RAW Preview: Top champion to lose title next month, Bizarre WrestleMania match to be made official?
Welcome to this week's edition of RAW Preview. The last two weeks were extremely eventful on the red brand, even more so than on SmackDown. This is even though RAW has no world title to represent it at the moment.
Either way, the road to WrestleMania continues, and last week, we saw heartbreak as two top superstars still have no match at The Grandest Stage of Them All. Things continued to unfold, as they will this week as the WrestleMania picture becomes a lot clearer.
Here is what you need to look forward to this week:
#5. What is next in the Finn Balor-Damian Priest saga on RAW?
.@ArcherOfInfamy just sent a message to #USChampion @FinnBalor on #WWERaw! https://t.co/LQbXkccWJ0
Last week on RAW, newly-crowned United States Champion Finn Balor faced Austin Theory - a man who has a match of his own at WrestleMania 38 against Pat McAfee. However, just as Balor was seconds away from winning, Damian Priest caught him and attacked him, causing a disqualification.
It was only after losing the US Title when Priest revealed his bitter side, blaming fans for never having his back the same way they did with Balor. His heel turn has been a huge and necessary move, and it looks like all roads are leading to a rematch for WrestleMania.
Unfortunately for Finn Balor, this could also mean that he will lose the US Title back to The Archer Of Infamy within less than a month.
#4. Omos' road to WrestleMania
Omos' road to WrestleMania became a little clearer last week on RAW. He defeated former US and Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews to continue his winning streak.
He has even decimated AJ Styles, who is set to face Edge in a marquee WrestleMania match-up. Omos won't be in a match as big, but in a literal sense, he could be.
There was a standoff between him and Commander Azeez, with Omos simply laughing off the challenge. It's likely going to lead to a bizarre giant vs. giant match at WrestleMania 38 between the two superstars.
#3. Kevin Owens to respond to Stone Cold Steve Austin accepting his WrestleMania invitation
How will @FightOwensFight respond to @steveaustinBSR tomorrow night on #WWERaw? https://t.co/Nr6rXtEsvU
Last week on RAW, Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins failed to capture the tag team titles, meaning that their spot at WrestleMania is still uncertain. While all signs seem to be pointing at a Show of Shows without Rollins, Owens took matters into his own hands.
He has been insulting WrestleMania host state Texas for a while now, drawing the ire of legends from the state such as Booker T and JBL. However, last week in the final segment, he made the call-out of all call-outs. Revealing that he would host the KO Show at WrestleMania, and invited none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin.
In a cool video, Steve Austin said that Owens lit a fire under him after all these years when he started running his mouth about the state of Texas. Kevin Owens is all set to respond to Austin this week. Will he continue to light a fire underneath The Texas Rattlesnake?
#2. Will AJ Styles finally respond to Edge?
The Rated-R Superstar is well and truly back. Last week on RAW, Edge came out to no entrance music and had dark and purple lights shining, a dark suit, and an entirely different demeanor.
What we saw was the calculated, psychotic version of Edge that took him to 11 world championships. His assault on AJ Styles was shocking, but not surprising when looking at the peak of his career and the methods he used.
Will Styles respond to the despicable version of Edge? Or will he still be out of action while the WWE Hall of Famer continues to play mind games?
#1. RK-Bro to have a big celebration
RK-Bro have had a long road back to the RAW Tag Team titles. After losing it to The Alpha Academy in January 2022, they had to go through a series of three challenges that weren't wrestling-related to earn another title shot.
In that time, Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins also entered contendership. However, in a clutch moment, it was Riddle who picked up the pinfall on Chad Gable to win the tag team titles back for RK-Bro.
Post-match, Orton said this was the most fun he ever had in his career, and even used the "F" word - friendship. Meanwhile, The Street Profits pointed out that they hold a victory over Randy Orton and Riddle, setting themselves up for another title shot.
This week, we will see an RK-Bro celebration, and it's likely going to set up the WrestleMania match in place for the reigning tag team champions.