Latest Rumors, Preview for Final WWE Raw Before Survivor Series 2017

The Shield will be at full strength and on center stage on the last WWE Raw before Survivor Series.

After missing weeks of action due to illness, Roman Reigns is back. WWE announced last week that Reigns would return to Raw on Monday to rejoin his fellow Hounds of Justice.

The Big Dog will charge back into the red brand's landscape as the countdown to Sunday's Survivor Series pay-per-view winds down.

In addition to Reigns' return, the go-home show will feature an appearance from Brock Lesnar and a match to decide the last member of Raw's women's team. Could we also get the return of a former Divas titleholder? Will The New Day invade once again?

Those are among the questions swirling in the air as Atlanta's Philips Arena hosts the latest Raw.

Read on for a preview of the show, complete with info culled from backstage news, the Raw preview on WWE.com and storyline analysis. The red brand's last showcase before Survivor Series will then air on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET.

News, Rumors

The wait for Paige's return appears to finally be ending.

The former Divas champ has been out for over a year with a neck injury. Monday night, though, looks to be when she'll remerge on Raw.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported that Paige will return this week, and despite some consideration of her going to SmackDown, she'll end up with the red brand. Johnson noted: "The belief among several we have spoken with is that Paige will somehow end up on the Raw women's team."

The Survivor Series go-home show may also feature The New Day from SmackDown; an as-yet-unannounced bout between the trio and The Shield gets the hype treatment.

Dave Meltzer noted on Figure Four Online: "There will be angles likely on both Monday and Tuesday building the match. The New Day came home with the Raw crew to be on TV on Monday rather than work the final show of the tour in Florence, Italy."

Monday may be too busy of a time to add an NXT star, but fans should be on the lookout for Hideo Itami to show up on Raw. Dave Scherer of PWInsider reported: "The word going around at SmackDown today is that Hideo Itami will become a member of the 205 Live roster." He also noted that move is expected to happen "very soon."

Raw Streaks

Not surprisingly, Braun Strowman has been a dominant force on Raw.

The Monster Among Men hurled The Miz around last week en route to a victory. And after defeating The A-Lister, Strowman is in the midst of a five-match winning streak on Raw, per CageMatch.net.

WWE has booked him a lot stronger on TV than PPV of late, though. Strowman has lost his last three PPV contests and Survivor Series could extend to four.

At least he'll have an opportunity at the event. Elias, on the other hand, is in danger of missing the card completely. That's not a shocker considering he's been presented as less of a threat lately.

Elias dropped a Guitar on a Pole match against Jason Jordan last Monday. That marked his fourth loss in a row after going 4-0 in his previous four bouts, per CageMatch.net. 

Last Leg of Survivor Series Build

AJ Styles not only dethroned Jinder Mahal on the most recent SmackDown, he pushed him out of a marquee match at Survivor Series. By winning the WWE Championship, Styles also earned the chance to face universal champ Lesnar on Sunday.

This booking curveball means WWE will have to fast-track the hyping process.

Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman will be in the building on Monday. With only days left until Survivor Series, there's a good chance Styles shows up for a little in-ring face time.

Monday's Raw will feature Raw's women's Survivor Series team deciding its final member.

To this point, captain Alicia Fox has chosen Nia Jax, Sasha Banks and Asuka to be in her squad. A Triple Threat Match will determine the fifth Superstar, as Bayley, Dana Brooke and Mickie James all vie for that last spot.

Credit: WWE.com

That is unless Paige gets involved to complicate things.

And before Survivor Series, Strowman may feed on a fellow monster. The powerhouse and Kane have quickly become enemies after entering TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs as tag team partners.

The Raw preview on WWE.com hinted at those two crossing paths again: "Something tells us the masked terror isn't finished with Strowman just yet."

The big news of the day in Atlanta will be The Big Dog's return. 

Reigns will make The Shield whole again. And he'll find plenty of adversaries to take on alongside his brethren. The Bar has continued to feud with the group in Reigns' absence, and The New Day just cost Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose the Raw Tag Team Championship.

The colorful SmackDown trio distracted Rollins and Ambrose, leading to a surprise title change. It's time now for Reigns to pair up with those warriors again, going on the hunt for The New Day and making his mark in the ongoing brand war.

And he will do so just in time, leaping into the Survivor Series build just as it's set to wrap up.