WWE Raw: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for July 18

Monday's WWE Raw will mark the end of an era.

The WWE landscape is poised to change dramatically with Raw and SmackDown splitting into distinct brands starting on Tuesday. A draft will divide the rosters between the two shows. Newly named general managers will take over the red and blue brands.

In that way, Monday's Raw is the go-home show to both the upcoming Battleground pay-per-view and the brand extension.

Dean Ambrose is not guaranteed to remain WWE champion heading into either event. Before he takes on Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at Battleground, he has to fend off The Architect on Monday night.

Ambrose boldly accepted Rollins' challenge on last week's Raw, assuring that fans in Providence, Rhode Island, will be witness to a major match ahead of the PPV.

What creatures from the WWE circus will reemerge on Monday's Raw? What's next for Sasha Banks, The New Day and Rusev on the final Raw before the draft?

Sifting through match reports, the Raw preview on WWE.com and the latest news helps answer those questions before Raw hits the airwaves at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

News, Potential Spoilers

If The Social Outcasts find themselves in any brawls on Monday's Raw, it will likely be without Heath Slater. The low-rung group's de facto leader suffered a nasty gash over his right eye during his match at a live event on Saturday.

Slater was battling Titus O'Neil in Bangor, Maine, when the wound bled so much that the referee stopped the bout. WWE.com noted the cut required 18 sutures.

To avoid having that wound open up on live TV, expect WWE to take it easy with Slater on Monday night.

For anyone hoping that Sasha Banks' need for a tag team partner would lead to Bayley making her way to the main roster, The Boss made it clear that's not going to happen.

On last week's SmackDown, Charlotte challenged Banks to a tag team match at Battleground against her and Dana Brooke. Banks just has to find a partner. That spot is apparently not going to her old NXT rival. 

As Paul Jordan of PWInsider.com noted, "Banks said in an online Q&A said that Bayley is not her mystery partner for the July 24 Battleground pay-per-view." On Monday's Raw, The Boss is likely to reveal who will be fighting at her side instead.

In preparation for Battleground's main event, Raw won't feature one of the PPV's headliners. Roman Reigns will reportedly not return from his recent suspension for taking a banned substance until after Raw and after the draft.

PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson, "The current plan is for Reigns to return to the road at next weekend's house show in Wildwood, NJ, before heading to the Battleground PPV."

Monday's Raw promises to be McMahon-heavy, but the patriarch of the powerful wrestling family may not show up in Rhode Island. Dave Meltzer wrote for the Wrestling Observer, "It was teased that Vince McMahon would be on the show to announce general managers if Shane and Stephanie don't pick them, but in advertising for the show, Vince is not listed." 

A number of towering veterans may appear, though. PWTorch writer James Caldwell noted Big Show, Mark Henry and Kane are advertised for Monday's show. All three Superstars have been rare sights on WWE TV of late.

With the brand split on its way, the company will have to lean more on little-used talents like them.

Return Watch

After months of waiting, Randy Orton's comeback date from shoulder surgery is now official. The Viper will be charging back at Battleground rather than Raw.

WWE announced Orton will return as Chris Jericho's guest on a PPV edition of the Highlight Reel:

As for the high-flying Neville, his return from a fractured ankle in March is imminent. 

Neville worked a dark match last Tuesday against Bo Dallas and then clashed with Jericho at a Madison Square Garden house show, per CageMatch.net.

The fan known as Brock Lesnar Guy posted footage of The Man Who Gravity Forgot in action:

WWE may wish to wait until Tuesday's draft to bring back Neville on TV, however. A surprise return would boost buzz around that event.

The waiting for Naomi, who hasn't wrestled since April, to step into the ring again may soon end.

All the other Superstars who were away shooting The Marine 5: Battleground (The Miz, The Social Outcasts, Maryse) are already back on TV. Naomi, though, has remained on the sidelines.

She hinted that she's headed back, too, when she tweeted:

Whether that refers to Raw or SmackDown or sometime after that is unclear. Banks does need a tag team partner before Sunday's event, and Naomi and The Boss were once allies as part of Team B.A.D.

Building up to Battleground

Ahead of Raw and SmackDown's split, the authority figure situation is set to be finalized.

Last week, Mr. McMahon named his children the commissioners of those two shows. Shane McMahon will run SmackDown. Stephanie McMahon will be in charge of Raw.

Both Shane and Stephanie, though, have to name a general manager to work under them. That selection process is likely to be a big part of Monday's Raw.

As to who will claim those spots, the WWE.com Raw preview offered a number of possibilities. It asked, "Could the new GMs be past general managers, such as Vickie Guerrero ("Excuse me!"), John Laurinaitis ("People power!"), Teddy Long ("Holla, holla!") or Booker T (Can you dig it...sucker?)? Could they be current WWE Superstars? What about alumni? WWE Hall of Famers?"

It's even less clear where WWE is taking the feud between The Wyatt Family and The New Day.

The tag team champs visited the Wyatt Family's compound last week, the two squads colliding in a strange battle atop cars and in a swampy field. WWE later announced The New Day vs. The Wyatt Family is now official for Battleground, but how will these enemies clash beforehand?

WWE has been creative with this story's presentation, even if the brawl at the compound looked a lot like TNA's Final Deletion match. The company has a great chance to deliver a unique and bizarre rivalry moving forward. 

Monday's Raw will reveal if WWE will keep venturing outside of the box or make this more of a standard feud.

The night promises to also showcase Rusev and the fight for the United States Championship. Last Monday, the champion accepted Zack Ryder's U.S. title challenge while wrenching his body in the Accolade.

Before that bout, count on Rusev issuing more destruction. The WWE.com preview stated, "Considering the Bulgarian Brute's track record when he's angry, perhaps Long Island Iced Z should take Monday night off."

That hints at the predatory champion at least attempting to flatten Ryder.

Fireworks between those rivals will be a part of an explosive show in general. WWE will look to make the last Raw before the brand split a special one.