WWE Raw Preview: The Punk/Laurinaitis Saga, Mick Foley, Embracing Hate and More

Last week’s episode of Monday Night Raw was an intense one to say the least.

The WWE Universe were notified that fan-favorites Air Boom lost their titles over the weekend and saw Jack Swagger win the United States Championship, then get destroyed by John Cena embracing the hate.

The fans even witnessed the interim general manager John Laurinaitis vow to screw CM Punk then attack WWE legend Mick Foley.

For the first time since July, tensions are high on Raw.

WWE hasn’t confirmed anything for the show as of this writing, but the company has left the fans plenty to think about going into the show.

What’s Next for Tag Team Champions Primo and Epico?

The tag-team division in WWE isn’t what it used to be. Back in the Attitude Era, teams were plentiful and the division was the best in professional wrestling.

Fast forward to 2012 and WWE has two teams.

At a house show last weekend, Air Boom lost the Tag Team Championship to Primo and Epico, and then lost their rematch on last week’s Raw.

With the suspension of Evan Bourne, Air Boom is out of the picture.

On this past Friday’s SmackDown, Primo and Epico defeated the only other team in WWE, the Usos.

With only two teams between the two rosters, will the fans see the match again? Will a new team step up to the plate?

What’s Next for US Champion Jack Swagger After John Cena’s Brutal Attack?

Jack Swagger shocked the WWE Universe last week when he defeated Zack Ryder for the United States Championship.

Later on in the show, something even more shocking happened.

John Laurinaitis knew Ryder was too injured to compete but let the match happen anyway. John Cena wasn’t too happy about that and Johnny Ace booked Cena in a match with Swagger.

The match itself never happened as the face of the WWE proceeded to deliver a brutal attack upon the new United States champion.

Swagger was left down and out and certainly wasn’t looking like a champion.

Will Jack Swagger get retribution? Is he even able to compete?

Can the Miz Finally Take Down R-Truth?

The Miz and R-Truth joined forces towards the end of August in an attempt to bring down Triple H.

After getting the Game out of power, it seemed like the Awesome Truth had won.

Upon losing a match at Survivor Series to the Rock and John Cena, the team broke up after Miz took out R-Truth.

When Truth returned on the final Raw of 2011 he went on a rampage and dismantled the once “Must-see WWE Champion in WWE history.”

For the next three weeks, R-Truth has been attacking the Miz and leaving him down and out.

Last week, Truth gained even more momentum when he defeated Miz as well as Wade Barrett and Sheamus in an over the top rope challenge.

Miz is no doubt getting frustrated over not being able to one-up his crazy former partner.

Does the Miz have something planned for R-Truth? Can Little Jimmy once again take down the Awesome one?

John Cena Embraced Hate Last Week; Is Kane Getting to Cena?

Kane surprised the WWE when he returned to attack John Cena instead of Mark Henry. The Big Red Monster soon revealed that he was after Cena because the face of the WWE needed to “embrace the hate.”

Three weeks ago the psychotic Kane decided to go after Cena’s friend Zack Ryder. While he failed in dragging him down to hell, he succeeded in injuring the Long Island Iced Z the following week.

That injury helped in Ryder losing his United States Championship to Jack Swagger and it helped put John Cena over the edge.

Mr. Rise Above Hate certainly embraced that hate when he destroyed Swagger later on in the night.

Before Cena was to squish Swagger’s head between the steel steps, Kane appeared on the titantron and was glad to see Cena in that state of mind.

Are Kane’s words finally getting to John Cena or did Cena just have a momentary lapse of judgment?

The CM Punk/John Laurinaitis Feud is Heating Up; Where Does Mick Foley Fit In?

CM Punk and interim Raw general manager John Laurinaitis have been at each other’s throats since Laurinaitis took charge of Monday Night Raw.

When Punk won the WWE Championship at Survivor Series, Johnny Ace has tried many things to get the title off of him, including a triple threat match tables, ladders and chairs match against Miz and Alberto Del Rio at the TLC PPV.

Punk not only retained the title but got under the skin of Laurinaitis even more.

The WWE champion has been disrespecting and embarrassing the WWE executive for months but Laurinaitis has never shown that any of Punk’s words were getting to him.

Last week, Mick Foley returned to Raw and made it a memorable return.

Not only did he briefly return to the ring, but after CM Punk laid into Laurinaitis, he asked the big question that has been on everyone’s minds.

He asked Laurinaitis, who will be the special referee in the WWE Championship match at the Royal Rumble, “Are you going to screw CM Punk?”

Laurinaitis then proudly responded with “You’re damn right I will” before smacking Foley with the microphone.

Will John Laurinaitis recant his statement now that he’s calmed down? What does CM Punk have to say about Laurinaitis’ words? Will Mick Foley be present on Raw to instigate Laurinaitis again?

The newest edition of Monday Night Raw has big shoes to fill.

With everything hopefully being followed up on, this should be a great show!

Will it be? Tune in to find out!