WWE Monday Night Raw 9/5/11 Preview: 5 Things to Expect on Tonight's Show

It's that time of the week again, and the biggest superstars in the WWE are set to grace our television screens tonight on WWE Monday Night Raw.  

With a full Monday ahead of us, we're here to break down the five major things the WWE universe can expect out of tonight's event.

In tonight's Labor Day edition of Raw, there should be plenty of significant happenings in and around the WWE ring.

Last week marked the debut of the Raw "super show," which is a fancy way of saying that ratings are down and Raw will feature the big names from SmackDown while they weather the storm.  The "end of the brand extension" is exaggeration; SmackDown is here to stay for the time being.  

The big three storylines running right now are of course, John Cena hunting for Alberto Del Rio's WWE Championship, Randy Orton set to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions against Mark Henry and the CM Punk/Triple H/Kevin Nash controversy.

The big three should get plenty of play tonight, but what else can we expect on tonight's show?  Check out the following slides as we'll break down what we can expect out of WWE Monday Night Raw this Labor Day.

The Continued Development of "Air Boom" as Tag Team Champions

If there's one issue with the "super show" concept, it's that mid-carders and young talent may find themselves without room on the card.

How serious of an issue that could be remains to be seen, but I'd wager that the recent push that the new tag team champions, Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne, won't be ending because of the super show.  

Triple H has a desire to reestablish the WWE tag team division, and they've already put some effort into "Air Boom" as champions.  

I expect to see them continued to be booked to come across as a legit, champion-caliber team.  It's about time we find out who they'll be facing at Night of Champions as well.

Vickie Guerrero, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger and the Managerial Love Triangle

It's not easy being one of the best heels in the business, especially when the champion you manage is the jealous type.

I am, of course, talking about Vickie Guerrero, who in recent weeks has been scouting Jack Swagger as a potential new talent for her to manage.

The fit between Vickie and Swagger seems good enough, but WWE United States Champion Dolph Ziggler isn't fond of the idea of his manager expanding her roster.

This feud has been building slowly, but surely.  

We should expect (and hope) for more than a segment where Vickie is in Swagger's corner, and Dolph comes to argue with her.  It's about time Vickie made a choice, and don't be surprised if that choice causes a scrap between the U.S. Champion and The All-American American.

Triple H vs. CM Punk at Night of Champions; What About Kevin Nash?

Last week, Triple H announced at the end of Raw that he would be taking on CM Punk at Night of Champions rather than Punk facing Kevin Nash.

The next night on SmackDown, the contract signing between Triple H and Punk was one of the most real, fun and entertaining promos between the two yet.  

Rather than being structured as a typical Wrestler A vs. Wrestler B battle on the microphone, it felt more like a legitimate debate between two men with opposing philosophies.  

As the contracts were finally signed, Kevin Nash stormed to the ring, never once uttering a word.  Punk finally got to lay his hands on Nash, and the two scrapped, with Triple H breaking it up.

Nash threw Triple H to the ground and left the ring.  It was amazing how much better Nash was on camera when he didn't speak.

This week, it'll be hard NOT to have Nash speak, as he's obviously displeased with not getting a match with Punk.  

With the friendship between Triple H and Nash deteriorating, and Punk certain that Stephanie McMahon sent the text message at SummerSlam that cost him the WWE Championship, this angle should be in full effect tonight.

Expect to see Nash looking for a way around Triple H's decision, and continue to try to get at Punk.  Also, tonight is Triple H's first night back in the ring wrestling since WrestleMania—that would be as good a time as ever for some sparks to fly.

Randy Orton Gets Face Time on Raw, Mark Henry Sure to Follow

Randy Orton will surely be making an appearance tonight on Raw, that much is a given.

Last week on SmackDown, Orton finished off his feud with Christian via RKO off the top rope in their cage match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  

As Orton celebrated, Mark Henry approached the ring, entered and had his way with Orton, leaving the champion a beaten mess.

This week, directly or indirectly, The World's Strongest Man will be after Orton, ready to take his title at Night of Champions.

John Cena Finally Gets His Hands on Alberto Del Rio

John Cena has been seeking retribution for the beatdown he took from WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio two weeks ago on Raw, but Del Rio's been missing in action.

Finally, Del Rio will be at Raw, and Cena will once again be looking for payback.

Since Del Rio missed two shows in a row, the feud between he and Cena will need a little extra attention tonight.  

Expect this feud to get plenty of play, leading to things getting physical between the champion and No. 1 contender.  Also, you might want to invest in bracing yourself early on, as Cena can't seem to shake his habit of using horribly immature insults during his promos.