When:
United States: LIVE, Monday Night, January 9, at 8/7c on the USA Network
United Kingdom: Tuesday Morning, January 10, at 12AM on Sky Sports 5 HD
Where:
Smoothie King Center
New Orleans, LA
Raw preview, Jan. 9, 2017: The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels descend upon New Orleans
As Shawn Michaels heads to New Orleans for Raw, it’s rumored that The Undertaker will also make his presence felt in The Big Easy. How will HBK and The Deadman affect the Team Red landscape, three weeks before the Royal Rumble event? Also on Raw, Roman Reigns defends the United States Championship against WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match!
What do The Deadman and The Showstopper have planned?
When we last saw The Undertaker on WWE television, he was delivering an ominous warning to Team SmackDown before Survivor Series, putting the fear of The Deadman into Team Blue’s five-Superstar squad mere days before WWE’s annual fall classic. Given the grave circumstances, SmackDown LIVE won that 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Men's Elimination Match.
Although SmackDown LIVE is The Undertaker’s chosen home, it’s rumored that The Phenom will make an appearance on this Monday’s Raw in New Orleans, the very city in which his iconic WrestleMania Streak came to an end at the hands of Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30. Might The Undertaker’s potential appearance have implications for this year’s Show of Shows in Orlando? Or perhaps he’ll give us yet another reason to “Remember the Rumble” on Jan. 29 in San Antonio, Texas.
Speaking of San Antonio, Alamo City’s own Shawn Michaels is officially slated to visit this week’s edition of Raw. HBK, who stars in the forthcoming WWE Studios film “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone,” tends to shake things up whenever he drops in on Monday night’s hottest show. When his music hits, you won’t want to miss what comes next.
Can Reigns defy the odds against Owens and Jericho in a Handicap Match?
United States Champion Roman Reigns seems unstoppable lately, retaining his title against both Chris Jericho and WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens in recent weeks. However, live this Monday in New Orleans, The Big Dog will need to defend Old Glory against both Jeri-KO members simultaneously in a Handicap Match.
The notorious best friends already consider themselves co-bearers of the WWE Universal Championship — a title officially held by Owens — but they could very well also share the U.S. Title by Monday’s end if the numbers game works in their favor.
Additionally, this match comes less than three weeks before Reigns challenges Owens for Team Red’s crown jewel at Royal Rumble, when Jericho will be locked inside a shark cage and suspended above the ring to forestall his interference. It’ll be a fair fight for Reigns that night in the Alamodome. But this Monday, The Big Easy will be anything but for the indomitable Superstar.
Despite the circumstances, The Big Dog’s confidence seems to remain unshaken.
Who will declare for the Royal Rumble Match?
Last week on Raw, the Royal Rumble Match picture became much clearer when The New Day, Chris Jericho and Braun Strowman revealed that they will join Goldberg and Brock Lesnar in this year’s 30-Superstar over-the-top-rope classic. On SmackDown LIVE, 2016 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner Baron Corbin threw his name into the mix as well.
There is always room for surprises in the Royal Rumble Match, but there are also many more spots in the bout that have yet to be claimed by Team Red’s roster. Will more Superstars step forward this week?
Will Bayley dethrone Charlotte Flair?
Charlotte Flair has tried to keep Bayley out of arm’s reach of the Raw Women’s Championship, but after this past Monday night, The Huggable One is closer than ever to wrapping her arms around The Queen’s vaunted prize.
Thanks to a surprise distraction from the returning Sasha Banks, Bayley put away the formidable Nia Jax with a Bayley-to-Belly Suplex to secure a championship opportunity against Flair at Royal Rumble. The uplifting challenger has defeated Charlotte on multiple occasions already, so she has proven she can hang with The Queen. Is Bayley ready to fulfill her childhood dream and ascend to the top of the Raw Women’s division?
Is Neville our next WWE Cruiserweight Champion?
New Year, new Neville? It certainly seems that way, as the former fan-favorite continues his ruthless dominance of the Cruiserweight division on both Raw and WWE Network’s 205 Live, most recently defeating former WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins this past Tuesday night.
Current titleholder Rich Swann has also felt the sting of defeat at the hands of “The King of the Cruiserweights,” but never when the title has been on the line. Will Neville soon earn a WWE Cruiserweight Championship opportunity? Perhaps we’ll learn more about Neville’s next move this Monday night.
Don’t miss Raw at 8/7 C, live on USA Network!
