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How much noise will be piped in on tonight’s broadcast. The Des Moines, Iowa crowd got this show after last week’s (spoilers are here), so I can’t imagine they were too enthused. Even if this is the annual Christmas episode, which is why...
Somebody’s getting their ass beat with a candy cane. Or maybe a Christmas tree. A present will be thrown at or smashed onto someone’s head.
It won’t be WWE champion Brock Lesnar. He’s not around, and probably won’t be until the new year. Even if he was, he might rip the door off a sleigh or something, but he wouldn’t take the season’s beating.
Will it be United States champ Rey Mysterio, or his opponent tonight, Seth Rollins? Could be. But this feud didn’t play comedic when Seth attacked Rey for aiding the enemy last week; the prop involved thus far has been a steel pipe, not tree trimmings. Also, you’d think WWE would want to keep anything too (chest)nutty away from Rollins while his ‘Reality’ Era heel turn is finding its feet.
Seth & AOP’s first victim, Kevin Owens, might be a possibility, if he’s back from selling the whopping he got from Akam, Rezar and Rollins on Dec. 9. KO gets his fair share of wacky bits from creative. His teaming with 24/7 champion R-Truth against Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson in an “Anything Goes Holiday House Fight” or whatever feels like something that could happen.
But then, The O.C. now have a coveted non-title win over Raw Tag champs The Viking Raiders. Plus, Gallows & Anderson watch AJ Styles’ back, and his program with Randy Orton is more likely to involve finishers out of nowhere than a weaponized menorah. They’re all in six-man action, which will be silly by virtue of Orton teaming with Erik & Ivar. Otherwise, they’ll play it serious tonight.
Same thing goes for the Raw Women’s championship rivalry that’s continued to brew between Becky Lynch and Asuka. That’s deeply personal, so it’s unlikely to get sidetracked by shenanigans. A one-off match featuring The Kabuki Warriors’ Women’s Tag Team titles could be played for laughs, but with Asuka’s partner Kairi Sane still being held out due to the injuries she suffered at TLC, I wouldn’t expect to see that in our stockings.
We’re probably not getting the reveal of Liv Morgan’s new gimmick as a Christmas present, although maybe tonight’s teaser will give us more hints as to what direction it’s going. I really hope Andrade & Humberto Carrillo didn’t get each other in Secret Santa, because after El Idolo knocked Carrillo out on the concrete last week... yeesh, that would be awkward.
Erick Rowan’s friend-in-a-cage might wear an elf costume. Lana & Bobby Lashley will probably talk about their pending nuptials under some mistletoe. I wouldn’t expect Rusev to give them a gift.
Five weeks until Royal Rumble (and two nights until Christmas)!
What do you expect from Santa on Raw tonight?