WWE Raw: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for March 16

The March 16 edition of WWE Raw will be looking to add the final bricks in the construction of the WrestleMania 31 card.

Randy Orton is set to issue a challenge by way of spitting in his opponent's face. The Tag Team Championship picture promises to become less foggy. In addition, the 2015 Hall of Fame class is getting another inductee.

Even as close as WrestleMania is, though, not all of WWE's key performers will be at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. It looks as if Monday's Raw will be without a certain beast and ravishing manager.

Backstage reports give fans a peek at who is set to show up in Iowa and who will be elsewhere. James Wortman's five-point preview on WWE.com provides a glimpse of the future, hinting at what collisions will come to pass on Monday night.

News, Potential Spoilers

After weeks of Sting appearing via stunt double, vignette or as the subject of one of Triple H's rants, he looks set to finally step onto the Raw stage again.

PWInsider's Mike Johnson has reported that "Sting is in Des Moines, Iowa and will be appearing in person on tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw." That would mark just his second appearance on Raw. 

Last week, Sting spoke in WWE for the first time, explaining his intentions in a video in which WWE altered his voice. There has been no word yet on whether he will be keeping this modified voice or perhaps just doing all his talking with his trusty baseball bat.

In far less significant news, Brad Maddox could be involved with Raw as well.

He ended a long hiatus by stepping into the ring over the weekend. As noted on Pro Wrestling Torch, Maddox returned on Saturday's live event in Milwaukee to take on Zack Ryder.

Nicole DiGiacomo was one of the fans in attendance and shared this photo of Maddox in action: 

"

@BradMaddoxIsWWE Heeeee's back!!!! #WWEMilwaukee pic.twitter.com/LPWZ1Remfh

— Nicole DiGiacomo (@ndyanksWWE) March 15, 2015"

With spots still open for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, Maddox could slip into the spotlight again. He will have to compete with Sheamus and Bo Dallas, though, as the two recently healed Superstars could also be back at any moment.

While WWE may get a familiar face or two to come back, it will have to make do with an incomplete roster. Lana, for one, will be elsewhere.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc), Lana is expected to be off TV for a while to allow her to shoot the movie Interrogation. She didn't appear on Thursday's SmackDown and missed the weekend's round of house shows, as noted by PWInsider.

The Deadman won't be in Iowa, either. He accepted Bray Wyatt's challenge last week with a flurry of lightning and a pre-recorded message. Even with WrestleMania so close, he won't show up in the flesh.

According to PWInsider (h/t Wrestle Zone), the plan is still to keep Undertaker off TV until WrestleMania.

Brock Lesnar may be missing in action as well. James Caldwell of Pro Wrestling Torch notes that Lesnar is not advertised for Monday's show. While the Deadman not showing up is not surprising, it's odd that WWE is not using the Beast Incarnate more as his headline match approaches.

Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan and John Cena are among those who are on the bill.

While the current WWE champ looks to be inactive, a former titleholder will get some screen time by way of a Hall of Fame announcement. WWE revealed on its website that the "next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015 is expected to be named on Monday."

The announcement hints that the inductee is a "former world champion." Johnson of PWInsider believes that Larry Zbyszko will be getting the nod. He mentioned that Tatsumi Fujinami could be a possibility instead and that he expects Kevin Nash to have his name called next week.

WrestleMania Nearing 

Count on WrestleMania growing by at least one match.

Orton told Michael Cole on Thursday's SmackDown that he will issue a challenge to Seth Rollins. That would set up the bout fans have been expecting for months.

Wortman tells fans to "expect some serious fireworks between these former allies when Raw goes on the air." That would not exactly be a surprise. The Viper throttled Rollins last week, an attack sure to have the latter looking for payback.

If Orton and Rollins becomes official, that leaves just the tag team title match to be decided. A number of teams have made their case to be involved in a clash over those belts.

The New Day defeated Cesaro and Tyson Kidd on last week's Raw. Los Matadores impressed in eight-man action on SmackDown a few days later.

Wortman teases that WWE will pick a contender on Monday's Raw when he asks: "Will Kidd & Cesaro's WrestleMania challengers be named this week?"

It's unclear whether the champs will be facing just one pair of foes or if WWE will plug several teams into the bout.

To further hype a match that is already lined up, Reigns is going to face more hurdles. WWE has built the Reigns-Lesnar match around the idea that former member of the Shield has to prove himself. That has continued even after he knocked off Daniel Bryan at Fastlane.

On Thursday's SmackDown, Mark Henry questioned whether Reigns could beat Lesnar. The powerhouse responded with a Superman punch.

Henry later told Renee Young that "Roman Reigns made a believer out of me."

Look for that narrative to roll on. Wortman hints at that when he writes, "How will the Big Dog be tested this week?" That test likely won't involve Lesnar himself.

That means that someone else's jaw will be where Reigns aims on Monday night.