Lesnar vs. Lashley Will Be Great, Seth Rollins Finally Gets Big Win, More Raw Takes

WWE promised a major show for the season premiere of WWE Raw. It was a hit-and-miss event but it did push the program forward in big ways.

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson made their surprise return to assist AJ Styles in battling The Judgment Day. The O.C. were reunited to support The Phenomenal One while also setting up some major matches for months to come in this new rivalry.

Brock Lesnar made his own return as he beat down Bobby Lashley, which allowed Seth Rollins to get a cheap win and capture the United States Championship.

Meanwhile, Matt Riddle turned his attention to the Universal Championship, throwing out a new challenge to Roman Reigns.

Monday's show did not build much on the results from Extreme Rules, focusing instead on Crown Jewel and beyond.

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson Have Much to Prove in 2nd WWE Run

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson came into WWE together for the first time with major hype. It was an up-and-down run that included two Raw Tag Team Championship reigns but few memorable moments.

Their best run was with AJ Styles, so returning to his side is an ideal option. However, The O.C. needs to live up to the hype this time around. They need to make a clear impact.

Arguably, Monday's Raw was the biggest moment The O.C. have had. The crowd was hot for the group battling The Judgment Day. If WWE plays this right, the rivalry can follow the example of Imperium vs. The Brawling Brutes to deliver a memorable "banger."

In the long term, Gallows and Anderson cannot just be a tag team; they also need to push the division forward. At a certain point, The Usos will no longer hold both tag titles, and The O.C. will have a good chance to carry a brand.

If nothing else, though, Styles instantly benefits from reuniting with Gallows and Anderson. He has a path again and can finally get back to the main event scene.

Seth Rollins Lands Victory in Must-Win Situation

Seth Rollins has been a key part of WWE since the day he debuted, but he has never been had a worse win-loss record than in 2022.

Outside of his single victory over Matt Riddle at Clash at the Castle in September, The Visionary has not been able to buy a win at a pay-per-view. After giving the win back to The Original Bro inside the Fight Pit, he needed something big.

Rollins got that on Monday by defeating Lashley in dubious fashion to capture the United States Championship. Few others could have ended The All Mighty's memorable reign, but nobody on that list needed this as much as Rollins.

Finally, he is a champion again. He has a chance to pick up wins now as he defends his gold and continue what Lashley started in bringing the U.S. title back to prominence.

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley Must Be Better Second Time Around

It was an unceremonious end to Bobby Lashley's United States Championship reign. He did the hard work in putting on great matches every week, only to have the title stolen from him thanks to Brock Lesnar.

The Beast Incarnate likely went after The All Mighty due to their history. Lesnar never get true revenge against Lashley for taking the WWE title from him.

While Lesnar and Lashley have fought before at the Royal Rumble in January, it wasn't the dream match most hoped. Coming in at just 10 minutes, the final few minutes were too focused on Roman Reigns, who got involved to ensure The Beast lost.

The expected rematch should come at Crown Jewel on November 5. This will be a chance to finally have the match Lashley and Lesnar always wanted to have.

No one can get involved. This must be two big men looking to prove who is better, battering each other until only one is left standing. If it happens right, it will be the highlight of Crown Jewel.

Matt Riddle is Wrong Opponent For Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns is the world champion in WWE. He stands atop both Raw and SmackDown, which means every man in the company should be trying to get a shot at him, so there's no need to go back to a match from earlier this year.

Matt Riddle faced The Head of the Table in the summer...and lost. In that match, it was stipulated that he could never challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship again.

Just three months later, he looks to be challenging Reigns once more. Hopefully, this is not the immediate plan. It is never a good idea to invalidate past booking just months after it happens.

Reigns has legitimate challengers in Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, Karrion Kross, AJ Styles, Finn Balor, Sheamus, Gunther, Braun Strowman and more.

The Original Bro can still be a major part of the show without contending for the world title for the next few months. He just isn't ready to fight Reigns at this moment.