10 HUGE WWE Raw 25 Predictions You Need To Know
Beers and Brahma Bulls, Brother!
Raw 25 is going to do a sizeable rating for the USA Network this week, but it could ironically be the figure that seals a deal for the flagship show elsewhere.
Raw has been a staple on the station since its 2005 return following a five year stint on TNN/Spike TV that expedited ECW's decline and Vince McMahon's journey to becoming a billionaire. Television rights would play a major part in making him one again in recent years, with WWE's last deal pocketing the company around $200 million a year for all their collected output.
With rights up for renewal in 2019, the bidding war has restarted with the company ostensibly even more attractive a proposition than it was several years ago. This flew in the face of predictions at the time, with ratings on the slide and creative typically muddled during noticeable downtimes outside of the 'Big Four' pay-per-views across the calendar. Though Raw's viewership decline is indicitive of television trends in general, it has established a core base high enough to ensure it'll stay a fixture even in competition with Monday Night Football.
A quarter of a century on the air has embedded a habitual acceptance amongst generations of wrestling fans that Monday is the night for their live weekly fix. Fittingly, many responsible for the show's incredible rise in the 1990s will even be present to celebrate alongside the beneficiaries of their labour across shows in Brooklyn and Manhattan. For one night at least, the world is again watching.
10. Miz Regains The Intercontinental Championship
Recent turbulent headlines allegedly linking Roman Reigns to a multi-million dollar steroid ring have merely been the buzzing of fleas to 'The Big Dog', but the time seems right to remove him from the Intercontinental Title picture all the same.
Looking a likely Royal Rumble winner ever since WrestleMania 34 permutations were mooted before the 33rd edition of the show had even kicked off, 'The Big Dog's stewardship of the secondary strap seemed as much to do with The Miz' filming break as much as his own need to carry the rejuvenated prize.
Sure to be a deeply unpopular figure in either of the New York venues, Reigns' inevitable defeat won't be met with particular derision from the locals, though may come as result of Miztourage meddling. Any further outnumbering on the go-home show following the prior week's three-on-one kicking from the clumsy crew affords the opportunity for the company to pay the mini-feud off in the Rumble match itself, with either Roman likely linking up with Shield comrade Seth Rollins to oust the 'A-Lister's goons and perhaps The Miz himself.