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RAW is in the books and it was a fairly good show, with both good and not-so-good moments packed into three hours. But the action does not stop because SmackDown Live will be coming our way soon bringing us more power-packed action!
With Eric Bischoff firmly in control of things, SmackDown Live is poised to be a show that has the potential to be very different from what Vince McMahon's original vision was. With all due respect to the great man, sometimes having a different man in charge of creative duties can infuse fresh life into the proceedings.
In any case, my job is to give you a preview of what could happen on this week's show. I'll do this based on what WWE.com has already advertised for the show and some twists and turns that could happen based on existing storylines...
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#5 Kevin Owens pins Elias, also becomes the 24/7 Champion
This is a very interesting matchup in a lot of ways because Kevin Owens has been having many problems with Shane McMahon lately, and Elias is Shane McMahon's most trusted commander in chief. What one must remember is that Elias was on the verge of retiring from music on RAW because he's also the 24/7 Champion and more than one challenger is hot on his trail at the moment.
It is very likely that Kevin Owens will pick up a clean victory during the match, and maybe even go on to win the whole tournament too. I just wonder if Kevin Owens pinning Elias also means that he becomes the 24/7 Champion for a little while. It would be very interesting to see how WWE manages to handle the whole situation.
#4 Apollo Crews and Andrade blaze a trail of glory
The WWE roster is by far the most talented roster in the world at the moment. This is, in part because, if someone earns his/her stripes in any promotion across the world, Triple H and Vince McMahon are sure to lap them up with truly lucrative deals. Two of the hottest independent stars who came to NXT and made a name for themselves are Apollo Crews and Andrade.
But then, for all the talent that exists in the locker room right now, another fact that must be remembered at all times is that there are only limited opportunities for the said men and women to excel and shine. Which brings me to Apollo Crews and Andrade, two men who can do things in the ring that are truly breathtaking. They will take each other on in the King of the Ring tournament, that begun on RAW.
From the looks of it, Andrade's the one getting the push, meaning that he will probably emerge victorious in this contest.
#3 Charlotte Flair destroys Bayley
Bayley scored a comprehensive victory over Ember Moon at WWE SummerSlam 2019, and this was something that she needed to cement herself as the top female performer on the blue brand. Simultaneously, Charlotte Flair went up against Trish Stratus and went over, proving that she was indeed the greatest female performer of all time.
I have a feeling that this will be the week where Charlotte Flair finally takes Bayley to task and proves that The Queen has her eyes set firmly on the prize. She can achieve this by destroying Bayley in a backstage segment with an ambush.
Simply put, Bayley needs a performer like Charlotte Flair for her next feud because she's running out of credible opponents on the blue brand, in my opinion. Unless Ronda Rousey comes back or Shayna Baszler gets called up, she will have nobody to feud with but for The Queen.
Unless Asuka breaks out of the Kabuki Warriors and steps up to challenge Bayley but that sounds like a distant dream.
#2 Daniel Bryan reveals who it was all along
Buddy Murphy has made a habit of getting bullied inside the locker room by more than one party. At first, it was Roman Reigns who confronted him about the backstage attacks on him, where Murphy confessed that Rowan was the mastermind. And then he would retract his statement once pressed by Rowan and Bryan.
In any case, a confession made under duress usually doesn't hold up in a court of law. Which is why I believe that Roman Reigns will eventually come to the realization that it was Daniel Bryan leading to a feud between the two presumably at Clash of Champions. Any other explanation just does not make sense purely from a 'hype' point of view at all.
In any case, Daniel Bryan has promised that he and Rowan will reveal who the culprit was on this week's show. Just bear in mind that Daniel Bryan has a history of not making announcements after he says that he will make them!
#1 Orton and The Revival destroy The New Day
This week on WWE RAW, we saw the SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day get pummelled to a pulp by a newly formed alliance in Orton and The Revival. I have a feeling that the trio could cause more chaos and carnage on SmackDown Live, as the three superstars find The New Day nursing their injuries and inflict yet more punishment.
As good as The New Day is, they've always had the strength of numbers, and they've never really had a faction to fight except for the short-lived feuds (can you actually even call them that?) with SAnitY and The Shield. But now, there's a trio looking to match them in every department, gunning for the gold that they now proudly hold.
This is a new lease on life for Randy Orton as well, whose singles run was growing a little stale. And The Revival could always benefit from a program with a future Hall of Famer like Randy Orton.
The possibilities are exciting and more importantly, they are endless for this trio!
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
