Raw Five-Point Preview: April 15, 2013

Raw Five-Point Preview: April 15, 2013

It’s safe to say that last week’s Raw was one of the more memorable episodes in WWE history, and not just because of the raucous chants of the WWE Universe. While the crowd Fandango’d (rumor has it, Merriam-Webster Dictionary is going to add the term) the night away, Dolph Ziggler made history, Ryback made a bold, bold play against John Cena, and CM Punk … well, CM Punk was conspicuous by his absence. De facto mouthpiece Paul Heyman has promised The Straight Edge Superstar will return this week, though, to address his loss to The Undertaker at WrestleMania. What will The Second City Saint’s latest sermon portend for the WWE Universe? Has Ryback gone mad or will his method reveal his motives? And will the WWE Universe ever stop dancing?! Here are five theories for this week’s Raw.

Dance like no one's watching

Kofi Kingston vs. Fandango: Raw, April 8, 2013

Kofi Kingston and Fandango go one-on-one on Raw until Chris Jericho crashes the party.

This time last week, Fandango was a fresh-faced tangoing newbie who didn’t have so much as a pronounceable moniker to his name, much less any victories. What a difference seven days makes. Not only has Fandango pulled off one of the — if not the— greatest upsets in WrestleMania history by rolling up Chris Jericho, but he’s also kicked off a worldwide trend where folks, including anchors on MLB Network and ESPN and the cheerleaders for the Houston Texans, hum and dance to his theme song! He followed his big Raw debut with gusto on SmackDown, ambushing Y2J during his match with Dolph Ziggler, but what will Fandango have in store for his return to Raw?

Feeding time

John Cena vs. Mark Henry: Raw, April 8, 2013

The main event match between WWE Champion John Cena and Mark Henry nearly blows the roof off the IZOD Center when Ryback attacks both competitors.

One night after bringing the WWE Universe to its feet by executing Shell Shocked on Mark Henry at WrestleMania, Ryback left the same fans aghast when he laid waste to John Cena with the same maneuver on Raw in an apparent play for the Cenation leader’s WWE Championship. Ryback certainly has the power to rank among Cena’s greatest rivals if he makes a run for the title, but the big man has remained silent on the matter save for a very cryptic tweet in which he proclaimed there was “no right [and] no wrong, no good [and] no bad.” Perhaps he’ll have more in-depth words for his former ally come Monday.

The 1 in 21-0

Paul Heyman announces CM Punk will be back next week on Raw: Raw, April 8, 2013

Paul Heyman explains that CM Punk should speak for himself and the "Best in the World' will do so next week on Raw.

There's no denying it: CM Punk gave The Undertaker every inch of hell he had in him at WrestleMania 29. But despite all his mental manipulation of The Deadman and the visceral way in which Punk challenged The Streak, he was still vanquished in the end; another Superstar added to The Phenom’s collection of conquered souls on The Grandest Stage of Them All. The Undertaker himself has yet to speak fully on his 21st victory at The Show of Shows, but Paul Heyman has promised that Punk will break his own silence on Raw. What will the former WWE Champion have to say?

The Show(off) goes on

Dolph Ziggler cashes in his Money in the Bank contract to become World Heavyweight Champion: Raw, April 8, 2013

Dolph Ziggler makes history by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on Alberto Del Rio to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Dolph Ziggler sure showed the world last week when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on a hobbled Alberto Del Rio to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He kicked his reign off on the right foot on SmackDown, defeating Chris Jericho (with an assist from Fandango) in his first contest with the title around his chiseled waist. But with Del Rio calmly waiting for his rematch and Ziggler’s old buddy Jack Swagger still lurking in the wings, The Showoff has already found himself beset by foes looking to take what is his. Can Ziggler hold onto his title with not one but two challengers waiting to make a move?

And the crowd goes wild

The WWE Universe continues to hum Fandango's entrance music after Raw goes off the air: Raw, April 8, 2013

After Raw went off the air the WWE Universe continued to hum Fandango's entrance theme.

And here we have a first for the Five-Point Preview, because one of the things to look forward to on Raw is … you, the WWE Universe! The crowd in East Rutherford, N.J., brought their A-game to the show, bolstering it with their enthusiasm and igniting a worldwide trend in the process. South Carolina has as passionate a fanbase as anywhere else in the country. Will the WWE fans once again take the world similarly by storm? Only one way to find out: Tune in to USA Network at 8/7 CT Monday.

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