4 questions WWE RAW must answer in the aftermath of Backlash 2023
WWE Backlash 2023 emanated from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and what a spectacle it was! From the opening match to the main event, the crowd was invested, and the superstars brought their A-Game. Hometown heroes Damian Priest, Zelina Vega, and, of course, Bad Bunny had the arena rocking, but the rest of the roster were no slouches.
Backlash was a resounding success, but like any other premium live event, it left behind some questions. With the newly-drafted rosters imminently coming into effect, Monday Night RAW will get the first crack at forging ahead before SmackDown gets a turn. What pressing questions will the red brand tackle?
Here are four of the biggest questions WWE RAW must answer in the aftermath of Backlash 2023!
#4: Which WWE RAW star will compete for the World Heavyweight Championship at Night Of Champions 2023?
Who will become WWE World Heavyweight Champion at #WWENOC? https://t.co/6M2L6fWFa1
WWE announced the 12 men who will be competing in the upcoming World Heavyweight Championship tournament on social media yesterday. The likes of Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, and Damian Priest are set to face off for one of the coveted spots at Night of Champions on behalf of RAW.
They will compete in two triple-threat matches, the winners of which will face off later to determine who will represent the red brand on May 27. SmackDown's half of the bracket will then follow suit on Friday night, thereby setting the match. We don't know much about tonight's show, but we know for sure that we shall find out which WWE RAW star will fight for the World Heavyweight Championship in Saudi Arabia.
#3: What plans are in store for Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and the tag team titles at Night Of Champions 2023?
#AndStill...
@SamiZayn and @FightOwensFight will remain your Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions! 👏👏👏 https://t.co/eLRCNobqjH
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are the WWE Undisputed tag team champions, having been crowned at WrestleMania 39 just over a month ago. Owens and Zayn have famously never performed at a Saudi event due to their personal beliefs and affiliations clashing with the kingdom's politics. Saudi Arabia plays host to Night Of Champions on May 27, an event that requires all titles to be defended.
WWE seems to have a conundrum on its hands. Will Zayn and Owens be written off? Shockingly dethroned? Granted an exception to the tradition? Some other clever workaround we never saw coming? RAW will have the answer to these questions, or at least a hint in that direction, seeing as the event is less than three weeks away!
#2: What will be the first feuds for the newly-drafted RAW roster?
#WWERaw gets the next pick in the #WWEDraft:
#Imperium is seeing RED! @Gunther_AUT @VinciWWE @wwe_kaiser 😤🔥 https://t.co/ZiOvYonf1W
After the 2023 WWE Draft shuffled the company's talent, Backlash finished some stories before the reset. Rhea Ripley vs Zelina Vega and Bad Bunny vs Damian Priest delivered a rousing crescendo, at least for now, to the LWO-Judgment Day saga. Rollins vs Omos was a fun one-and-done, while Rhodes vs Lesnar may or may not be done.
Post-Backlash, the vast majority of the RAW roster will get a clean slate to begin building a new cycle of storytelling. What will be in store for them? Who will challenge Gunther, Ripley and Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn? How will the NXT call-ups make their bows?
#1: How will WWE RAW handle the Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair title-branding situation?
Of all the questions WWE needs to answer going forward, perhaps the most head-scratching one is the matter of women's titles. RAW Women's Champion, Bianca Belair, was drafted to SmackDown, and her blue brand counterpart, Rhea Ripley, went the other way. As a result, there is quite a bit of confusion over how the switch will be handled.
Will they swap titles like Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch did in 2021? Given how poorly that exchange was generally received, what will the company do differently? Will Bianca's record-breaking tenure with the red title carry over to her new brand? Will Triple H make another massive change and introduce new women's titles, scrapping the brand-specific designs?
We are fairly certain the red brand will have the answers!