WWE Raw preview (Aug. 27, 201: Ascendancy
WWE.com
Raw’s crazy travel week takes them to Toronto to do television on Mon., Aug. 27.
The Headliner(s)
When
Women’s Champ Ronda Rousey grabbed commissioner Stephanie McMahon’s arm last week, I know I’m not the only one who flashed back to rumors WWE wanted to pit Rowdy against the Billion Dollar Princess in a 2018 version of Stone Cold vs. Mr. McMahon. Then Steph passive-aggressively
sent General Manager Kurt Angle on a mandatory vacation (not that there weren’t plenty of performance-related reasons to sanction Kurt, but Rousey being a position to attack the boss lady wasn’t on him), and it looked like it was on.
Unfortunately, great as Ronda’s presence might be, she’s no Austin. And while Stephanie is an undeniable heat magnet just like her old man, she still brings back unpleasant memories of The Authority, a storyline which loomed over Monday nights for much longer than it should have.
Which is why I breathed a small sigh of relief when I saw the focus of
WWE.com’s official preview regarding this storyline is on Constable Corbin and not McMahon or Rousey.
Now, the tone of their post leads me to believe the Lone Wolf is going to find himself in over his head. We’re reminded he’s gonna have to deal with two men who kicked his *** last week in Bobby Lashley and Finn Bálor - if he’s figured out Bálor and the Demon are one in the same yet. Then there’s Ronda, who’s ready to take on all comers... including Alexa Bliss and her contractually mandated rematch, which she might not even want after the beating Rowdy put on her at
SummerSlam. And a reunited Shield. And all the other issues which have routinely given Angle, and Mick Foley before him, a ton of problems.
So we might just be putting off the return of the Authority and Stone Cold Ronda Rousey standing against it. But I’m all for putting it off as long as we can.
The title scene
Didn’t mean to give short shrift to the Hounds of Justice. They’re pretty much the thing I’m looking forward most to on this show, and we shouldn’t have to wait long for an answer regarding just how involved
Intercontinental Titleholder Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose will be in Roman Reigns’
Universal Championship business.
The Big Dog has agreed to face his nemesis, the Money in the Bank briefcase-holding Monster Among Men, Braun Strowman, in the ring to start this week’s show. Since he won’t be coming off a grueling match like he was last week when Strowman tried to cash-in, will Dean and Seth be with him? Or will they hang back and let Reigns handle his business while they focus on getting Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre off their backs?
They won the big one when they successfully defended the
Tag Team Titles at the Biggest Party of the Summer, but The B-Team followed that up with a pair of singles losses to The Revival. Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson are itching to prove Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel’s undefeated streak has been a fluke. We’ll see if the Constable gives the southern boys another chance.
Other stuff to keep an eye on:
- She didn’t look all that happy to be lining up to a shot at the new champ, but maybe Sasha Banks needs to figure out how to get some wins over The Riott Squad before she worries about a fifth title reign. Adding Ember Moon to the Boss ‘n’ Hug Connection for a trios match still didn’t get the job done in Brooklyn.
- He got his long-awaited shot at reclaiming the belt he never lost last week, but came up short despite his usual great showing. What’s next for Finn?
- Authors of Pain have started picking up wins over Titus Worldwide, and it has Apollo Crews questioning his allegiance to Titus O’Neill.
- Elias’ week in New York City did not go as planned, but at least he ended it with a win over Queens’ own Curt Hawkins.
Three weeks until
Hell in a Cell!
What will you be looking for on
Raw tonight?