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When:
United States: LIVE, Monday Night, January 18, at 8/7c on the USA Network
United Kingdom: Tuesday Morning, January 19, at 1AM on SkySportsHD3
Where:
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, OH
Raw Five-Point Preview: Jan. 18, 2016
As if Mr. McMahon hadn’t stacked the deck against Roman Reigns already, forcing The Big Dog to defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against 29 other Superstars in this year’s historic Royal Rumble Match, one of those challengers will be the returning Brock Lesnar. How did The Beast’s re-emergence change Reigns’ strategy for the over-the-top-rope melee on Sunday, Jan. 24?
1. Is Reigns ready for The Beast … and 28 other Superstars?
Brock Lesnar has taken Roman Reigns to Suplex City before, but The Big Dog’s brutal encounter with The Beast Incarnate on Raw last week was painful for multiple reasons. Already facing an uphill battle by having to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against 29 Superstars in the 2016 Royal Rumble Match, Reigns now also finds himself in the crosshairs of The Anomaly, a monster who will stop at nothing to ascend to the top of the sports-entertainment food chain.
How will Reigns respond to Lesnar’s Royal Rumble aspirations on Raw? Can we expect another physical altercation between these longtime enemies?
2. Social distortion
With their Eight-Man Tag Team Match victory on SmackDown Thursday night, it’s clear that Heath Slater, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose and Bo Dallas are on a roll. No, we can’t believe it either.
Watch Michael Cole interview The Social Outcasts
Now that The Social Outcasts have apparently cemented themselves as WWE’s latest faction, can we expect this unusual assortment of social media-friendly Superstars to become champions in the near future? Plus, what impact will this newly formed group have on this year’s Royal Rumble Match? Expect The Social Outcasts to be a trending topic once Raw goes on the air.
3. Will Charlotte accept Becky Lynch’s Royal Rumble challenge?
After attacking Charlotte on Raw, Becky Lynch made clear on Thursday night’s SmackDown that she’s more than ready for a Divas Championship Match at the Royal Rumble event — a challenge that has yet to be accepted by the second-generation titleholder.
If The Irish Lass Kicker brings the same level of intensity to that potential Divas Title bout that she brought to SmackDown, where she soundly defeated Brie Bella, then Charlotte’s reign could be in danger on Jan. 24. Will the daughter of Ric Flair respond to her former friend?
4. Can Kalisto reclaim the U.S. Title?
It was fun while it lasted. In one of the biggest upset victories in Raw’s 23-year history, Kalisto captured Alberto Del Rio’s United States Championship — a title that was reclaimed by The Essence of Excellence on SmackDown. As one might expect from the devious Del Rio, that win was ill-gotten, and had it not been for the intervening King Barrett, Kalisto would be proudly carrying the prestigious title to Raw.
Exclusive: Del Rio comments on winning back the U.S. Title
Can the masked underdog contend with the machinations of The League of Nations and soon win back the title that was stolen from him? How are Del Rio and his associates conspiring to ensure that the star-spangled championship remains around the waist of “Mexico’s Greatest Export”?
5. Last Lunatic Standing
Dean Ambrose declared on SmackDown that at the Royal Rumble event, he’ll defend the Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing Match — an unforgiving stipulation that seems more than fitting for one of WWE’s most destructive rivalries.
For weeks now, The Lunatic Fringe and The Prizefighter have torn apart each other — and their surroundings — in the name of the Intercontinental Title. Who will be left standing on Raw, less than a week removed from what will no doubt be their most savage battle yet?
Don’t miss Raw at 8/7 C on USA Network, and be sure to tune in to Raw Pre-Show at 7:30 ET, only on the award-winning WWE Network.
When:
United States: LIVE, Monday Night, January 18, at 8/7c on the USA Network
United Kingdom: Tuesday Morning, January 19, at 1AM on SkySportsHD3
Where:
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, OH
Raw Five-Point Preview: Jan. 18, 2016
As if Mr. McMahon hadn’t stacked the deck against Roman Reigns already, forcing The Big Dog to defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against 29 other Superstars in this year’s historic Royal Rumble Match, one of those challengers will be the returning Brock Lesnar. How did The Beast’s re-emergence change Reigns’ strategy for the over-the-top-rope melee on Sunday, Jan. 24?
1. Is Reigns ready for The Beast … and 28 other Superstars?
Brock Lesnar has taken Roman Reigns to Suplex City before, but The Big Dog’s brutal encounter with The Beast Incarnate on Raw last week was painful for multiple reasons. Already facing an uphill battle by having to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against 29 Superstars in the 2016 Royal Rumble Match, Reigns now also finds himself in the crosshairs of The Anomaly, a monster who will stop at nothing to ascend to the top of the sports-entertainment food chain.
How will Reigns respond to Lesnar’s Royal Rumble aspirations on Raw? Can we expect another physical altercation between these longtime enemies?
2. Social distortion
With their Eight-Man Tag Team Match victory on SmackDown Thursday night, it’s clear that Heath Slater, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose and Bo Dallas are on a roll. No, we can’t believe it either.
Watch Michael Cole interview The Social Outcasts
Now that The Social Outcasts have apparently cemented themselves as WWE’s latest faction, can we expect this unusual assortment of social media-friendly Superstars to become champions in the near future? Plus, what impact will this newly formed group have on this year’s Royal Rumble Match? Expect The Social Outcasts to be a trending topic once Raw goes on the air.
3. Will Charlotte accept Becky Lynch’s Royal Rumble challenge?
After attacking Charlotte on Raw, Becky Lynch made clear on Thursday night’s SmackDown that she’s more than ready for a Divas Championship Match at the Royal Rumble event — a challenge that has yet to be accepted by the second-generation titleholder.
If The Irish Lass Kicker brings the same level of intensity to that potential Divas Title bout that she brought to SmackDown, where she soundly defeated Brie Bella, then Charlotte’s reign could be in danger on Jan. 24. Will the daughter of Ric Flair respond to her former friend?
4. Can Kalisto reclaim the U.S. Title?
It was fun while it lasted. In one of the biggest upset victories in Raw’s 23-year history, Kalisto captured Alberto Del Rio’s United States Championship — a title that was reclaimed by The Essence of Excellence on SmackDown. As one might expect from the devious Del Rio, that win was ill-gotten, and had it not been for the intervening King Barrett, Kalisto would be proudly carrying the prestigious title to Raw.
Exclusive: Del Rio comments on winning back the U.S. Title
Can the masked underdog contend with the machinations of The League of Nations and soon win back the title that was stolen from him? How are Del Rio and his associates conspiring to ensure that the star-spangled championship remains around the waist of “Mexico’s Greatest Export”?
5. Last Lunatic Standing
Dean Ambrose declared on SmackDown that at the Royal Rumble event, he’ll defend the Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing Match — an unforgiving stipulation that seems more than fitting for one of WWE’s most destructive rivalries.
For weeks now, The Lunatic Fringe and The Prizefighter have torn apart each other — and their surroundings — in the name of the Intercontinental Title. Who will be left standing on Raw, less than a week removed from what will no doubt be their most savage battle yet?
Don’t miss Raw at 8/7 C on USA Network, and be sure to tune in to Raw Pre-Show at 7:30 ET, only on the award-winning WWE Network.
