Asuka vs. Bayley in Champion vs. Champion Clash, More Raw Predictions

Raw women's champion Asuka has a date with WWE women's tag team titleholder Sasha Banks at Extreme Rules: The Horror Show on July 19, but first she faces a Champion vs. Champion match against The Legit Boss' teammate and SmackDown women's champion, Bayley, on Monday's Raw.

That contest headlines a show that will continue the march to the upcoming pay-per-view, which will also see WWE champion Drew McIntyre defend against former tag team partner Dolph Ziggler.

What should we expect from a show that WWE desperately needs to heat things up as its faces slumping television ratings and general apathy for the product?

Women's Division Takes Center Stage

Few elements of the current product have been as consistently great as the women's division, and it will look to steal the show once more Monday when Asuka battles Bayley in a matchup we have seen before but not quite under the same circumstances.

Bayley and Asuka's greatest battles took place in NXT, when both were babyfaces. Now, The Role Model is an insufferable heel while The Empress of Tomorrow is, arguably, the most charismatic character on any WWE-produced show.

The dynamics favor a fantastic match, as long as they are allowed to have one.

An interference-heavy bout seems likely as Banks looks to cost Asuka and add heat to their upcoming match at Extreme Rules. If that is the case, look for Bayley to pick up the win and continue The Golden Role Models' recent string of successes.

Expect the heels to maintain their momentum and Asuka to find the motivation she needs to unload her strike-heavy offense on The Boss come July 19.

Is Dolph Ziggler in Drew McIntyre's Head?

For the first time in his title reign, WWE champion Drew McIntyre appears shaken by a No. 1 contender.

So much so that he has given Dolph Ziggler the opportunity to select the stipulation for their match at Extreme Rules. The Showoff has wrestled in any number of gimmick bouts over the years, giving him a wealth to choose from.

Whatever he selects is almost certain to play to McIntyre's weaknesses.

Given the fact that some of his most memorable victories have come in ladder matches—a match type the Scot has not had much in the way of success in—expect Ziggler to reveal it as his choice on Monday night.

A Riott-ous Reunion?

Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott have found themselves on the losing end of matches recently. The former has struggled against Natalya while the latter lost yet another match in 2020 last week, this time to Peyton Royce.

As both continue to slide down the rankings on Raw, professional frustration may force them to set aside personal animosity and reunite.

With it appearing more and more like The IIconics may be first up for the former friends, do not be surprised to see Morgan come to the aid of Riott as she endures a beatdown at the hands of Royce and Billie Kay.

Another plausible angle would see Morgan at the mercy of Lana and Natalya, only for Riott to make the save and bring the former teammates closer to a comeback.

Either way, their story is suddenly one of the more interesting ones on the show, as WWE continues its excellent promotion of women's wrestling this summer.