Huge Takeaways From Raw - Paul Heyman Bites Back

Fastlane might be on Sunday night but no one on Raw will have been thinking about the SmackDown Live PPV coming up this weekend, well apart from John Cena who returned to WWE's flagship this week despite his focus being on the blue brand right now. That aside the next big show on the calendar for the Raw Superstars is the biggest one of the year, WrestleMania. That means pretty much everything that happens on Raw between this week and April 8th will have WrestleMania implications, and here are five things that will have shaped the biggest show of the year in some way from this week's episode of the red brand.

5. Ronda Rousey's WrestleMania Match Has Been Confirmed

Those of you doubting whether Ronda Rousey would be full time in WWE may be able to start resting a little easier right now. The Rowdy One appeared on Raw for the second consecutive week and it doesn't look as if she'll be skipping a Monday any time soon. Every time Rousey steps in the ring the animosity between herself, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon increases and this past Monday we saw it reach it's breaking point. The former UFC star declared that she wants McMahon at WrestleMania, then Kurt Angle threw his hat into the ring and made it a mixed tag match featuring himself and Rousey going up against Triple H and Stephanie. Chaos ensued following the challenge and it was Angle and Rousey who were left standing tall following an ankle lock on The Game and a Samoan drop on The Billion Dollar Princess.

4. John Cena Makes Some Bold Statements

Following his shift over to SmackDown Live last week you would have thought John Cena wouldn't have been on Raw for the foreseeable future. Well that's where you're wrong as the 16 time World Champion came to the ring on Raw this week to make some pretty bold statements. Cena is brimming with confidence heading into his WWE Championship match at Fastlane this Sunday and effectively promised the WWE Universe that he will break Ric Flair's record this weekend and become a 17 time World Champion. Big Match John also said that once he does that he hopes AJ Styles will cash in his rematch clause and make it a triple threat match between the two of them and Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania. Most fans would probably rather see a one on one between The King Of Strong Style and The Phenomenal One.

3. Elias Could Not Escape The Symphony Of Destruction

Not many Superstars are afforded the opportunity to get one up on Braun Strowman. Well Elias did last week, sort of. The Drifter blasted The Monster Among Men in the face with a fire extinguisher and then high tailed it out of the arena. Strowman may be fast but with foam in his eyes the attempt to stop Elias was in vain. Raw's Resident Monster had a chance to exact his revenge this week in what was dubbed a Symphony Of Destruction match and he got it tenfold. After Elias got the first big hit of the match by smashing a guitar over his opponent's back it was all Strowman. Another massive bass suffered at the hands of The Monster, or rather the back of Elias, and he finished things off by dropping a piano on him. Poor Elias left the arena on a stretcher after that beating.

2. Three Is The Magic Number For The Miz

As has become tradition in recent years, the night after the Oscars The Miz hosts The Mizzies. The Intercontinental Champion held the not to prestigious awards for the third year in a row on Monday night and used the segment to mock Seth Rollins, Finn Balor and Kurt Angle, all while patting himself on the back. It was the three men he decided to poke fun at that were laughing come the end of the evening however. Following the awards The Miz and his Miztourage went up against Balor and Rollins in a handicap match, however even with the numbers advantage they couldn't overcome their athletic opponents. If that wasn't bad enough for The Awesome One following the match Angle emerged to announce that he would be defending his title against both of the men who just defeated him in a triple threat match at WrestleMania.

1. Paul Heyman Bites Back

Last week on Raw we were promised a face to face between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, but it didn't happen. Instead The Big Dog came to the ring alone and cut one of the best promos of his career detailing why Lesnar hadn't shown up and claiming that he has no respect for the business and that the fans deserve better. This week there was no Beast Incarnate once again, but there was Paul Heyman. The Universal Champion's advocate came with his client's title in hand and cut a scathing promo in retort to what Reigns had said seven days prior. Despite reports that The Big Dog wasn't in the building Reigns emerged and gave Heyman another piece of his mind. Apparently Lesnar will be on Raw next week for a confrontation with Reigns, although we've been promised that before.