Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman's Promo for the Ages, More WWE Raw Takes

The Road to WrestleMania continues to heat up. The February 6 edition of WWE Raw featured important matches and promos looking toward Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 39.

Becky Lynch defeated Bayley in a competitive steel cage match, ending with the appearance of Lita. The WWE Hall of Famer took Damage CTRL out and seems to have allied herself with The Man going forward.

Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman got personal in a back-and-forth promo with growing heat. As Roman Reigns focuses on Sami Zayn, The American Nightmare is building his case for a long title reign as undisputed WWE universal champion.

Damian Priest and Montez Ford earned spots in the United States Championship Elimination Chamber match. The Street Profit has a chance to prove himself against top singles stars including Seth Rollins, Austin Theory and Bronson Reed.

Carmella captured the final place in the Elimination Chamber bout to crown the No. 1 contender to the Raw Women's Championship. However, Piper Niven was the woman who stood out by dominating the Fatal 4-Way qualifier.

This show had plenty of stories to tell on a night when every match mattered.

Becky Lynch, Lita and Trish Stratus vs. Damage CTRL Must Be WrestleMania Match

Becky Lynch and Bayley finally got their steel cage match, and they made the most of the main event spotlight. However, the biggest talking point was the return of Lita, who helped The Man stand tall over Damage CTRL.

It looks like Lynch could have an interesting ally in her rivalry with Damage CTRL. Since WWE does not seem to have a clear direction for The Irish Lass Kicker outside this feud, this could be the perfect chance for a legends match at WrestleMania on April 1-2.

Lynch and Lita vs. Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships would be great, but Bayley deserves a contest when WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.

The best way to handle this is by bringing in one more legend to help The Man. Lita and Trish Stratus have history to spare as the two helped define the women's division together. Alongside the new top woman in WWE, they could have a moment to remember.

This would be more spectacle than a great match, but it would be a good way to keep Lynch relevant outside the title scene until the opportunity arises for her to return to the top.

Piper Niven, Not Carmella, was Best Option for Women's Elimination Chamber

It's good to have Carmella back on television, as she is an invaluable asset to the red brand. However, another woman has been stepping up in recent weeks and was better suited to win the final spot in the No. 1 contender women's Elimination Chamber.

Piper Niven has her old name and attitude back, and she has been working more confidently than ever. She comes off as a bigger star and brings a unique presence to a women's roster in need of fresh matches.

The Princess of Staten Island will add a veteran name to the match, but she does not bring anything different to the contest. Niven comes off as a more likely winner and would change the dynamic of the entire contest with her size and strength.

The field for the Raw Women's Championship match is set, and only half of the entrants come off as possible winners. The Scot has faced Bianca Belair before but only as Doudrop. She could legitimately win inside the chamber.

Hopefully, WWE will continue to push Niven and let her new attitude shine through.

Paul Heyman and Cody Rhodes Raise the Bar for Promo of the Year

Cody Rhodes has begun his journey to the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, and it began with one of the greatest promos in recent company history.

He and Paul Heyman went back and forth while selling their shared past. Listening to The Wise Man tear into the drama of the Rhodes family was a powerful moment that few others could pull off.

He pushed The American Nightmare, who showed the fire he needs to be a believable challenger for Roman Reigns.

WWE has struggled to sell midcard stories over the past few months, but the main event angles are among the best it has produced in a decade. Rhodes may still have more to prove, but he stole the show here with ease.

WWE has over a month left to build WrestleMania 39. The American Nightmare is making his case for being the reason to tune into Raw until The Show of Shows.

Montez Ford Can Break Out in Men's Elimination Chamber

Montez Ford has filled out over the past year, building up muscle for what could be a major singles run. He won the biggest opportunity of his career to date by qualifying for the United States Championship Elimination Chamber match.

The Street Profit has not won singles gold in his career, and he has never competed in a match this big at a pay-per-view on his own. It will be his greatest test and one he will pass with flying colors.

Every Chamber match needs someone who can perform remarkable feats in the structure. Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio, AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam, Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison have all played that role in the past.

As good as they are, none of them have the athletic upside of Ford. He can fly off the Chamber or climb straight across it to get where he needs for spots that will have the crowd completely behind him.

It may be too soon to crown Ford as U.S. champion, but he will make a strong case that should lead to singles gold in 2023.