar meeting Royal Rumble Match opponent Chris Jericho face-to-face, the tone for the first steps of the Road to WrestleMania 32 will be set. Who will leave Monday Night Raw as the odds-on-favorite to hold Roman Reigns’ WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the end of Sunday’s Rumble Match?
WWE Planning Brock Lesnar Vs. Chris Jericho For ‘WrestleMania 32’? https://t.co/rdTUryJiOZ pic.twitter.com/PbkChwXSNr
— INQUISITR Sports (@InquisitrSports) January 18, 2016
While Roman Reigns and Brock Lensar remain the two most obvious choices for Sunday’s winner, WWE will surely try to convince the WWE Universe that all 30 entrants have a chance and will probably try to sell talent such as Jericho, Big Show, and Sheamus as a legitimate threat to The Big Dog and The Beast Incarnate. According to WWE.com’s official Monday Night Raw preview page, below are five narratives from the WWE Universe that will likely be addressed on the USA Network tonight.
Will chaos erupt on The Highlight Reel ?
With what may end up being a feud to pass the time until Mania , Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman will be a guest on tonight’s episode of The Highlight Reel with Chris Jericho. As What Culture confirmed, Lesnar and Jericho are both being advertised for Fast Lane in February, and some rumors even point to Brock Lesnar vs. Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 32 . There’s a lot of uncertainty about this year’s WrestleMania card still, but it seems likely that Lesnar and Jericho will clash between now and then, and tonight’s Highlight Reel may just be the first of a few encounters before WWE ends up in Dallas.
Social distortion
Like Raven’s Flock, they constantly remind their audience that they are shunned by society. Like the J.O.B. Squad, it’s a collection of competitors who rarely win matches on their own. Like the Oddities, they can barely communicate with one another. To their credit, the Social Outcasts — Heath Slater, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose, and Bo Dallas — are not playing the role of cowardly heels. While they’re not exactly faces at this point, they did step up and challenge The Wyatt Family. They beat the other Superstars and Main Event regulars — Goldust, Jack Swagger, Zack Ryder, and Damien Sandow — in an eight-man tag match on WWE Thursday Night SmackDown , and at least one member has been confirmed for Sunday’s 30-man battle royal.
Big WWE NXT Match Set, Social Outcasts Talk WWE Royal Rumble, Bellas Photos – https://t.co/wKcpFYpyGa #WWE #TNA pic.twitter.com/kT9xeuhORS
— WrestlingInc.com (@WrestlingIncCom) January 16, 2016
No confirmed match has been announced for the Social Outcasts on Raw tonight, but if they’re a part of the “Five-Point Preview,” you can bet they’ll be making an appearance.
Will Charlotte accept Becky Lynch’s Royal Rumble challenge?
With both Sasha Banks and Paige out with injuries, this is Becky’s chance to prove she’s not the weak link of the new generation of WWE Divas. The Lass Kicker’s name was on multiple 2015 NXT Match of the Year nominated bouts, and this is an opportunity for Lynch to put on a Slammy-worthy performance in front of the mainstream WWE Universe. Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch for the WWE Divas Championship could easily wind up being the best match on Sunday’s undercard.
@RealMickFoley Yes please ? @RicFlairNatrBoy @MsCharlotteWWE @BeckyLynchWWE pic.twitter.com/B6Ef30dWvB
— Abdulmalik | ???????? (@97Abdulmalik) January 9, 2016
Can Kalisto reclaim the U.S. Title?
After an upset win on last week’s Raw , Kalisto lost his rematch with Alberto Del Rio for the United States Championship the very next night at the SmackDown taping. Since no rematch is being advertised for tonight’s show, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if WWE books ADR vs. Kalisto at Royal Rumble for the U.S. Title.
Kalisto and Alberto Del Rio to wrestle on Monday’s episode of WWE RAW? https://t.co/1tHRosSBK8 pic.twitter.com/cNUGmDvDr1
— WrestlingNewsPremium.com (@WrestNewsPost) January 15, 2016
Last Lunatic Standing
The only match confirmed prior to Raw other than the Royal Rumble main event is Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. SmackDown has really been their arena lately, with the first two episodes airing on USA, ending with the Lunatic Fringe and the Prize Fighter brawling after a no-fall finish to their match.
#WWE #SmackDown HIGHLIGHTS: @TheDeanAmbrose laid down a dangerous challenge for @FightOwensFight at #RoyalRumble ! https://t.co/XBuN8GjKgH
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2016
Brock Lesnar will be in the ring with Chris Jericho, Dean Ambrose will undoubtedly run into Kevin Owens, and WWE is teasing at least two other title matches for Sunday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2016 . The WWE Universe can tune into WWE Monday Night Raw on USA beginning at 8/7c. The Raw Pre-Show can be streamed on the WWE Network at 7:30/6:30c.
[Image via WWE ]