6 Things WWE Subtly Told us on the RAW after WrestleMania 38: 4-Time Champion to turn heel after 2.5 years, 24-year-old star set to win first-ever title soon?
Welcome to things WWE subtly told us on the RAW after WrestleMania 38. It was an epic episode of the red brand, and perhaps the best post-WrestleMania edition we've seen in years.
To add to that, it was the first RAW after WrestleMania with fans since 2019. It's hard to believe three years have passed since then, and a lot has happened.
Minus the underwhelming final segment of Roman Reigns, WWE worked hard in playing out several different angles. There were big returns, big betrayals, and almost everything you could ask for on a post-WrestleMania episode.
So what did WWE subtly tell us? Read more to find out:
#6. The shaky dynamic between Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan
All good between @RheaRipley_WWE & @YaOnlyLivvOnce!
@ScrapDaddyAP & @SonyaDevilleWWE have granted the duo an opportunity to challenge for the @WWE #WomensTagTitles next Monday on #WWERaw! https://t.co/o9Q1wHJMko
Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan had a rocky start to post-WrestleMania season. On the RAW after The Show of Shows, they lost a championship contenders match to the current and new Tag Team Champions Naomi and Sasha Banks. Post-match, the miscommunication leading to the loss resulted in Ripley walking away from Morgan.
It signaled the end of their partnership. On a side note, the duo of Carmella and Queen Zelina officially broke up on RAW. As for Ripley and Morgan, they're still together - for now. The Nightmare managed to secure a tag team title shot for next week despite losing the championship contenders match, and it makes little sense.
Either way, the two superstars aren't going to be together for too long. Whether it's next week, two weeks from now, or even a month, it was a clear indication that Ripley is finally set to turn heel after over two-and-a-half years.
#5. Is WWE quietly forgetting the Damian Priest-Finn Balor feud in favor of Austin Theory?
A win for @WWEUsos & @austintheory1 and a post-match selfie! Could Theory become a champion in 2022?
#WWERaw https://t.co/ivE8ktwNvk
This week on RAW, Austin Theory teamed up with SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos to defeat RK-Bro and Finn Balor. It was Finn Balor who took the pinfall to Theory once again.
Balor is being badly handled as the US Champion, and it seems as though WWE has forgotten about his feud with Damian Priest. Instead, Theory's pin means that he will be challenging Balor soon, and if the handling of the former is any indication, it's that he will be a champion sooner rather than later.
WWE is going all out pushing the 24-year-old star.
#4. Cody Rhodes' tense return to RAW
Very uncomfortable handshake between @CodyRhodes & @WWERollins #WWERaw https://t.co/iAqmm3scuf
Cody Rhodes returned to RAW and cut an emotional promo - one that AEW fans have seen more than once. With that said, it felt special, and Rhodes' return was met with a great reception.
We didn't have much of an idea at the time as to what is next for The American Nightmare, but it seemed clear once Seth Rollins came out and said "welcome home" before a tense handshake.
The feud is set to continue, and WWE wasn't too subtle about it either. Is it the right decision?
#3. Veer Mahaan has arrived, and he hasn't waited to choose who to target
VEER UNLEASHED
@VeerMahaan #WWERaw https://t.co/Fct3XVl1Vi
Veer Mahaan finally came. After months and months of anticipation, he finally re-debuted on the RAW after WrestleMania. Because of the long-drawn-out meme value of his "Veer is coming" vignettes, he got a huge pop.
After The Miz defeated Dominik Mysterio, Mahaan came out and attacked both father and son, cementing himself as a heel and indicating that the feud against The Miz is officially over.
Next week, Veer Mahaan will come again and face Rey Mysterio. It was WWE's way of indicating that the Mysterios will likely break up soon if Mahaan picks up the win next week on RAW.
#2. An All Mighty betrayal and face turn
A new era has begun on #WWERaw after #WrestleMania.
@The305MVP 馃 @TheGiantOmos https://t.co/ORkkt8HG5m
In what was perhaps the most shocking but well-played-out betrayal on RAW in a while, MVP officially ended his run with Bobby Lashley. It was an incredible two years that saw The All Mighty have a career revitalization - going from a cheesy/sleazy romantic story to being the legitimate world-beater that he actually is.
His alliance with MVP saw him pick up the United States title and run with it for months before dropping it and transitioning into being a WWE Champion - twice. Omos needs MVP a lot more than Lashley does, and WWE pulled the trigger on The All Mighty at the right time.
It was likely a decision that involved all parties, and this was the company's not-so-subtle way of saying that Bobby Lashley is officially going to be a top babyface on RAW going forward.
#1. The Edge-AJ Styles feud is far from over
.@AJStylesOrg is looking for payback right now!
#WWERaw https://t.co/CdsrwDLpLU
Damian Priest and Edge had a promo this week where The Archer Of Infamy spoke about how he felt The Rated-R Superstar was talking to him in his recent promos pre-WrestleMania. It further cemented their alliance, but AJ Styles would come back and try to get the better of them.
He tried getting full-blown vengeance on Edge by attacking him with a steel chair, but Priest came back on time to get the better of him, and once more, he helped the Hall of Famer launch the attack.
Unfortunately for AJ Styles, it's unlikely that he will get the upper hand with a win over Edge. It seems as though WWE wants to establish the new alliance, and this feud will be a relatively short-lived one.