WWE WrestleMania has gone on to become such a huge event, it needs to be called “WrestleMania Week.” From the moment Axxess starts on the Thursday before the big show all the way up until the following Tuesday when Smackdown airs, WrestleMania Week is on.
Last night, WrestleMania was a seven hour spectacle. Seth Rollins won the Universal Title, Kofi Kingston captured the WWE Championship, The IIconics won the Women’s Tag Team TItles, Batista wrestled his final match, John Cena returned to his rapping roots, Becky Lynch won the Raw and Smackdown Women’s Titles, and so much more.
One of the most anticipated events each year is the Raw after WrestleMania. Historically, this show sets things up for the coming months. In recent years, guys like Finn Balor and Bobby Lashley made their returns, John Cena and The Rock set up their historic contest, and names like The Revival and Paige made their main roster debuts.
These are five things we’re predicting for this year’s edition.
5. New Tag Team Champions
At WrestleMania, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder surprised the world when they won the Raw Tag Team Titles from The Revival. It was such a stunner because it snapped a 269 match losing streak for Hawkins. However, the team didn’t have much success before the show, leading many to believe their win was just a feel-good WrestleMania moment and nothing more. Ryder’s Intercontinental Title win at WrestleMania in 2016 saw him immediately lose the title the following night. We think history repeats itself. As for who wins the belts, we think The Revival regain them.
4. Dean Ambrose Sticks Around
For months, everyone has known that Dean Ambrose was leaving the company. Rumors swirled about it for a while before the WWE confirmed that he was done after WrestleMania. Following an emotional reunion with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, it seems like he had his sendoff. However, we’re predicting that he will end up staying. Maybe Rollins and Reigns end up in trouble at the end of the show, only for Ambrose to show up and make the save.
3. Mrs. Wrestling Debuts
Candice LeRae has been part of the NXT roster for a little over a year at this point. She was a star on the indies where she competed against some of the toughest men on the current WWE roster. Since coming to NXT, she has done well but many feel she’s been regulated to the role of just being Johnny Gargano’s wife. Gargano finally won the NXT Title at TakeOver: New York, bringing that story to a beautiful ending. That opens the door for LeRae to move on and it wouldn’t impact much of the NXT women’s division. She’s ready and would instantly add a lot to the Raw women’s roster.
2. Returns
As noted, the night after WrestleMania is pretty much the ideal place to make your return. There are two people we’re thinking come back on this episode. First, there’s Bray Wyatt. The former WWE Champion returned to the on a non-televised show recently, meaning he’s healthy enough to do so. They’ve most likely been waiting for storylines to clear up to bring him back and this is a perfect time. Our other pick is Sami Zayn. He had vignettes promoting his return a few months back. It got pushed back a bit, but the fans are always solidly behind Zayn and him showing up would be a huge moment.
1. An Undisputed Callup
This one might be a longshot, but it would be the best thing on the show. Since August of 2017, The Undisputed Era has been a highlight of NXT shows. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, and Roderick Strong are four of the most talented individuals on the entire WWE roster. Although O’Reilly and Fish lost the Tag Team Titles and Cole came up just short in his attempt to win the NXT Title this past weekend, their goal is to win championships in 2019. The group never specified NXT. Main roster gold fits into their desires. They could all come up and form a dominant stable that “shocks the system” of Monday nights. This would ultimately be a game changer.