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Want to know what's happening in the major angles in WWE right now? Get eyes on our Raw preview and Reactions, since everyone knows Monday night is when the important stuff happens.
Want to know what is definitely happening on tonight's SmackDown from Corpus Christi, Texas? Peep our spoiler post.
On Thursday mornings, we'll dig into the mid-card, the interesting and/or horrible stuff happening on the fringe away from your John Cenas and Stings. Plus, pretend for a spoiler-free minute that we're the Legendary Teddy Long and guess at the blue brand's patented tag match of the week!
Not-so-mystery Partner...OUT OF NOWHERE!
After Chris Jericho got all the oxygen to his brain cut off by Braun Strowman and then big-timed Dean Ambrose at Night of Champions, Roman Reigns was prepared to offer Bray Wyatt a deal to go one-on-one. But The Eater of Worlds can't be trusted, and Luke Harper got involved. Dean couldn't let his brother confront THE NUMBERS GAME all by his lonesome, and charged the ring to help. With Strowman in The Family, the two former Shield-mates were in trouble...until The Viper slithered back to get revenge for the Wyatts attack on him earlier this month.
A weirdly off-key promo from BigAss McStrongman about drinking snake blood confirms Randy Orton is this feud. Meanwhile, he's got another date with Sheamus in Madison Square Garden next Saturday. Mr. Money in the Bank no sold his failed cash-in attempt from last weekend's pay-per-view (PPV), taking care of business against Mark Henry, but not mentioning the chokeslam he took from Kane.
What they should do: They're either regretting the decision to give the briefcase to the Celtic Warrior, or downplaying his viability as a potential champ for some reason. I'm guessing the former, and I'd do something about it by tying these angles together.
With The Authority playing tweener, have them punish Sheamus for his taunting of their chosen one by making him put the contract on the line. Forcing him to do that against Orton makes sense given their interminably long program - and as a way to continue "toughening up" Seth Rollins by making him think Triple H & Stephanie McMahon might be thinking about backing their previous pick for Face of WWE.
That'll put some much needs stakes on Orton vs. Sheamus, round seven. The Irishman could then make a deal with the devil, engaging the Wyatts to soften up Randy before their match. Bray would go for this, of course, because he dislikes any of the gorgeous, sculpted gods that WWE pushes over salt-of-the-earth soldiers like him and his followers.
What we're afraid they'll do: WWE has done a better job than I thought they would keeping Reigns vs. Wyatt fresh as it heads into its fifth month, so not too worried there. I actually wake up in cold sweats with nightmares about more bouts between the Fella and the Viper, though.
Building the World's Largest Threat
Someone backstage remembered that the guy they booked to face Brock Lesnar in New York City, live on WWE Network, was sqaushed by Lesnar on PPV in January of 2014. And when I say squashed, I mean "hit with a chair so many times the audience became uncomfortable".
So, on Raw, that guy - The Big Show - took out Cesaro after the Swiss proved how strong he is by throwing the giant around. Then he grabbed a microphone and yelled about being better than Andre.
What they should do: It's too late, but wouldn't it be cool if Kane was fighting Brock on October 3, as revenge for having his ankle busted up by The Beast...and to soften him up for his brother at Hell in a Cell?
I mean, I guess that would mean Show against Rollins for the WWE title, but would that be that much worse than the Big Red Monster match we assume we'll be getting?
What we're afraid they'll do: I'm resigned to another five years of both these guys...but hopefully with more creepy executive Kane than crying, erectile dysfunction Big Show.
The Theodore Long Honorary Tag Match goes to...
Tonight's announced main event of is another pairs bout of the kind that good old Teddy used to make, so...
I'm officially soliciting ideas for new gimmicks to go in this pace. As for the Kevin Owens & Rusev vs. Dolph Ziggler & Ryback match we'll see on SyFy this evening, can we at least hope that New Day somehow finds their way to ringside and uses their pull to get Sasha Banks a title shot?
(Note: I know some folks have come looking for a more definitive match listing - that will be posted behind spoiler text in the comments. If WWE.com releases more information on anything that's officially going to take place on tonight's show, that'll be updated here)