The WWE heads out to the Staples Center in Los Angeles this week for what should be an interesting edition of "Monday Night RAW."
This week, the buildup to Payback, which emanates from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on May 1, will continue. Dr. Phil will serve as the guest host.
Here are five keys to this week's edition of the WWE's flagship show.
1) 'RAW' is Shane?
Even though Shane McMahon lost to The Undertaker, his father, Vince McMahon, gave him the keys to run "RAW" last week, thus negating the entire stipulation for his Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania. Despite the gaps in logic, the WWE has teased that Shane-O Mac could once again be in charge this week on its website, so it's likely he'll run the show yet again.
2) Wyatt Family Riot
The Wyatt Family sparked a new feud with The League of Nations on last week's show, and it looks like both factions are heading toward a war at Payback. Both groups are down to three members as Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman remain for the Wyatts after Luke Harper's legitimate leg injury, while Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Rusev kicked Bad News Barrett out of their group. The Barrett removal likely was likely due to him publicly stating he didn't plan on re-signing when his deal runs out.
3) Dazzling Debuts & Riveting Returns
Baron Corbin made his debut at WrestleMania and followed it up last week by taking out Dolph Ziggler on his first-ever "RAW," which appears to mean he will be feuding with "The Showoff" much like Tyler Breeze did when he was called up.
Enzo Amore and Big Cass also made their WWE debuts last week on "RAW" and have breathed new life into the tag division. It seems the NXT duo will be rivals with The Dudleyz early in their careers. The Vaudevillians also made their debut on "SmackDown."
There was also the return of Maryse last week as she helped lead her husband The Miz to the Intercontinental Championship. After The Miz retained the gold on "SmackDown" against former champion Zack Ryder, a new rival could be waiting in the wings. The couple appeared together on "SmackDown Fallout" this week:
4) Diva Divide
It seems the WWE is steering the Divas Championship scene away from Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch despite the ladies helping to steal the show with Charlotte at WrestleMania 32. Natalya emerged as a new contender for Ric Flair's daughter's title, though one has to wonder if the WWE is missing the boat on "The Boss" and "The Lass Kicker."
5) Styles Clash
AJ Styles is the No. 1 contender for Roman Reigns' WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Though a date for their match has yet to be confirmed, it appears they're headed toward a battle at Payback. Styles is a great choice for No. 1 contender, even if it risks turning fans on Reigns even more. Both Superstars will likely talk about their clash, while it will be interesting to see if Triple H and Dean Ambrose return this week after being noticeably absent last week.
For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
