5 Possible Pairings of Legends from the Past and Present on WWE Raw 25

Raw's 25th anniversary show Monday has a loaded lineup of wrestling legends and WWE Superstars in what is shaping up to be the promotion's highest-rated television broadcast of 2018.

One of the fun aspects of a show like this are the interactions between the past and the present, as top stars are destined to come face-to-face with their predecessors.

The Revival has already planted the seeds of its intention to confront WWE stars of yesteryear, possibly to their demise, but there are countless combinations of Superstars from then and now that could make for an all-time showcase on one of Raw's most anticipated shows in history.

Sasha Banks and Trish Stratus

It hardly seems a coincidence Sasha Banks recently made waves by telling TalkSport she is the greatest women's wrestler ever just days before Trish Stratus is set to appear at Raw's 25th anniversary (h/t Joshua Gagnon of Wrestling Inc).

Banks' comments have already accomplished the elementary task of ruffling feathers online, with more than 680 comments made in response on Wrestling Inc as of this writing. 

Expect Banks to double down on these heelish claims, which should be enough to bring out a host of female Superstars with claims to to the "greatest" mantle, including Stratus, a surprise appearance by Lita and maybe even the Bella Twins.

Brother Love and Braun Strowman

There is perhaps no better contrast between two individuals than the obnoxious affection that defines Brother Love mixed with the fire and fury personified by Braun Strowman.

Brother Love giving a well-intended hug to Strowman could easily lead to a series of powerslams that would continue to elevate the hottest WWE Superstar in the business. 

Love would be justified in appearing in a segment with WWE's top star since Bruce Prichard, who portrays the character, is every bit as hot outside of WWE as Strowman is inside of it. 

Prichard's wildly popular podcast, Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, is filled with entertaining backstage stories and the much-needed lampooning of wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.

It has gained a cult-like following to the point Brother Love ran away with a recent WWE.com poll that asked which WWE legend fans were looking most forward to seeing.

The Balor Club and The NWO

Both Scott Hall and Sean Waltman are scheduled to appear on Raw's 25th anniversary show, and who better to pair them with than the gang of WWE Superstars who got fat and happy in Japan by stealing their gimmick.

In all fairness, the New World Order storyline was a takeoff of an angle in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, so an NWO-Balor Club interaction would be bringing the popular factions full circle.

A "too sweet" angle would bring New York to its feet, as the NWO could put the Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson trident over in WWE by giving the faction its blessing.

The Revival vs. Everybody

Twitter, in all its Pavlovian glory, jumped with joy to hear the words "pro wrestling" uttered on WWE television.

The Revival has predictably endeared itself to the hardcore wrestling fans with its old-school sensibilities, but it's difficult to tell whether this will lead to a successful outlaw gimmick or whether the former NXT tag team champions are simply being made into a joke.

The Revival called out multiple legends, including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the New Age Outlaws and D-Generation X, all of whom are scheduled to appear at the 25th anniversary show. 

Given Damien Sandow's fate in a similar spot during Raw 1000, all signs point to The Revival getting upstaged by multiple WWE legends, as pro wrestling's favorite sons appear destined to eat Super Kicks.

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and Elias

There's no way around it: Elias is WWE's hottest heel. Hotter than The Miz. Hotter than Kami. Hotter than every heel. 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin's limited appearances are most useful when paired with a hot act. Austin's past cameos have featured interactions with the likes of Santino Marella and The New Day, which were wildly entertaining WWE acts.

That mantle now belongs to Elias, who could make magic with his deliberately obnoxious guitar act juxtaposed against a Texas Rattlesnake.

Austin's appearance at Raw 25 is one of the most anticipated, and if he doesn't cross paths with Elias, this appearance could register as a disappointment. 

Alfred Konuwa is a featured columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.