Raw Preview for September 26, 2016 - Clash of Champions Fallout

Last night’s Clash of Champions PPV featured a lot of great wrestling, but some odd finishes meant that the show raised more questions than answers for the Raw brand. What’s the result for Sheamus’ and Cesaro’s best of seven series? Who will be the new contender for the Women’s Championship? And what’s next for the Universal Championship?

Let’s take a look at what we should expect from tonight’s edition of Raw, which will be broadcast live at 8PM Eastern, 7PM Central from the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tonight Raw goes up against both Monday Night Football and the United States presidential debates, meaning that the show will need some serious surprises to achieve solid viewership.

Is Seth Rollins hurt? Who challenges Kevin Owens next? Is a Triple H return in the cards?

The main event provided perhaps the most questions from last night’s PPV, and not all of those questions are part of the script. Reports suggest that Seth Rollins may have sustained an injury in last night’s match, and if that turns out to be anything serious you can expect it to be addressed on tonight’s show. Rollins has been gradually turning toward a face role through the past few weeks, and if he returns tonight to continue his feud with Universal Champion Kevin Owens that turn will likely be cemented soon.

Chris Jericho involved himself in Owens’ title defense, and the odd-couple pairing of the two Canadians means that you can expect Y2J somewhere around the main event picture for the time being. That also means that Sami Zayn now has established feuds with two stars who are firmly established at the top of the card. If Rollins is hurt in any serious way, it could provide a huge opportunity for Sami.

Then there’s Triple H. He didn’t interfere in last night’s main event, but he did make a backstage cameo in an online-exclusive video after Clash of Champions, opening the door for the Game to return to weekly TV appearances. With Stephanie and Hunter both fully behind Owens as Universal Champion, it seems we may be in for a reformation of the Authority. The story would have a new wrinkle with Mick Foley as commissioner, but I’m not sure I could handle another run with Stephanie and Triple H opening the show every night.

Could Charlotte’s next challenger make a surprise return tonight?

With both Bayley and Sasha Banks having been soundly beaten by the Nature Girl, it seems that no one is quite up to the task of taking Charlotte down. Dana Brooks is poised for a turn against the Women’s Champion, but the division has a few other possible contenders. Nia Jax has been presented as dominating force since her debut, typically booked in weekly squashes. Is it time for her to see a real challenge?

Another possibility is firmly in the “rumor” category. It seems that both Emma and Paige will backstage tonight, returning from an injury and a suspension respectively. These two women helped kickstart the change in WWE women’s wrestling with their excellent bouts in NXT, but its fair to say that their stock has fallen considerably on the main roster. Could one of them return to vie for the Women’s Championship?

Another return could be on the way

Paige and Emma aren’t the only ones backstage tonight, as reports place Luke Harper at the event as well. Harper is easily the most impressive in-ring competitor of the Wyatt Family, and his presence has been sorely missed since his injury. Will he make his return to Raw tonight? It would also make sense for Harper to appear on Smackdown, backing up the family’s patriarch in his feud with Randy Orton. Time will tell.

What will the Roman Empire conquer next?

Roman Reigns successfully besmirched the honor of Rusev’s bride last night, successfully collecting the United States Championship in the process. Rusev has already invoked his rematch clause, and that match will open tonight’s show. Once Roman retains the championship (and you can be sure he will), the list of potential challengers for the title is huge, and one could make himself known tonight.

Who can put an end to the New Day’s title reign?

The New Day’s successful title defense against the Club last night shocked many. Their championship reign is already the longest in the title’s lineage, and many expected Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson to be the ones to put that reign to an end. The Club could still easily do it, and they’ll have a rematch tonight to determine the ultimate victor.

What’s next for the Cruserweight division?

T.J. Perkins successfully channeled his inner street fighter to defeat Brian Kendrick last night, and we don’t know who will challenge for the title next. With such a small division, there’s really only so many choices, and there’s plenty of time to determine the contender before October’s Hell in a Cell event. I wouldn’t expect much story progression here, but I will expect another awesome match from the Cruiserweights.

How will the Cesaro/Sheamus series ultimately conclude?

Cesaro and Sheamus stole the show last night, having an awesome, brutal match that was brought down only by its inconclusive ending. The true victor in the best of seven has still yet to be determined, and you can bet on a lot of unhappy fans if it’s simply called a tie. My hopes are on a Hell in a Cell rematch, and it’s certain that these two will face off again soon, especially since a championship opportunity is now on the line. Expect to hear more tonight.