Mystery WWE Raw Champ Prediction, Keeping AEW's Devil Momentum Up, More Quick Takes

Coming off a whirlwind of a year for both WWE and AEW, neither company is wasting any time in setting the tone for what should be an equally exciting 2024, starting with Monday's Day 1 edition of Raw.

Fightful Select dropped the bombshell last Friday night that a former WWE champion was in talks to appear on the upcoming episode. Triple H added fuel to the fire with an X/Twitter post of his own teasing fans to "stay tuned."

Rumors have run rampant regarding who it could potentially be in reference to, but regardless of which former WWE champ emerges on Monday night, it's a smart tactic to stir up even more interest in what was already a stacked show to kick off the new year.

AEW also enters 2024 with a ton of buzz following the events that transpired at the Worlds End pay-per-view event, which saw Samoa Joe crowned the new AEW World champion and Adam Cole revealed as The Devil.

How they manage to keep that momentum going in the weeks and months ahead, however, remains to be seen.

This installment of Quick Takes will tackle the ever-changing landscape of AEW's main-event scene, Eddie Kingston's latest grand achievement and what it means, Karrion Kross getting his own faction, and more.

Which Former WWE Champion Will Appear on the Day 1 Edition of Raw?

In addition to the World Heavyweight Championship and Women's World Championship being defended, the tease of a former WWE champion appearing makes the Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw even more must-see than it was originally.

It has yet to be made clear whether the mystery star is specifically a former WWE world champion or if they simply held a title in the company at one time. Either way, fans will automatically assume it's a notable name as anyone else would be a disappointment.

Brock Lesnar, who has not been seen on WWE TV since SummerSlam where he lost to Cody Rhodes, is the safe choice. It would allow him to declare himself for the men's Royal Rumble match and jumpstart a storyline en route to WrestleMania 40.

Mercedes Moné would be the popular pick considering she is currently a free agent and is believed to be cleared to compete soon after getting injured last May. This would be despite Fightful Select recently reported that negotiations between the two sides fell apart and that she was expected to appear elsewhere imminently.

Coming out of AEW Worlds End, the best bet would be Andrade. AEW owner Tony Khan confirmed his departure in the post-show media scrum and it would be a surreal moment to see the former United States champion resurface on Raw days later.

Don't be surprised to see Batista or a star of that caliber made a quick cameo if its intended to announce their upcoming Hall of Fame induction.

Eddie Kingston Is Finally Being Used in a Meaningful Manner

Eddie Kingston has put together a tremendous run with AEW over the last three years that includes an ROH World Championship win and many memorable matches, moments, promos and programs.

In that time, he's primarily been used as a stepping stone for other talents. Save for a big victory over Chris Jericho at Revolution 2022, he hadn't been utilized in a meaningful manner until just recently when it he had to fight from underneath in the Continental Classic, which resulted in his remarkable moment at Worlds End.

Not much changes with Kingston remaining both the ROH World champion and NJPW Strong Openweight champion, but it's what his win against Jon Moxley means for his career going forward that will make all the difference.

In less than a month, Kingston has beaten the Blackpool Combat Club's three top stars and added more gold to his collection. He already had the audience behind him, but now he's finally being booked near a main-event level where he belongs.

If AEW can stay the course with him, he's on track to become AEW World champion by the end of the year, or be a top-tier babyface for the promotion by the end of 2024 at the very least.

Projecting Samoa Joe's First Feuds as AEW World Champion

Samoa Joe capturing the AEW World Championship is long overdue. He previously vied for the prestigious prize on the 2023 Grand Slam edition of Dynamite and fell short, but reigning supreme at Worlds End–and in clean fashion, no less–establishes him more than just the guy who occasionally challenges for the top title but can't win when it matters most.

AEW succeeded where WWE failed with him, and now the Samoa Joe era is officially underway.

Per Fightful Select, MJF is expected to take time off from AEW imminently to rehab his various injuries, and there's no shortage of compelling challengers for Joe to defend against in the absence of the ex-champ.

Swerve Strickland is more ready than anyone to ascend to main-event status and claim the world title, but that moment should be saved for a bigger stage such as Revolution or Double or Nothing. AEW's next pay-per-view isn't for another two months and Joe needs a few faces to stay busy with in the meantime.

Eddie Kingston would be a popular choice eventually, but not so soon after becoming a Triple Crown champion. Joe has history with Wardlow, who is fresh off a heel turn and alliance with Adam Cole, but Adam Page would be the best option given his credibility and ability to work well with just about anyone.

Karrion Kross' Faction with AOP Could Be Enough to Salvage Him on SmackDown

Of the many Superstars Triple H has brought back to WWE while in charge of the company's creative direction, Karrion Kross would have to be considered among the most disappointing to date.

Despite fans' lofty expectations for him upon his return in the summer of 2022, he unfortunately never amounted to much. He's had some solid matches but has largely lost everything of note he's been involved in.

It was revealed via a vignette that aired on the Dec. 22 edition of SmackDown that he'll be heading a faction featuring himself, Scarlett, Authors of Pain and Paul Ellering. The latter trio have been gone from WWE for over three years and previously had success in NXT.

AOP were never most the exciting act in their own right, but they could prove to have intriguing chemistry with Kross. At the very least, it gives Kross the chance to have disciples of his own for a change and do something different, as almost anything would be an improvement over the way he's been booked up to this point.

It's difficult to determine whether this will be what salvages Kross' WWE career, but it's worth experimenting with provided they're made to look like legitimate threats to the rest of the roster.

How Can AEW Keep Adam Cole-MJF Momentum Going Following The Devil's Reveal?

AEW has spent the better part of the past three months building toward the reveal of The Devil and his henchmen. Although Adam Cole was the most predictable candidate, he also made the most sense.

It was ultimately the right route for AEW to take with the storyline, and it made for an eventful ending to the show on Saturday night. Now the question becomes how they'll be able to maintain this momentum coming out of Worlds End with Cole still not medically cleared and, as previously mentioned, MJF taking time off.

MJF targeting every member of Cole's new faction upon his return would be logical, but who will they working with until then?

Samoa Joe being a heel AEW World champion likely means they won't be going after the gold any time soon, but they've made many enemies while running rampant on the roster including Adam Page, The Acclaimed and Bullet Club Gold.

Cole's group having matches with any of those men heading into Revolution would be fine albeit underwhelming. Cole will essentially be relegated to a managerial role for the foreseeable future, so it's up to the rest of his stablemates stay relevant with getting too repetitive with their attacks.

A strong follow-up to the Worlds End angle is necessary if AEW intends to keep the audience invested long-term.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.