8 Booking Steps For WWE Raw (Dec 14)

6. Sasha Banks Becomes #1 Contender

Michael Cole spoke very highly of Sasha Banks on the last episode of Raw. Teaming with Naomi, 'The Boss' defeated Brie Bella and Alicia Fox. Cole's comments on commentary related to the fact that many fans believe Banks is the crown jewel of the WWE Divas division, which is true. Last night, Sasha rolled past Becky Lynch during the TLC pre-show. There's no reason why Sasha shouldn't then continue her momentum on the coming edition of the show. The clash between Paige and Charlotte at TLC should be considered a watershed moment of one-on-one matches between the pair for now. They may need to add a new dynamic to their feud heading into the new year. The option is still open to add Becky Lynch into the situation, making it a Triple Threat, but fans would likely much rather have Sasha Banks in that role. By defeating Lynch and possibly Brie Bella in a Triple Threat contest, Banks could become the top contender for the WWE Divas Title. This could lead to a 3-way match at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, or perhaps even before then. The company should strike while the iron is hot on Banks, she has much more to offer. Inserting her into the title situation could spice up the Paige vs. Charlotte story.

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5. The Wyatts Warn The League Of Nations That They Want Their Spot

The Royal Rumble match is next on the pay-per-view list. It's likely that Alberto Del Rio, 'King' Barrett and Rusev will be entrants in the match. Similarly, it's difficult to imagine that The Wyatt Family won't have a part to play in the over-the-top-rope match as well. There's room to add intrigue to who will win the bout by having Bray Wyatt cut a promo on the situation. Wyatt is an excellent talker, and he should be booked to capitalise on the faction stare down which took place on Monday Night Raw last time out. On that occasion, Bray stated that he was simply letting the League Of Nations exist in his world. Going forward, he could up the ante by suggesting the Royal Rumble offers he and his brothers the perfect opportunity to start replacing Sheamus and company in controlling most of the top titles in WWE. This puts emphasis on the importance of the belts, but also puts over the Royal Rumble as an integral match. Fans did react to the face-to-face confrontation between The Wyatts and the League Of Nations on Raw. The idea that they could clash (sans Sheamus, who is WWE Champion) in the Rumble should be explored.

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4. The Usos Defeat The Lucha Dragons

At TLC, The Usos and The Lucha Dragons faced The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Titles. The match was a total show-stealer, featuring some breathtaking high-risk bumps and jaw-dropping aerial maneuvers. New Day managed to walk out of the event with their titles intact, thanks to some timely Trombone assist work. The New Day have held the belts since SummerSlam, and there should be no immediate rush to remove them as champions, because they remain one of the most consistently entertaining acts in WWE right now. In addition to that, they're also associated with the League Of Nations, which holds the bulk of belts in the promotion. The real issue in the tag ranks is between The New Day and The Usos. The New Day vs. The Usos would be a hot opener for the Royal Rumble show. Following their loss last night, The Usos can defeat The Lucha Dragons on Raw to become the out-and-out main contenders for the tag gold. Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E could even attack them, recognising them as the main challengers.

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3. Paige Calls Out Ric Flair For Involvement

Recently, Ric Flair has been by Charlotte's side more often than not. There have been heavy hints dropped that the WWE Divas Champion is starting to turn heel, which serves to muddy the waters a little more in her feud with Paige. Previously, the Brit was portrayed as the bitchy villain, but fans generally respond to her much more favourably than they have done for Charlotte. On Monday Night Raw last time, Paige slapped the face of the 'Nature Boy', which led to a brief brawl between Charlotte and her challenger for TLC. On the pay-per-view, the pair collided for the second major show running, and Charlotte walked away with the Divas Title still around her waist. Flair served to cost Paige her shot, interfering on more than one occasion. Since Ric got involved in the finish at TLC, similarly to how he did when Charlotte faced Becky Lynch, Paige should call him out. 'Slick Ric' is still a great person to have on the microphone when he's motivated, and he could have a memorable standoff against Paige. This does put Charlotte in the background a little, but it'd bring the Flair situation to a head. It means the Divas can move on, possibly inserting Sasha Banks into their feud.

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2. Zeb Colter Reunites With Jack Swagger

The union between Zeb Colter and Alberto Del Rio didn't really pan out well for either man. Fans were bored by Zeb's monotonous promos which repeated the same lines, and the relationship just felt a little jarring to watch. Del Rio only returned at Hell In A Cell, and already there were worries that he was beginning to come across as a little stale. Stale is something Jack Swagger knows a little about, but he's a better fit to be managed by Colter. Talking has never been a strong point for the 'Real American', and he should be reunited with the mouthpiece on Monday Night Raw. The segment could start with Del Rio berating Zeb, because he managed to defeat Swagger without the manager's help a TLC. From there, Swagger could hit the scene and lay out Alberto. Of course, this would rely on whether or not WWE are interested in promoting another match between the pair. It's unlikely to happen on pay-per-view, but could make for a fine bout to feature on Raw. At the very least, it would bring the Colter story full circle.

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1. Roman Reigns & Ryback Defeat Rusev & 'King' Barrett

An earlier entry revealed the set-up of this match. It makes sense that Roman Reigns wouldn't want to see his scheduled partner, Ryback, get hammered by the League Of Nations. The numbers game is something the heel group used to great effect at TLC, effectively stopping Reigns from winning the WWE World Heavyweight Title from Sheamus on the show. In Raw's main event, Reigns and Ryback could team together to face Rusev and 'King' Barrett. This gives Barrett some much-needed in-ring time, and he should be taken seriously during the match. All too often, he is the one who is easily discarded in multi-man situations, but he should get some serious treatment during this one. Communication problems could be explored between Roman and Ryback, who have never really teamed together on a regular basis. This would put over the strong unity prevalent in the League Of Nations, if they didn't suffer from similar troubles. After the babyfaces pick up the win, other League Of Nations members could make the run in. The simple solution would then be to book a brawl between The Family - with Ryback - against the League Of Nations. If WWE want to keep other faces involved, Kevin Owens could even ambush Dean Ambrose from behind, furious over losing the Intercontinental Title at TLC. What else do you think WWE may have in store for the post-TLC edition of Monday Night Raw? What do you make of the steps posted here? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section below!