Predicting 3rd Star For Heyman Faction, Dom Mysterio's Next Feud, More WWE Raw Fallout
In the aftermath of Backlash, the May 12 edition of WWE Raw on Netflix delivered a packed show from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley successfully repelled the NXT upstart threat of Giulia and Roxanne Perez. Mami then reminded The Genius of the Sky that she still wants a shot at the Women's World Championship.
CM Punk confronted Paul Heyman, who was flanked by Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker, but the group was not ready for The Best in the World to receive help from Sami Zayn and Jey Uso.
Uso also tried to focus on his upcoming title match against Logan Paul at Saturday Night's Main Event on May 24, but Gunther arrived to declare his title rematch on the June 9 episode of Raw.
AJ Styles defeated Finn Bálor in a competitive match to further solidify his future challenge to Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship.
This show highlighted the strongest angles on Raw and delivered multiple memorable moments.
Keep Pushing Iyo Sky to the Moon
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Iyo Sky's second world title reign feels different than the first. She has connected with the crowd and looked dominant without any extra support needed.
WWE has set the stage for a rematch with Rhea Ripley that will be the next big test for The Genius of the Sky.
Sky has already defeated the Australian more times than most, and many stars have fallen to Ripley, who remains WWE's most bankable female wrestler.
However, it is important to keep The Genius of the Sky on top for a while longer. Her popularity can continue to grow, and she has many exciting fresh matchups across the women's roster.
Feuds with Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair could sustain Sky as champion for a while, not mention what could happen after another WWE draft.
At a time when the women's roster needs stability and excitement, Sky feels like the hottest star Raw can rely upon to keep that focus.
WWE Makes Wrong Call With Jey Uso vs. Gunther Rematch
2 of 4Jey Uso has too many rivals at present, even if he holds the World Heavyweight Championship.
He is building up to a title defense at Saturday Night's Main Event against Logan Paul, who has not appeared on air for the past two weeks.
Seth Rollins has made clear he wants the world title and is sending Bron Breakker after Uso next week.
Meanwhile, Gunther has returned his focus on the champion, setting his own challenge for the gold after SNME.
Of all the stories developing on Raw, The Ring General's challenge is the least interesting, even with a major stipulation attached.
The former titleholder should move on to stay strong, rather than lose to Main Event again, especially since they have never been an outstanding pairing in the ring anyway.
If the plan was to eventually deliver a final big blow-off match, perhaps Last Man Standing or "I Quit," WWE should have waited and let The Ring General build up more wins again first.
With the hopeful return of the King and Queen of the Ring at some point later this year, Gunther threatening to win for a second year in a row to challenge Uso has more appeal than talking his way into a rematch right away.
Predicting 3rd Member of Paul Heyman's Faction
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It did not take long for Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker and Paul Heyman to feel outnumbered. CM Punk, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso are already targeting them.
Add in a returning Roman Reigns down the line, and this group cannot last in its current form with the level of dominance Rollins is promising.
The best option would be to add a third figure sooner than later since Heyman is not going to help them in the ring.
Going by the current Raw roster, the best options would be Grayson Waller, Rusev or Sheamus.
Expanding to SmackDown, Drew McIntyre fits Rollins' crusade perfectly. Carmelo Hayes would do well with the opportunity. Fraxiom or DIY would be an interesting addition if the crew wants a tag team instead.
NXT has plenty of fascinating options to call up as well. Trick Williams, Tony D'Angelo, Ridge Holland or Lexis King might fit the bill, though this may be too big a spot for most of those names.
This stable could also use at least one woman. Becky Lynch almost makes too much sense, but Zoey Stark or a returning Kiana James would benefit from the spotlight.
No matter who WWE chooses, it is important to build this stable. It is supposed to be Heyman's new Bloodline, eventually likely fighting in WarGames later in the year.
The time is now to add more stars to spread the spotlight for Raw's top angle.
AJ Styles is Perfect Next Challenger for Dominik Mysterio
4 of 4AJ Styles has set the stage for his Intercontinental Championship challenge. By defeating Finn Bálor this week, no one in The Judgment Day is likely to get in his way.
Dominik Mysterio needs big names for his early challenges. It made sense to fight Penta one on one, even if he defeated the luchador in dubious fashion.
Styles has experience at every level of WWE as a Grand Slam champion, and even at 47 years old, he can still compete at a high level.
He is the perfect challenger for Dirty Dom as he can give him a spotlight and help him deliver a strong match on any stage.
With a few more weeks of build to come, Mysterio vs. Styles could be a great match for Money in the Bank on June 7 that can keep elevating Dirty Dom as champion.
Given Styles' history with The Judgment Day, this could also set up The Phenomenal One to warn Dirty Dom about Balor before a likely double-cross within the group.
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