Brock Lesnar Returns: Latest Rumors and Preview for WWE Raw Dec. 18

Providence, Rhode Island, is set to become Suplex City for the night as Brock Lesnar emerges on Monday's WWE Raw. 

The universal champ hasn't shown up on the red brand since Survivor Series in November. In his absence, two feuding monsters, Kane and Braun Strowman, fought for the chance to battle him at the Jan. 28 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Nothing was decided, however, and Lesnar will arrive unsure of who will step up to him next.

In addition to The Beast Incarnate's appearance, Raw is set to feature the continued rise of Absolution, another chapter in the brand's weirdest feud and likely Roman Reigns' latest Intercontinental Championship open challenge.

What else is on tap for Raw's trip to the Dunkin' Donuts Center? What changes await the roster?

Read on for a full preview of Monday's show before it airs on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET, with info culled from backstage news and the Raw preview on WWE.com, along with storyline projections.

News, Rumors

Hideo Itami is on his way to the cruiserweight division. The Japanese star said goodbye to NXT Sunday and will soon debut on the main roster after weeks of vignettes hyping his arrival.

Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer noted: "Itami is scheduled to debut on the 205 Live roster either at Raw tomorrow or on 205 Live on Tuesday."

The tag team division may soon be getting a boost in depth as well. The Revival's Scott Dawson, who has been out with a biceps injury, is reportedly close to returning.

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet reported: "Sources tell us Scott is currently on-track to get the green light by the end of the month and will likely hit that target, pending any complications that could be found during the next few weeks."

Noam Dar, meanwhile, is headed to rehab. WWE announced that Dar recently underwent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Unfortunately, the cruiserweight is likely to be out of action for five months.

Raw Streaks

Since her return on Nov. 20, Paige has not tasted defeat.

She and Mandy Rose took down Mickie James and Bayley on the previous Raw. That pushed the Absolution leader's win streak to three, per CageMatch.net.

It's clear WWE is looking to establish Paige and her faction as a dominant force. So far, so good. The more momentum Paige can stockpile, the bigger her eventual match with Asuka will be.

Curtis Axel remains on the other side of the booking spectrum, with The Miztourage member falling to Finn Balor on the most recent edition of Raw. That gave him four straight losses, per CageMatch.net. Axel has gone 3-7 in his past 10 bouts.

Being a part of The Miz's crew has given him added spotlight, but wins haven't come with the package.

Preview

Absolution has made more than its fair share of enemies in a hurry.

Not only is the trio of Paige, Rose and Sonya Deville winning every match it is in, but the stable has ambushed just about every wrestler in the women's division. Their victims are sure to push back in the coming weeks.

WWE looks to be moving toward an Asuka-Paige showdown, but there promise to be a number of other feuds for Absolution before that big bout.

Enzo Amore is about to find out his next challenger for the Cruiserweight Championship. Cedric Alexander and Drew Gulak earned their way into a No. 1 Contender's match and will collide Monday night.

Alexander was the beneficiary of a second chance to get into that bout after WWE suspended Rich Swann. Gulak is an intriguing potential foe for the champ, as he is a member of Amore's Zo Train group. However, Amore's verbal abuse of his ally hinted at tension between the two.

Monday's Raw also promises to showcase the Bray Wyatt-Matt Hardy rivalry.

Since Hardy has become "woken" and the ancient spirit in him has taken over, things have gotten unapologetically weird. The rivals have traded verbal shots and cackled into the camera. Their next go-around will be a good indication of how good of a handle WWE has on Hardy's new persona.

And Reigns will look to continue the recent pattern of show-stealing Intercontinental Championship matches.

The Big Dog has defended his title against Jason Jordan, Cesaro and Elias on the past three shows. Each match has been mighty fun. Now, who's next?

WWE.com's Raw preview asked: "Will it be Sheamus or [Samoa] Joe, or will a new nemesis step into his yard?"

The night's big story will be the clarity coming to the Universal Championship picture. Kane and Strowman's No. 1 Contender's match ended in a double count-out. That left it unclear who will face Lesnar at the Royal Rumble.

Lesnar and his advocate, Paul Heyman, though, are set to step on to the Raw stage as the fog around the title scene dissipates.

It's a strong possibility WWE announces a Triple Threat match between all three men. Strowman will get his rematch, but Kane's presence would allow The Monster Among Men to lose without taking another pinfall. And Kane would get one last moment on the marquee before focusing on his upcoming mayoral race.