WWE has the second Monday Night Raw in the post-Wrestlemania 32 time period, and things have already been shaken up in a big way!
The big WWE World Heavyweight Title program is now Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles, and AJ is being featured by WWE.com this week in the lead up to Raw.
WWE.com on AJ:
After winning last week’s Raw main event, AJ Styles has earned the right to face Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. How will The Phenomenal One keep his incredible momentum going this week? Plus, what will Raw guest star Dr. Phil have in store for some of WWE’s most combustible Superstars?
Interestingly, Shane McMahon took over Raw last week as an experiment, but it seems like he might be back for a second week. WWE.com is teasing Shane to run Raw for a second week, continuing the post-Wrestlemania reshuffling of talent and positioning. It could also be a way to set up for the TV return of HHH and Stephanie, who have not been seen since Wrestlemania 32.
Stephanie posted an old school image of herself and Shane in honor of National Sibling’s Day on Sunday April 10:
Happy #NationalSiblingsDay to my big brother Shane-O-Mac @shanemcmahon! Some things never change :))) pic.twitter.com/mGteVjpbmV
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) April 10, 2016
Another person scheduled to appear and possibly help run the show is celebrity Dr. Phil. He will be on Raw this week, and will likely appear in wacky skits throughout the show. Some possible wrestlers that could be working segments with Dr. Phil include the New Day, the #SocialOutcasts, Chris Jericho and more.
The good doctor commented on his appearance on Twitter:
There’s NO drama like wrestling… Can’t wait to be behind the scenes at @WWE #RAW tomorrow. https://t.co/emz1QJezSZ pic.twitter.com/SDSmJqvWzq
— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) April 10, 2016
One of the surprise NXT appearances on Raw last week was the team of Enzo and Big Cass. They made a splash by running down the Dudley Boyz. There is a feud brewing between these two teams, and it will continue on Raw. Will they have a match itself this week or will that be on a future Raw or possibly a PPV?
In addition to Enzo & Cass, The Vaudvillains debuted on Smackdown, and might be appearing on Raw.
Other NXT talent that debuted on Raw last week are Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin, who made his official main roster debut at Wrestlemania 32 by winning the 3rd Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Both are expected to be key figures on Raw this week, as Crew continues a push from the bottom, and Corbin launches into his feud with Dolph Ziggler.
While many storylines see their conclusion at Wrestlemania 32, the saga of Goldust and R Truth has been pushed beyond the Grandest Stage of them All. A new skit in the potential teaming of the Golden Truth will air on Raw.
After defeating Becky Lynch while Sasha Banks was distracted by Ric on the floor, Charlotte took the opportunity to bask in the glow of the all new WWE Woman’s Title presentation last week on Raw. Natalya took issue with Charlotte, and now the two seem on a collission course for the WWE Woman’s Title. The duo had great matches both in NXT and Roadblock 2016 earlier this year, so another match in their series is welcome.
The League of Nations booted King Wade Barrett from the faction last week:
RIP #TheLads. It wasn't good while it lasted..
— Stu Bennett (@StuBennett) April 5, 2016
And were then attacked by the Wyatt Family, who are apparently headed for a run as fan favorites. These two teams will likely collide on Raw tonight, either in a match or in an angle, possibly involving guest host Dr. Phil.
Dean Ambrose was kept off of Raw last week, but did appear on Smackdown to win a quick match against Tyler Breeze. After losing to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 32 and HHH at Roadblock 2016 before that, Dean needs a new direction. The next chapter in Ambrose’s WWE story is likely to kick off on Raw.
The Miz grabbed the Intercontinental Title from Zack Ryder last week on Raw, and retainded against Ryder on Smackdown, so that piece of the feud could be over with. Interestingly, Ryder’s was the shortest IC title reign since 1995, when Dean Douglas held the title for only a few minutes.
All this plus Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn, more with Sasha Banks, The Usos and more!
Here is the WWE.com Quick Hits Preview:
- Can Styles claim Reigns’ WWE World Heavyweight Title? Will the globally-renowned ring warrior continue to pick up steam this Monday night, live in Los Angeles?
- Will Shane McMahon bring us another “money” Raw? Will the risk-taking Shane-O-Mac have the opportunity to give us another crowd-pleasing edition of Raw?
- What does Dr. Phil have planned for Raw? What will happen when one of TV’s most recognizable personalities visits the WWE Universe?
- Are the Dudley Boyz “Sawft”? Is the veteran tag team afraid of what the smack-talking WWE newcomers are capable of, or will we see The Dudley Boyz retaliate this week, when Enzo & Cass least expect it?
- Is Goldust ready for his close-up? Will Truth help Goldust become a breakout star in Tinseltown?
- Will The Wyatt Family seal The League of Nations’ fate? Following that attack, are Bray Wyatt and his flock poised to engulf the international trio?
- Can Natalya knock Charlotte off her pedestal?
There is nothing officially announced for the next WWE PPV – Payback 2016 – however, several of the top matches can be inferred from recent TV storylines. These are the rumored matches for Payback 2016:
WWE World Heavyweight Title
Roman Reigns (c) vs. A.J. Styles
WWE Women’s Title
Charlotte (c) vs. Natalya
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
Baron Cobin vs. Dolph Ziggler
The Dudley Boyz vs. Enzo & Cass
The League of Nations vs. The Wyatt Family
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Triple H and Roman Reigns collide on the canvas: WWE Canvas 2 Canvas
Rob Schamberger takes his painting on the road as he portrays the brutal fight between Triple H and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 32 in his latest work completed as WrestleMania Axxess!
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