Raw Preview for October 3, 2016 - Women's Championship on the Line

Going up against a Super Bowl of a presidential debate the night after Clash of Champions had WWE putting off some big matches for last week’s Raw, but tonight we’ll get to see multiple title bouts emanate from the Staples Center in LA.

Monday Night Raw broadcasts, as always, live on the USA Network at 8PM Eastern/7PM Central.

Sasha takes on Charlotte in a one-on-one Women’s Championship match

On the first post-brand split edition of Raw, Charlotte and Sasha Banks had an incredible match in which the Boss captured the title from the long-reigning champion. Rumors suggest that concerns over an injury are the reason Banks dropped the title at SummerSlam, and it seems altogether likely she’ll recapture the championship soon. If not on Raw tonight, then at Hell in a Cell at the end of the month.

My hope for tonight’s match? Interference from Dana Brooke for Charlotte to retain. Why? It sets up a rematch for Sasha and Charlotte in the next pay-per-view’s titular match type. This pair has more than earned a match inside WWE’s most brutal arena.

Brian Kendrick once again challenges T.J. Perkins for the Cruiserweight Championship

The Cruiserweight Classic was one of the best bits of programming WWE has put together in recent memory, but the division has had a rough time finding its footing on the main roster. Kendrick and Perkins can put on an excellent match–they certainly did at Clash of Champions–but will they be able to overcome a lack of build-up to draw in the LA crowd?

Seth Rollins takes on the bosses in his quest to capture the Universal Championship

Ah, it’s a story as old as WWE itself–or at least as old as the rise of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Like Austin, Mick Foley, and Daniel Bryan before him, Seth Rollins wants the championship and the bosses don’t want him to have a shot. With Stephanie pulling the strings and Triple H in the background to protect the reign of Kevin Owens, how is Seth going to get his opportunity?

Cesaro and Sheamus try to make their tag team work

I’ll give two things to the Cesaro vs. Sheamus best of seven series: it resulted in an awesome match at Clash of Champions and started an intriguing new story for both competitors. Odd couple tag teams are another wrestling standby, and both sides of this pairing have the in-ring chops to deliver some special matches. Will they be able to make the magic work before their attempt to end the New Day’s historic title reign?

Just how bad will this week’s celebrity guest segment be?

I enjoy WWE’s celebrity guest spots, though not for the reasons intended. I like to see just how far off the rails these train wrecks will go. Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson have made Jericho’s list, and the only thing modernizing this collection of late-90s iconography is the promised interference of Y2J’s best friend, Kevin Owens. Will this segment be unwatchable or merely awful? Tune in to find out!