WWE: 4 Early Predictions for the RAW After WrestleMania
WWE WrestleMania 39 takes place on Saturday, April 1st and Sunday, April 2nd from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. As is tradition, the first post-Mania RAW on Monday, April 3rd will have one of the livliest crowds the company sees all year.
Given that WrestleMania is the biggest show of the year, this first RAW usually produces several newsworthy moments that will shape WWE storylines in the coming months. Some fans attending the show will have traveled to enjoy WrestleMania weekend and are considered hardcore followers of the product. As such, this show is geared towards them.
Below are several early predictions on events that may take place on this important episode. While there are several weeks until the big show and plans can change, there are a few things fans can expect.
#1. The Bloodline Implodes
Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes while the Usos will likely defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. There is a good chance that in both instances, new champions will be crowned.
Should that happen, fans can expect Roman Reigns to find ways to cast blame, which usually starts with his family. In addition, Jey Uso made it clear on the last episode of WWE SmackDown that he didn't turn on Sami Zayn because he wanted to, but because he had to.
By not pledging his allegiance to Reigns, the company has left open the possibility that there will still be issues within the Bloodline leading up to, during, and after WrestleMania. These issues may come to a head here with Jey opposing Roman and fans wondering which side Jimmy and Solo will take. Whatever the outcome, this will likely be the storyline that drives the company throughout the summer months.
#2. The next challenger for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship revealed
Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes named 2022 MOTY.
wrestlelamia.co.uk/wwe-name-2022-… https://t.co/n06kUC4i2H
The night after WrestleMania usually starts building stories for the next premium live event. And with Cody Rhodes possibly defeating Roman Reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, his first challenger will likely be revealed.
Seth Rollins had a series of matches against Rhodes throughout 2022. In fact, their "Hell in a Cell" match in June 2022 was ranked by some fans as the "Match of the Year." Though they met multiple times throughout the year, their issues were far from settled as Rollins attacked Rhodes right before he took some time off to repair a torn pectoral muscle.
Rollins is still considered one of the company's top performers, and should he defeat Logan Paul at WrestleMania, there is a chance he will be in line for a championship match. The company will likely play on the history between him and Rhodes to build to it.
#3. NXT Call-Ups
The night after WrestleMania has traditionally seen main roster debuts of stars that were previously prominent on the NXT brand. While fans will need to watch NXT Stand and Deliver on Saturday, April 1st to see who emerges victorious, RAW could see the debuts of several stars.
Some of the possible names for WWE main roster debuts are current NXT Champion Bron Breakker, Grayson Waller and the team of Pretty Deadly. On the women's side, fans may see Zoey Starks, Cora Jade and Jacy Jayne make their debuts.
#4. John Cena endorses Austin Theory
JOHN CENA IS BACK 🐐
(via @WWE)
https://t.co/9n3FaD8v80
John Cena will face Austin Theory for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania. The company took an interesting approach by having Cena completely tear down and dismiss Theory in their first in-ring interaction together on the March 6th edition of RAW.
As Theory is one of WWE's highest prospects, it is important that he is elevated coming out of his match with Cena. Regardless of whether or not Theory wins at WrestleMania, expect John Cena to leverage his credibility, change course and endorse Theory as a superstar on the rise.
As Theory is presented as a heel, fans should not be surprised if he ends up laying out Cena to further cement this role.