Sami Zayn-Kevin Owens Storyline Heating Up, Roman Reigns Missed, More WWE Raw Takes

WWE Raw faced a tall order in following the much-praised Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. And the February 20 episode had to push straight forward to WrestleMania 39.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens made their present felt at the last stop in Canada on The Road to WrestleMania. Their exchange was electric and ended with The Prizefighter explaining why he cannot trust his longtime friend.

Cody Rhodes again clashed with Paul Heyman, but it did not add much to the rivalry this time. The Wise Man taunted The American Nightmare about his wife and family life, but Roman Reigns was nowhere to be seen.

Edge answered Austin Theory's United States Championship Open Challenge, but Finn Bálor made sure The Rated-R Superstar failed. It looks as though they have one last match left between them.

MVP made a surprise challenge to Brock Lesnar on behalf of Omos while Bobby Lashley could be looking forward to a battle with Bray Wyatt. However, The All Mighty and The Beast Incarnate still have unfinished business.

This show built multiple stories for WrestleMania season, though certain angles stood out far more than others.

Owens-Zayn Reunion Will Steal the Show on Road to WrestleMania

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are the most naturally engaging storytellers in WWE today.

Once again, they showed that Monday when The Master Strategist was nearly broken by his loss at Elimination Chamber, only to have Owens deliver him a hard dish of truth.

It is clear that Zayn and KO will reunite eventually, perhaps winning the WWE tag team gold together. First, though, they need to work through years of bad blood together.

WWE has not often been known for telling layered stories, but the Canadian wrestlers deliver in a way few others can match.

These two are the best of friends and the worst of enemies, always competing with each other. While they have had many great moments over the years together, they are gearing up for this to be their biggest WrestleMania moment yet.

The expectation is that they will ultimately work together to fight The Usos. The tag team division has been underwhelming lately, but it can all be worth it if this match delivers.

While Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes has been set up as the main event of The Show of Shows, Zayn and KO look poised to steal the show. Their weight of history with each other and The Usos will elevate this to a truly unforgettable story.

Give Us a Reigns-Rhodes Face-to-Face Interaction ASAP

Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman are an interesting pairing. The Advocate has history with The American Nightmare that few can match.

However, Rhodes vs. The Wise Man is not the feud. It is supposed to be The American Nightmare vs. Roman Reigns. We are almost a month past Rhodes' win in the men's Royal Rumble, yet he and The Head of the Table have not interacted.

The same could be said of Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley, but at least they have history to draw on. That cannot be said of Reigns vs. Rhodes, who have never fought one-on-one and have not shared a ring at all since The American Nightmare's WWE return.

WWE has closed the chapter on Reigns vs. Sami Zayn, a story that was built over 10 months. It is WrestleMania season, and this is the new main event angle. It is time to hit the ignition and build a complete rivalry.

That will begin with The Head of the Table coming face to face with The American Nightmare. Whether that means Reigns comes to Raw or Rhodes to SmackDown, someone has to make the jump right away.

Otherwise, fans will begin to wonder why the best story happened before WrestleMania rather than at The Show of Shows.

Omos, Bray Wyatt Red Herrings Before Final Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley Match

WWE is setting up final roadblocks on the way to the ultimate Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley match.

First, Bray Wyatt challenged the winner of their match at Elimination Chamber, setting him up to face The All Mighty. Second, MVP laid out a challenge to The Beast Incarnate in the form of Omos.

But both contests lack the spark for a WrestleMania-featured clash.

Lesnar vs. Omos is not worthy of any WWE PPV at this time. Lashley vs. Wyatt could be good, but it lacks the story and excitement necessary for 'Mania as things stand.

The reason these matches don't sound right is because neither Lesnar vs. Omos nor Lashley vs. Wyatt is going to happen at The Show of Shows. These are red herrings to distract from the match fans are ready to see.

Lesnar vs. Lashley at Elimination Chamber was disappointing, a low point in the feud. But it made certain everyone would want to see one last match with a major stipulation that can end this on a high note.

Edge vs. The Judgment Day Feud Has Worn Out Its Welcome

Edge and Finn Bálor have been feuding for almost a year. While long-term stories are a positive in wrestling, every one can overstay its welcome if it goes on too long.

The Judgment Day have needed to escape the shadow of The Rated-R Superstar. After a mixed tag team match that was better than expected, Edge and Beth Phoenix got revenge and could move on.

This would have been a great time to position Bálor for a title run after WrestleMania, putting him up against a fresh opponent he can defeat. Instead, he could well lose again to The Rated-R Superstar come April 1-2.

It was time to move on already. If the final match must happen, it is vital that The Prince is the victor—along with Rhea Ripley dethroning Charlotte Flair as SmackDown women's champion—to begin the true rise of The Judgment Day.