WWE Raw: 5 Talking Points to Come from Monday Night's Show

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Bouncebackability – the ability to recover after a setback, particularly in sport.

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It’s a good job the Collins English Dictionary added that word to our collective vocabulary back in 2005, as otherwise I’d be hard pushed to accurately describe one of the WWE’s more salient qualities.

The company displayed great bouncebackability this week on Raw, just one night after a Royal Rumble pay-per-view that garnered widespread criticism both in Pittsburgh and amongst the Internet Wrestling Community.

Monday night’s show addressed a number of the events that had many fans feeling peeved just 24 hours prior, whilst also providing us with some exciting developments as far as the coming weeks are concerned.

For the first time in over seven months, we take a look at five of the biggest talking points to emanate from Monday Night Raw this week.

The Authority Acknowledges Daniel Bryan

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Having ignored the pleas of much of the WWE Universe, and also the Superstar himself, to have Daniel Bryan added to the Royal Rumble match, the Authority addressed the situation in Monday Night Raw’s first act of business.

For me, the segment was intriguing—a great way to kick off any show.

And even though Triple H and Stephanie McMahon words were riddled with condescension, at least we saw them acknowledge a pro-Bryan crowd—which is certainly more than they usually do.

Also, Bryan was allowed to reference the “Yes Movement” that he has been promoting on Twitter recently.

These events, as well much of the dialogue in Raw’s opening segment, suggest to me that this whole angle is a work and that Bryan will indeed get his main event moment eventually.

Furthermore, Bryan was even ultimately granted a shot at the WWE Title at the Elimination Chamber PPV.

I wouldn't be so sure of him emerging from that match victorious, but the events on Raw suggest that the WWE are no longer turning a blind eye to a man who has become arguably their most valuable current commodity.

Real Americans Splitting Up?

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They may have scored an impressive victory over Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara on Raw, but the signs of discontent are beginning to show within the Real Americans’ ranks.

A hostile Zeb Coulter utilized a more unorthodox style of management, attempting to fire Jack Swagger up with a tirade of criticism and a slap across the face for good measure. Naturally, the former World Champion took exception to Coulter’s methods and had to be physically restrained by Antonio Cesaro.

Could this be the fuel that lights the fire that ultimately sees the breakdown of the Real Americans?

With Cesaro continuing to gain ever more favorable crowd reactions, the question of when he will break out and turn face has been an increasingly hot topic as of late.

Thus I wouldn't be surprised if this was the beginning of the end for this stable. The time is right for this faction to disintegrate, with a potential WrestleMania clash between the two helping Cesaro go on to achieve the bigger and better things that we all know him to be capable of.

The Usos Continue to Rise

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While one tag team toils, another prevails.

The Usos were the victors by pinfall over the team of Ryback and Curtis Axel on Raw, with their exciting offense seizing the attention of the Cleveland crowd.

The WWE's tag team division as a whole has improved by leaps and bounds in recent months, and one of the contributing factors to that improvement has been the resurgence of these brothers who are maturing into a very reliable duo.

The siblings could well be in line for a shot at the Tag Team Championship, with many speculating that the New Age Outlaws are no more than transitional champs between the Brotherhood and the Usos.

Either way, it’s going to be hard to deny Jimmy and Jey much longer if they continue to perform as they have been in recent weeks.

Possible Triple Threat for WrestleMania?

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The WWE title picture has changed considerably in recent weeks.

Randy Orton remains the champion, but John Cena has seemingly faded from the limelight with Batista now taking his place. However, it appears that Brock Lesnar has an agenda of his own to factor in to the equation.

Championship gold was the reason he gave for returning to action in the first place, and his interruption of Batista’s segment with Orton suggests that his intentions remain unchanged.

Aside from being a wonderful throwback to the Ruthless Aggression era, the sight of these three megastars in the ring together throws up a whole host of possibilities.

And though Paul Heyman did a sound job of outlining some of those possibilities, there’s another unmentioned idea that instantly springs to mind:

Why not book them altogether in a Triple Threat match at ‘Mania?

Not since 2009 have we seen a Triple Threat match for the world title at WrestleMania. Could this be the year that we end that run?

The three men have differing styles and could thus work well together, but much remains to be seen before we can get too far ahead of ourselves on this one.

The Shield vs. the Wyatt Family?

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Raw closed with another interference from the Wyatt Family—their second instance in just 24 hours.

And though the trio had initially arrived to attack Cena, Sheamus and Bryan, their actions cost the Shield a WWE Title shot at the Elimination Chamber. The Hounds of Justice were enraged.

So could this friction lead to a showdown between the two factions?

It’s been teased in the past, but with neither party otherwise engaged at the upcoming PPV this could be the perfect time for the six men to go toe-to-toe.

If their recent in-ring work is anything to go by, it would surely be a great match—and one with a particularly interesting dynamic given that both teams are essentially heel groups.

Again, this could be me getting ahead of myself. But it would certainly be a great way to bulk up the Elimination Chamber card. And if the WWE could somehow incorporate the PPV's gimmick into proceedings, we could be in store for something very special indeed.

Conclusion

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It was not the first time I found myself disappointed with a Sunday night PPV, only for the following night’s events on Raw to restore my faith in the WWE.

As frustrating as it may be, I feel we now find ourselves in an encouraging position.

The Elimination Chamber match is already beginning to take shape, and we look set to have a blockbuster WWE Title match on the cards for WrestleMania. Add to that the possibility of a Shield vs. Wyatt Family confrontation and it would appear that the company’s management are finally giving the fans what they want.

But what did you guys think of the events of Monday Night Raw this week; does Bryan stand a chance in the Elimination Chamber?

What do you expect to see as the main event for WrestleMania?

And how will the Shield take out their frustrations at losing a title shot?

Please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and opinions on these matters, and let me know whether or not you agree with the points outlined in the article.