Sound the alarm; batten down the hatches; Olympus has fallen … pick your metaphor for disaster and it’ll apply, because the WWE COO got knocked the heck out last week by Big Show, an employee The Authority is probably second-guessing their decision to fire right about now. But while Triple H convalesces in the wake of his big knockout, pieces are already falling into place for Hell in a Cell. With WWE Championship Match special guest referee Shawn Michaels now confirmed to appear on Raw, what twists and turns lie ahead on the path to the place where rivalries are settled? Here are five things to look for on tonight's Raw, including a just-announced WWE Team Championship Match.
Tonight, Cody Rhodes & Goldust team up in a WWE Battleground Rematch against WWE Tag Team Champions Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins. This time, though, the Tag Titles will be on the line. Can the brothers capture a championship victory against one of WWE’s most formidable forces?
View photos of the emotional WWE Battleground fight
The aforementioned KO Punch to Triple H wasn’t just a literal blow to The Authority’s figurehead; it was also a metaphorical barrage on the corporate king’s power. With The Game left in a litigious scuffle after Big Show’s attack, The Authority itself is open to an ambush in every sense of the word. Several Superstars have already begun their civil disobedience, signing a #BringBackBigShow online petition started by NXT Superstar Xavier Woods. With an uprising brewing, the door is wide open for Daniel Bryan or anyone else to strike another crippling blow on the McMahon regime, but will Bryan pull the trigger? And if so, what is his plan?
At the very best, Bray Wyatt’s actions last week indicate that he’s not a fan of “Miz TV.” At the worst, at least where The Miz is concerned, The Eater of Worlds is continuing along the cryptic mission he’s been outlining over the past few weeks, and has chosen the former WWE Champion as his latest target. Even at his most obnoxious, Miz has been a tougher competitor than most, but with the monstrous Erick Rowan & Luke Harper at his back, Wyatt may find a way to bring The Awesome One to heel yet.
Four-to-six months? Try two. John Cena is ready to go, all recovered from his torn triceps and with his eyes set on – for the first time in years – the World Heavyweight Championship that currently resides with Alberto Del Rio. The obstinate champion has held “Big Gold” for the better part of 2013, but if there’s anyone who can take the title from him, it’s John Cena. The Cenation leader’s record against “Mexico’s Greatest Export” is near-spotless in championship matches. Del Rio’s actions on Monday could be a strong indicator of what outcome he’s anticipating.
Shawn Michaels is the special guest referee for Daniel Bryan & Randy Orton’s WWE Championship rematch at – not to mention inside – Hell in a Cell. Now, here’s the interesting part: HBK trained Daniel Bryan but is also best friends with WWE COO Triple H, the man who very clearly wants Bryan tonotbe WWE Champion. The Showstopper has been in these precarious positions as a ref before – most recently at WrestleMania XXVIII, between The Game and The Undertaker – and has typically managed to call things down the middle. But if The King of Kings plays the friendship card, can HBK truly remain impartial? Perhaps his appearance on tonight's Raw will give the WWE Universe a hint as to where "Mr. WrestleMania's" loyalties truly lie.