WWE Raw Preview: Falls Count Anywhere Match and More for July 1 Episode

The wrestling world was shaken to its core Thursday with the announcement by WWE that Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff have been hired to be executive directors of Raw and SmackDown Live, respectively.

Monday night's USA Network broadcast may well give fans their first taste of what the mastermind of Extreme Championship Wrestling and advocate for Brock Lesnar has in store for the flagship creatively.

One thing that is not in question: Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley will write the latest chapter of their rivalry in a Falls Count Anywhere match.

Just 13 days away from Extreme Rules, what can fans expect from the brawl and which other Superstars will feature prominently ahead of the stipulation-heavy pay-per-view?

Announced Matches

Falls Count Anywhere: Strowman vs. Lashley

The New Day vs. Viking Raiders

First Time Ever Tag Match

For the first time anywhere, The New Day and The Viking Raiders will square off in tag team action.

Though it is unknown which two members of New Day will do battle, the dynamics between the teams and their body of work suggests fans could be in for a hell of a fun wrestling match.

Erik and Ivar have been unable to build momentum for themselves on Raw due to inconsistent booking, but a victory over New Day—one of the most celebrated and decorated trios in wrestling history—would do wonders to build them credibility among the at-large WWE fanbase.

Of course, the question becomes how much of the match is aimed at serving The Viking Raiders and how much is designed to get over Kofi Kingston's ongoing rivalry with Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship.

If Erik and Ivar win because Joe interferes and beats down Kingston, it has less to do with their ability to be a threat in the tag team division and more to do with cheating. It is a cop-out of a finish and one that benefits no one besides the two guys fighting for the WWE title who are already over with fans.

The Deadman and The Big Dog

Common sense and storyline continuity are nonexistent when ratings dip below a level of comfort for WWE, so Undertaker was pulled out of his post-Super ShowDown mothballs and brought back to television last Monday night, rescuing an outnumbered Roman Reigns from Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre.

The announcement that The Phenom will partner with Reigns to battle The Scottish Psychopath and his Best In The World tag team partner at Extreme Rules suggests Undertaker may pop up on Monday's show.

He also may not, which means the typical recycled video packages we have watched for years detailing Undertaker's unmatched legacy.

Either way, look for the heels to build heat for themselves after last week's unexpected wrinkle, whether that means beating Reigns down again or wiping the mat with Miz for what feels like the infinite time this year.

Mixed Tag Team Mayhem

Last week's show brought it the announcement Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch will put their universal and women's titles on the line against Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans in a high-stakes mixed tag team match.

The two, months-long rivalries have meshed into one, and with the newfound recognition of Rollins and Lynch's relationship on the air, expect a considerable amount of television time to be dedicated to the rivalry and the winner-takes-all stipulation.

In preparation for the bout, do not be surprised to see Rollins and Lynch standing across the ring from a team like Andrade and Zelina Vega as part of the Wild Card, obviously, to sell their ability to work together and score a win.