WWE Raw: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for August 17

A pair of leviathans will surface on the Aug. 17 edition of WWE Raw, the go-home show for SummerSlam 2015.

Brock Lesnar and Undertaker meet again when WWE travels to the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Fans have been forced to settle for interviews and recaps of this feud in the last few weeks. The gladiators are now set to appear in the flesh, their presence together serving as a promise of violence.

Curtis Axel's hometown hosts an episode of Raw that looks to escalate the animosity between all the teams, champions and Superstars ready to clash at SummerSlam. Seth Rollins looks to call out his opponent, Sheamus is certain to cause some destruction, and the Divas Revolution is sure to get more spotlight.

Which matches will WWE add to the upcoming show? How will it use Raw to churn up hype for SummerSlam's existing bouts?

Backstage reports, live show happenings, Twitter and James Wortman's five-point preview on WWE.com have provided a good look at what to expect.

News, Potential Spoilers

The Divas champion may be taking it easy before heading into battle at SummerSlam. Nikki Bella looks to be nursing a back injury.

On Twitter, she mentioned rehabbing her back:

Nikki hasn't wrestled since last Monday's Raw. She didn't make the round of house shows over the weekend. With SummerSlam so close, she may be getting more rest Monday night.

If Brad Maddox ever makes it back on WWE TV, it's likely to be under a different persona. As listed on his ProFightDB.com profile, Maddox worked last Tuesday's tapings under a new ring name, Joshua Kingsley.

Fan Chris Canibano posted a shot of Maddox's new look:

With so much SummerSlam buildup to take care of, the former Raw general manager won't be a priority. Unless there is a big Battle Royal or another pull-apart brawl with most of the roster involved, fans will likely have to wait until after the marquee event to see this Kingsley gimmick on TV.

There's a much bigger chance we'll see Dolph Ziggler storm back onto center stage.

WWE continues to have Rusev and Summer Rae rile up Lana. That storyline is sure to come to a head with The Showoff coming to the rescue, but when?

"Dolph's return is imminent. He was at the house show in Vancouver last night and is scheduled for Raw next week in Minneapolis," Dave Meltzer wrote in last Monday's update on F4WOnline.

However, Lana said on Monday's Raw that Ziggler wouldn't be back until after SummerSlam. There's still room for Ziggler vs. Rusev on the four-hour pay-per-view, but WWE may wish to save that clash for Night of Champions.

Whether Ziggler is present or not, Raw will have no issue with star power. As James Caldwell noted for Pro Wrestling Torch, John Cena, Lesnar and Undertaker are all scheduled for the show. It's also worth mentioning that Kane, who hasn't been on TV in weeks, is listed for Raw as well.

Last Legs of SummerSlam Build 

Sheamus vs. Randy Orton is not yet on the SummerSlam card, but it is likely to be by the end of the night.

Their rivalry continues to escalate. On last week's Raw, Sheamus cost Orton a chance at the WWE title. Orton returned the favor by preventing a Money in the Bank cash-in.

Wortman hinted that the two would go at it once more in Minneapolis. In his Raw preview, he asked, "Following Sheamus' bold and vengeful proclamation, will Orton be keeping his head on a swivel Monday night, or does The Viper welcome the challenge?"

That sure sounds like we're getting more Orton-Sheamus bad blood. That should lead to one more grudge match at SummerSlam to fill out the four-hour show.

As of last week, Cena vs. Rollins is now officially part of the big PPV. Cena accepted Rollins' challenge on last Tuesday's Tough Enough.

That wasn't enough for the WWE champ, though. On Thursday's SmackDown, Rollins demanded a face-to-face meeting with the man he took out of action with a knee to the nose.

Monday's Raw will also continue the recent added focus on the women's division. The factions remain at odds with one another and now have an Elimination match at the PPV to build toward.

Team B.A.D., Team Bellas, and Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Paige (PCB) keep trading wins. No squad has been able to notch a series of victories in a row. The narrative heading into their SummerSlam meeting appears to be centered on who will gain momentum in Minnesota.

Of the trios clashing in the women's division, Wortman wrote, "Which team will pull ahead as the race to SummerSlam reaches the home stretch?"

The biggest story, though, will be the re-emergence of the two central figures in SummerSlam's main event. Undertaker and Lesnar haven't been on Raw together since their chaotic fight weeks ago.

They are now both advertised for Monday's Raw.

Will we see another collision between them? Wortman teased that possibility in his preview, writing, "Will The Anomaly and The Phenom wreak havoc once again?"

WWE isn't going to give too much away. It wants fans to anticipate the meeting between the titans at the PPV. At the same time, though, Monday's Raw serves as the company's last major chance for a SummerSlam sales pitch.

Expect big fireworks—just not the full explosion.