WWE Raw: Rey Mysterio challenges Seth Rollins for Universal title
Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair to appear on Miz TV and two more title matches scheduled for bumper Monday night episode.
Monday 30 September 2019 09:26, UK
Rey Mysterio returns to the WWE main event tonight with a match against Seth Rollins for the company's top singles title.
The masked star has not held a world championship since July 2011 but is in the midst of something of a renaissance at the moment, with his match against Rollins the latest stage of that resurgence.
Mysterio had spoken of quitting the business recently - a curious statement considering his still very evident in-ring abilities and athleticism - but was talked out of doing so by his son, Dominick.
Tonight's match could also have wider implications for the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view on Sunday night, with Rollins currently slated to face Bray Wyatt's Fiend inside the Cell itself.
The Fiend has made a habit of attacking unsuspecting victims on Raw, although last week his focus was not on Rollins but on his opponent, Braun Strowman, and so perhaps it is Mysterio who should be treading carefully tonight.
Banks takes on Bliss
Sasha Banks has been a one-woman wrecking crew leading up to her Raw women's title match against Becky Lynch at Hell in a Cell, and Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross have been her punch bags of choice over the last couple weeks.
After defeating Cross on Raw, Banks will next get a crack at The Goddess, an opponent with whom Banks has frequently tangled both in and out of the ring.
Their rivalry goes all the way back to a war for the Raw women's crown in 2017 and approached full boil recently when Bliss was seemingly injured in a tag-team match in which Banks was seconded by her loyal friend Bayley.
Nothing is at stake tonight but Banks has a big title match on Sunday night and there could be one last bump in the road to redemption for the returning Boss.
Hogan & Flair to make Raw appearance
In what is being billed as a 'season premiere' of Raw, two of the biggest legends in the history of wrestling will appear on Miz TV, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.
The Miz is likely to be in good spirits after his wife Maryse gave birth to the couple's second daughter this week but there is nothing immediately pressing on the agenda for discussion.
That fact has only fuelled the speculation that The Fiend - who has already taken out Jerry Lawler, Kane, Mick Foley and Kurt Angle - could have his sights set on his next legendary conquest...
Tag and United States titles on the line
As well as Seth Rollins' defence of his Universal title, Raw will also host two more WWE title matches tonight.
The Raw tag-team champions Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler put the straps on the line against Heavy Machinery and AJ Styles defends the United States championship against Cedric Alexander.
As it stands, only three matches are confirmed for Hell In A Cell so this should be a busy week on both Raw and SmackDown in terms of filling out that card.