WWE Monday Night Raw Preview: 17 February, 2014
You don’t mess with Authority
In an effort to regain their momentum back following a stale week, the WWE will be putting together the last Raw before the Elimination Chamber commences. It will also be the last Raw before the WWE Network is launched which makes it more historically significant than the previous ones.
The creative will be immersed in an effort to set the standards high for the Elimination Chamber and keep the pay-per-view buy rates high despite the toned down offer that will come along with the WWE Network.
Buildup to the Elimination Chamber match and the Shield- Wyatt Showdown will be used as bait this week for the same purpose with some add-ons from here and there. So let’s take a look at how the creative might set the show in order to make it a memorable one.
Where is the Beast?
Absent Absent Absent repeat
It’s been two weeks since we saw Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman walk down the aisle to make others’ life miserable.
With six men fighting it out for the WWE title, Batista set with Alberto Del Rio and Undertaker showing no signs of a return, Lesnar literally has no one to aim at even if he makes a return.
Seeing Big Show walk out Betty White last week however is a pleasing sign as the World’s Largest Athlete might be the lucky one to get another from the Beast. Being absent like this is clearly making Lesnar less credible and makes it look like WWE pushed him a bit early into making a return.
Whatever the creative is planning to do with him through the WrestleMania season, they need to make the moves fast if they need time to build up a good looking feud.
Solving the CM Punk situation
Something has to give
Like Brock Lesnar, the situation of CM Punk is another thing that the creative has refused to mention for the past two weeks.
But unlike Lesnar, Punk is someone who produces a lot of emotion among the fans which is powerful enough to knock down the company’s plans. Last week they countered this by bringing out Daniel Bryan twice.
This tactics may be employed again this time around unless they have a much bigger star in the background like the Undertaker. Most importantly, the place would just erupt if Punk makes his return and prove that all this was just part of the kayfabe.
That’s what everyone wants and will the best thing for business.