DeMarco: Things I Need To See On WWE Raw After Mania Tonight

WrestleMania 34 is official, and while the details (and in some cases shock) are still fresh, it’s on to what was once the best wrestling show of the entire year: RawAfterMania.

With rebirth of the brand-split, RawAfterMania has lost a little of hits mystique since we know some surprises will be reserved for SmackdownAfterMania. But Raw is still RAW, and it’s still the most important wrestling show on television.

So in the aftermath of WrestleMania, what do I need to see on Raw, tonight?

John Cena vs. The Undertaker Made Official For WrestleMania 35

The Deadman is back. I said he wasn’t coming back, and I was wrong. I’ve said that I was wrong. You’ve reminded me that I was wrong. I deserve that!

But listen: WWE put the fans through hell with “The John Cena Story” for WrestleMania 34. The payoff was well done, but it doesn’t erase the pain along the way. Have The Undertaker come out on Raw, and have John Cena follow suit. Cena doesn’t make any excuses, but asks The Undertaker to give him another match–a match everyone knows about–at WrestleMania 35. The Deadman accepts, and any further Cena-Taker interactions between now and then are done with the match looming.

I know we need to get John Cena’s 17th world title win in there somewhere, but the WrestleMania 35 stage is perfect for John Cena vs. The Undertaker. Don’t toy with it this time, make it official now.

Don’t delay, do it today.

Roman Reigns Turns Heel

Short of “Vince McMahon losing faith” (which I don’t see) or “Roman failed a drug test” (which could always happen, but I am going with no), there absolutely has to be a change for Roman Reigns.

I have been solidly behind keeping Reigns as the tweener bad ass because that’s how he works. But there is a simple formula in wrestling that you follow when something works: milk it for all you can, then blow it up.

It’s time to blow it up. And WWE has set the stage for that with perfection.

For the past few years Roman Reigns has been “The Guy.” Granting every wish, shaking every hand, kissing every baby, making every smile. But Roman Reigns should be angry. He did everything for WWE, literally bled for the company in the end, and “Vince’s boy” Brock Lesnar still won out. Vince McMahon isn’t going to be on Roman Reigns’ side, nor should he. He suspended Reigns, because Roman told the truth about how Vince treats Brock Lesnar.

Enter The Authority.

The Authority has a thorn in their side in the name of Kurt Angle. Given his actions on The Road To WrestleMania, Kurt isn’t long for the Raw General Manager job. Even if he was in the right, Stephanie McMahon obviously wouldn’t see it that way.

But Triple H? Triple H always has a Plan B. That Plan B needs to be Roman Reigns. Roman Reigns already knows what The Authority can be as an adversary, but With The Authority behind him there is nothing a suit-wearing, sweet talking Roman Reigns can’t attain.

Don’t delay, do it today.

Something Happens In The Tag Team Division

I don’t know how long Nicholas has on his break from school, but at some point the referee’s son has to go back!

We’ve demolished the Raw Tag Team Division, and tonight it needs to show some signs of life. Maybe it’s a debut for The Authors Of Pain, a surprise move for The Usos (also with The Authority?). You have The Revival and The Club at your disposal, plus this new Woken/Wyatt Alliance between Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt.

You have the means at your disposal, use them!

Don’t delay, do it today.

Focus On Backlash, Greatest Royal Rumble Sells Itself

I don’t expect anything major for Greatest Royal Rumble. It’s a huge house show with seven men’s title matches, John Cena vs. Triple H, and a 50-Man Royal Rumble. Done. I’m gonna watch, and I will enjoy it.

But Backlash is your first co-branded non-Big 4 pay-per-view event of the current brand split era, and we need to see what’s going to happen. Smackdown seems easy with an AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura rematch, along with an issue for Charlotte Flair with Carmella that they finally pull the trigger on during SmackdownAfterMania.

But for Raw? No one has a clue what’s going on! Is Brock Lesnar going to be there? If not, do we us Backlash to determine his number one contender? Do we rush Cena vs. Taker: The Rematch? (Please don’t.) Who is Seth Rollins’ first Intercontinental Championship challenger? We have four weeks.

Don’t delay, do it today.

Someone Needs To Debut

It’s RawAfterMania, which means we need a surprise debut. In the words of the New Day…Who?

Well we have reports of Bobby Lashley, James Storm, and Rey Mysterio being around. Samoa Joe is cleared and ready to return. Dean Ambrose may or may not be, we don’t know. Big Cass also looms in the background reportedly ready.

Plus you have NXT talents ready to come up, such as The Authors Of Pain, Ember Moon, Andrade “Cien” Almas (with Zelina Vega, please and thank you), Iconic’s Peyton Royce & Billie Kay, and SANITY.

What happens next? On Raw give me Bobby Lashley, Ember Moon, and SANITY.