Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson: Preview and Prediction for WWE Raw in-Ring Debut

When Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows make their in-ring debut against The Usos on Monday Night Raw, they will do so as one of professional wrestling's hottest acts—a team that has injected the WWE product with much-needed intrigue ahead of the May 1 Payback spectacular.

The duo, formerly of New Japan Pro Wrestling, has wasted little time making an impact on Raw and SmackDown, intervening in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship storyline involving longtime friend AJ Styles and current titleholder Roman Reigns. Despite playing the role of loyal buddies, it appears as though there is something bigger at play, perhaps a grand scheme of sorts.

Whether that is the case or not, Gallows and Anderson have had a much-greater effect on the product than anyone could have imagined, catapulting right to the top story in the industry and figuring to have a say in the outcome of the gigantic upcoming pay-per-view clash.

But first, they have business of their own to take care of, a date with former tag team champions Jimmy and Jey Uso, who will undoubtedly be seeking vengeance following an attack on the first night of Anderson and Gallows' takeover.

Preview

The April 11 episode of Raw saw Anderson and Gallows come from out of nowhere to attack The Usos following a No. 1 Contender's tag team tournament match against The Social Outcasts. It was the culmination of a long wait, as fans guessed for nearly a month as to when they might see the former Japan-based team arrive.

While it looked, at first, like they may be thrown into a crowded tag team scene to feud with the stale twins, that attack proved to be an opening statement on a hostile takeover of sorts.

Quickly, they established their past relationship with Styles and then muddied the waters of The Phenomenal One's feud with WWE champion Roman Reigns by attacking The Big Dog on the April 18 episode of Raw, leaving him lying in the ring and planting the seeds of doubt as to whether Styles legitimately had prior knowledge of the attack.

After making their presence felt three days later on SmackDown, the duo announced their first official match, against The Usos, on the April 25 episode of WWE's flagship show.

Analysis

WWE Creative was fairly clever in picking The Usos as Anderson and Gallows' first opponent, especially considering their well-established connection to Roman Reigns. It established, right out of the gate, that the longtime tag team partners were very cerebral and precise in their actions, targeting a team with family ties to the WWE champion before setting their sights on Reigns himself.

It can be argued the attack would have been even more successful had it come at the expense of a more popular star, maybe even Dean Ambrose, and anyone doing so would have a point. Jimmy and Jey Uso have been incredibly stale of late, and the fans have taken to expressing their disenfranchisement with their act by booing them in arenas across the country.

Had Gallows and Anderson beaten down Ambrose, they would have firmly established themselves as heels while maintaining that connection to Reigns. Unfortunately, The Lunatic Fringe finds himself in the midst of a feud with Chris Jericho, so that would not have exactly fit the narrative the company is trying to tell with that incredibly flawed program.

Prediction

Credit: WWE.com

There is no way Anderson and Gallows do not win this match. They have already been treated as significant players in the WWE Universe—two guys capable of rescuing the company from the monotony that has overcome it in recent months. A loss would kill any and all credibility from the get-go, especially considering the ease with which The Vaudevillains defeated the twin brothers last Monday night.

The real question is whether Styles and Reigns weigh heavily into the bout, or if any interaction involving the four Superstars is saved for later in the broadcast.

Either way, expect a strong match. For all the flaws surrounding The Usos' complete and utter lack of character development, the duo can still bring it between the ropes. Gallows and Anderson's abilities as a team have never been in doubt—for anyone familiar with their work in Japan, that is. Monday night, they will introduce themselves to the WWE Universe with an explosive performance and an emphatic win, en route to phase two of their U.S. invasion.

And, perhaps, the introduction of a certain "Club" to North America (on a grand scale).