Cody Rhodes replaced, new Judgment Day member finally confirmed? 5 surprises that can happen on WWE RAW before Crown Jewel 2023
A big-time episode of WWE Monday Night RAW will air later tonight on USA Network. This show will be held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. WrestleTix has revealed almost 7,000 fans will be in attendance. Notably, this is the last RAW before Crown Jewel this weekend.
Five matches have already been announced for the show. Representing the women's division will be Chelsea Green going one-on-one with Natalya in a Trick or Street Fight. Additionally, Candice LeRae will battle the intense Xia Li.
Beyond that, Seth Rollins is announced for a match with JD McDonagh, and Dominik Mysterio will battle Ricochet. Lastly, DIY will return to action as a tag team to battle Imperium.
Despite so much being advertised, the three hour show will likely feature several surprises. This article will look at five possible mind blowing moments that could catch fans off guard when Monday Night RAW returns to South Carolina.
Below are five surprises that can happen on WWE RAW before Crown Jewel 2023.
#5. The Authors of Pain could re-debut
The Monday Night RAW tag team scene is beginning to heat up. Alpha Academy, The New Day, Imperium, Indus Sher, The Judgment Day, and DIY are all looking to become the top team both on the red brand, and in WWE as a whole. Those six groups may have serious competition soon, however.
The Authors of Pain may be on their way back to television. It was reported quite some time back that AOP may have been re-signed privately. Akam and Rezar were former NXT Tag Team Champions and RAW Tag Team Champions prior to their release.
While it hasn't been officially confirmed that the two powerful wrestlers are indeed returning, if they are, it could be as soon as tonight on RAW. Akam and Rezar interrupting a tag team match to devastate their competition could be a great re-introduction.
#4. Cody Rhodes could be replaced for his Crown Jewel match
Crown Jewel is set to air this Saturday, and seven big matches have been confirmed by WWE. One of the seven bouts could be in jeopardy, however. There's a chance that Cody Rhodes vs. Damian Priest won't end up happening, or at the very least, it won't feature Rhodes.
During last week's episode of Monday Night RAW, Priest and Rhodes got into a fight. This eventually led to Priest demolishing The American Nightmare's ankle, thanks to JD McDonagh and a pair of steel chairs.
Cody Rhodes could receive some unfortunate news come RAW. Adam Pearce and WWE officials may reveal that The American Nightmare is injured and can't compete in Saudi Arabia. Jey Uso, Johnny Gargano, or Bronson Reed could be announced as his replacement.
#3. JD McDonagh could finally be accepted into The Judgment Day
JD McDonagh has had an interesting time on the main roster. He was called up to Monday Night RAW in the 2023 WWE Draft, and quickly aligned himself with his friend and mentor, Finn Balor. While that's great for both Balor and McDonagh, not everybody is as happy about it.
The Judgment Day's Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley have both shown resistance towards JD's presence in theor faction. The idea of The Irish Ace joining the group has been even more off-putting to some of the stable members.
This could change come WWE RAW, however. JD's been beneficial to the group on multiple occasions, and he may finally be rewarded for it by officially joining the stable. This may surprise some, but it could make The Judgment Day stronger than ever.
#2. Drew McIntyre could finally snap on Seth Rollins
Drew McIntyre has a massive opportunity at WWE Crown Jewel 2023. At the big show in Saudi Arabia, Drew will go one-on-one with Seth Rollins for the coveted World Heavyweight Championship.
The initial interaction between McIntyre and Rollins seemed friendly, but things have heated up considerably since then. While they aren't exactly coming to blows, there's clear tension between the two. This is made worse by Drew McIntyre's recent attitude problems on WWE RAW.
The Scottish Cyborg's frustrations could come to a boil on RAW tonight. He could snap from Seth's taunting, and viciously beat down his Crown Jewel opponent. In theory, this could both turn Drew heel, and put the Crown Jewel bout in jeopardy, depending on the extent of the beating.
#1. Kairi Sane could return to WWE
Kairi Sane may be on her way back to WWE. She was first rumored to be returning to the Sports Entertainment juggernaut around SummerSlam, with reports later indicating that she was coming back, in part, thanks to Triple H leading the promotion's creative direction.
Since the rumors of her return first popped up, many have believed that Kairi is destined to appear on WWE SmackDown. Her former tag team partner Asuka is on the brand, as is her former rival Bayley. Plus, she and IYO SKY have quite a history together too.
An interesting way the company could divert away from expectations would be to have Sane return on RAW instead. Given how much time is being given to female stars in recent weeks, there's a lot of exciting opportunities for her on the red brand. A surprise debut tonight could be a thrill.