The Rock to confront top star, legend to return after 4 years? - 5 big surprises Triple H could book on WWE RAW
WWE Monday Night RAW is set to take place later tonight at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to WrestleTix, over 8,000 fans are expected to attend the exciting event.
So far, four matches have been announced for the red brand's next show. The Viking Raiders' Erik and Ivar will battle The New Day's Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston. This bout will be a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
Additionally, Main Event Jey Uso will go one-on-one with Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes will clash with Dominik Mysterio. Lastly, Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura has been announced, with Seth Rollins likely keeping a close eye on the bout.
Beyond the matches already announced, RAW could feature a big surprise or two. SmackDown last Friday saw the shocking returns of The Rock and Pat McAfee. While the red brand is unlikely to reach those same heights, what major surprises could Triple H book to add momentum to Monday nights? This article will look at a handful of fun options.
Below are five big surprises Triple H could book on WWE RAW.
#5. Jade Cargill could shockingly debut in WWE
Jade Cargill is a relatively inexperienced wrestler, best known for her stint at All Elite Wrestling. While with the second biggest promotion in the United States, she won the TBS Championship and, at one point, was undefeated for a record 508 days. She finally lost the title to a returning Kris Statlander at AEW Double or Nothing in May 2023.
Interestingly, it appears that Jade is done with AEW. Rumors have popped up over the past several days that her contract was expiring with the Jacksonville-based promotion, and that she could even be heading to WWE. A report from PWInsider has gone on to reveal that she will be at the Performance Center this week.
While there's no guarantee that Jade is truly making the jump, WWE could debut her in a big and immediate way by having her debut on Monday Night RAW. Even if she simply cut a promo, or was shown in the crowd, fans would be talking all about the red brand, the promotion, and Cargill herself.
#4. The Rock could confront The Miz
The Rock is one of the most popular movie stars in the entire world. Long before he became a famous actor, however, he was one of WWE's most popular superstars. Despite going to Hollywood, The People's Champion still manages to find time to return "home", at least once every handful of years.
His latest return came on the most recent episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown. He was in Colorado for an interview with Pat McAfee and both men decided to appear on the blue brand. Interestingly, Utah isn't very far away from Colorado.
As a result, The Rock could appear on Monday Night RAW, to give fans of the red brand a thrill. If he does show up, it would make sense for him to target The Miz. Just like Theory, The A-Lister has a huge ego and could be shut down by The People's Champion. Plus, the two have a long history dating back over a decade.
#3. Damian Priest could cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase
Damian Priest is part of arguably the most dominant faction in all of WWE. He is one of the four core members of The Judgment Day. The stable also includes Dominik Mysterio, Rhea Ripley, and Finn Balor. The group is covered in gold presently.
Rhea is the reigning Women's World Champion while her Dirty Dom holds the NXT North American Championship. Finn and Damian are the Undispited WWE Tag Team Champions, but Priest is carrying even more hardware. The Archer of Infamy is also Senor Money in the Bank.
If World Wrestling Entertainment and Triple H specifically want to make an exciting edition of RAW, Damian may cash in his Money in the Bank contract. While he could cash in on Gunther, Priest most likely would use his contract to try to win Seth Rollins' World Heavyweight Championship.
#2. Batista could follow The Rock and John Cena back to TV
As noted, The Rock returned to WWE on Friday Night SmackDown. He's not the only Hollywood star to return to the company, however. John Cena has been back for several weeks, and will hopefully remain with the promotion until the writer strike ends. The two aren't the only former world champions to make it big in Hollywood.
Batista is one of the greatest WWE Superstars of the past 20 years. He rose to prominence as a member of Evolution, but went on to win multiple world titles and even headlined WrestleMania. Sadly, he retired four years ago.
Given that both Cena and Rocky have made their way back to SmackDown recently, perhaps Batista could follow them. Instead of going to the blue brand, however, The Animal could appear on Monday Night RAW. Who knows, he could even hit an annoying heel with a Spinebuster for old time's sake.
#1. Nick Aldis could debut as a superstar
Nick Aldis is an international superstar in pro wrestling. He rose to fame as part of TNA Wrestling, and later when the company was re-branded as IMPACT Wrestling. The National Treasure is perhaps best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, however.
The former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion recently became a free agent. While taking time away from the ring to heal up his back, Aldis has taken on producer duties in WWE. Despite that, he has made it clear that he is far from retired.
If his back is in good shape now, and given that WWE's hiring freeze is seemingly over, thanks to the Endeavor merger, now could be the best time for Aldis to sign with the promotion as an in-ring talent. If he showed up and shockingly assaulted Cody Rhodes, for example, fans would be in disbelief and Nick would instantly become a top heel.