WWE Raw preview (Oct. 30, 2017): Retaliation

Before a trans-Atlantic flight... Baltimore!

The Headliner(s)

Last Tuesday came and went, as did the rumors that Team Red would “invade” SmackDown in retaliation for Shane McMahon bringing his roster to Green Bay in order to place Raw “under siege”.

For logistical reasons, signs point to that physical return fire not happening until the Survivor Series ‘go home’ show on Nov. 14. Both groups will leave their television filming this week and hop on planes for the United Kingdom and Europe tour, where next weeks shows will be shot and aired here in the States on tape delay. The blue brand will have a house show during Raw’s taping on Monday, and vice versa.

So, how will WWE build to a dual brand pay-per-view (PPV) built around matches between people who won’t be on our screens together?

Other than teasing the invasion for a couple weeks, they’ll continue building the five-on-five traditional Survivor Series teams. General Manager Kurt Angle was just about to name the men who would be on Team Red when Shane came through the crowd last Monday. Will Kurt finish his announcement tonight? Will that involve competition for spots? Will Women’s captain Alicia Fox get to select her squad, or will Angle assign her four teammates?

A more interesting question - and one we’re bound to get some answers for - is how the Raw roster will react to what happened to them in Wisconsin. Team Blue was happy to gloat about their successful attack on social media and from their own Milwaukee show, but we haven’t heard a whole lot from those who caught beatings... or those who ran away.

The Monday night crew fires back, verbally if not physically, this week.

The title scene

He’s not advertised for Bmore, and he’s not likely to ally himself with the rest of Team Red. Based on the promo his advocate cut last week mocking his Survivor Series opponent, Universal titleholder Brock Lesnar probably isn’t too worried about WWE champ Jinder Mahal, either. So we’ll just assume he’s hunting or doing other manly things on his Canadian farm.

WWE.com’s official preview for tonight doesn’t mention Brock, but is openly asking if these folks will hold onto their straps ahead of their title vs. title showdowns in Houston...

Tag team champions Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins were on the front lines of last week’s siege, but were left laying just like everyone else. The intra-brand rival The Usos didn’t participate in the attack, but that probably isn’t going to save them from the wrath of The Lunatic Fringe and The Kingslayer.

One of the Raw stars who has fired back at Team Blue is Intercontinental champ The Miz. The A-Lister wasn’t around after two nights of losses to Ambrose, Rollins and various replacement partners, but his scheduled PPV opponent, United States champion Baron Corbin, was front and center for the backstage beatdown. The Lone Wolf might be trying to figure out how to respond to Miz’s verbal assault right now, though.

Despite her best efforts to dismiss Mickie James after beating her at TLC, it doesn’t look like Women's titleholder Alexa Bliss is going to be able to put Hardcore Country in her review. And without Emma to kick around any more, newcomer Asuka may be gunning for the belt. All that is before The Goddess can even start worrying about her SmackDown counterpart, Natalya...

One group which seems to exist above, or at least beside, the battle for brand supremacy is the 205 Live roster. They have be headed toward their own intra-show affair, however, now that Cruiserweight champ Enzo Amore has picked up some allies and the other Tuesday night show takes on a more traditional heels vs. faces look after a couple months of Zo vs. The World.

Other stuff to keep an eye on:

- After being embarrassed (in more ways than one) by Jason Jordan at TLC, Elias fired back with a guitar shot last Monday. Jordan was a target of his old tag team partner Chad Gable in the show-closing attack, so he’s probably pretty banged up... but that likely won’t stop his program with The Drifter.

- Who knows what’s going on with Finn Bálor, who was the physical embodiment of 50/50 booking last week. The man who beat him on Monday, Kane, is probably going to be the latest legendary big man to give Braun Strowman the rub, though. So good on Finn for helping the cause while he waits from Bray Wyatt to return from viral infection, I guess? Now when does Strowman return from being compacted in a garbage truck to get revenge on The Devil’s Favorite Demon?

- Former Women’s champs Sasha Banks and Bayley were upset by Foxy to in the Triple Threat to determine the Survivor Series captain... are they going to have to team with her now?

- How will Vince McMahon leave an opening for Roman Reigns to return on Nov. 19, provided he’s healthy enough to do so?

Three weeks until Survivor Series!

What will you be looking for on Raw tonight?