Braun Strowman vs. Kane: Latest Rumors and Preview for WWE Raw Dec. 11

Monster will meet monster when Braun Strowman and Kane collide on Monday's WWE Raw.

The two cruel colossi have traded attacks in recent weeks as each has looked to establish his dominance on the red brand. It's time now for them to finally meet in an official contest.

And with Raw's next pay-per-view still a long way off, fans may be getting the climax of their rivalry on free TV.

Raw's trip to Cleveland should be heavy on in-ring action, continuing a recent trend. Each member of The Shield has a singles bout on the docket. We may also see more winning from Asuka and a cruiserweight shake-up.

Backstage news, the Raw preview on WWE.com and show projections provide an early look at Monday's show before it airs on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET.

News, Rumors

The cruiserweight division is at the center of the week's biggest backstage stories.

Rich Swann's career with WWE may suddenly be over after an arrest for battery and false imprisonment. Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet broke the story. WWE later announced Swann's indefinite suspension from the company.

Swann was set to face Drew Gulak in a No. 1 contender's match on Monday's Raw, but clearly, WWE will have to make alternate plans.

It's possible Swann's absence inspires the company to bring two cruiserweights off the bench. Gran Metalik and TJP have not competed for weeks, but not because of health reasons. Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported: "We are told neither is injured, but it's a case of WWE not having anything for them at the moment."

Elsewhere in the division, we are likely to see more interactions between Nia Jax and Enzo Amore.

The two briefly crossed paths on last week's Raw. Jax seemed to be flirting with the cruiserweight champ. And that may be just the beginning. 

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), WWE putting Jax with Amore is a means to keep the powerhouse away from Asuka and Absolution.

In addition, Wrestling Inc's Marc Middleton noted that Jax will serve as special guest referee for Amore's matches against Kalisto for the upcoming 205 Live house shows. Whether that's an indication of what WWE has in mind for them on TV will soon be clear.

Raw Streaks

November and December have been kind to Roman Reigns.

The Big Dog has piled up the wins as 2017 winds down. His latest triumph came in the form of taking down Jason Jordan in an Intercontinental Championship match last Monday. Per CageMatch.net, that gave Reigns three straight victories in IC title matches.

He has won six matches in a row overall and come out on top in nine out of his last 10 TV and PPV bouts.

The burgeoning streak, his recent title win and the all-around strong booking is likely a means to stockpile momentum for him ahead of WrestleMania. A date with universal champ Brock Lesnar feels inevitable.

Bo Dallas' future, meanwhile, looks to include a lot of Ls. 

The Miztourage member is a lackey and a pushover. And his record reflects that. After falling to Finn Balor last week, Dallas now has four straight losses on Raw and six consecutive defeats overall on his resume, per CageMatch.net.

His position on the Raw food chain is clearly not that of a predator at this point.

Preview

The Destroyer and The Bar will take on The Shield one-on-one.

Joe inserted himself into the tag team feud recently, ensuring The Hounds of Justice would go hunting for retribution. He not only choked out Reigns on the entrance ramp but cost The Shield a chance to regain the Raw Tag Team Championship by interjecting himself in the group's match.

Now Joe is set to face Dean Ambrose in Cleveland. Reigns will battle Cesaro. Seth Rollins will clash with Sheamus. 

Credit: WWE.com

It looks as if Raw will again lean heavily on The Shield with all three bouts likely to take up a good chunk of time.

The ongoing story featuring Absolution and Asuka is poised to get some play, too.

Paige's predatory faction has run over just about everyone in Raw's women's division already. But with Asuka, Absolution has hesitated for some reason. The trio has stalked her but has allowed her to walk away unharmed to this point.

WWE.com's Raw preview hinted at that changing soon: "It seems like only a matter of time before the trio gets their hands on The Empress of Tomorrow (or vice versa). Will Asuka and Absolution finally collide in Cleveland?"

Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt are on a collision course of their own.

After an awakening that unleashed some ancient being hidden inside him, Hardy has promised to "delete" his rival. He has embraced a remixed version of the eccentric character he played on Impact Wrestling. The first glimpse of Hardy's persona in WWE suggests things are going to get mighty weird moving forward.

Kane and Strowman's rivalry promises to be less verbal than Hardy vs. Wyatt.

Their feud began when they were still teammates. Kane attacked Strowman at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, stuffing him into a garbage truck. After trading chair shots to the throat, the two titans are set to fight to decide who is WWE's true monster.

The Monster Among Men sent Big Show limping off the WWE stage earlier this year. It's a safe bet Strowman does the same thing with another veteran big man. 

The conclusion of this meeting of behemoths is closing in. And recent history says that means Strowman will deliver a moment to remember in the process.