Monday Night Raw Preview 9/29/14: Will WWE Reference CM Punk in Chicago? How Will Dean Ambrose Feature at Hell in a Cell?
The September 29, 2014 edition of WWE's Monday Night Raw will emanate live from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois just outside of Chicago at 8 p.m. Eastern and will continue the build toward the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view next month.
Will WWE reference CM Punk in his hometown? That's the big question on many fans' minds, as has been the case each time WWE has rolled into Chicago since Punk left the company earlier this year. The WWE has directly dealt with or merely reference Punk in past visits to Chicago, but tonight could be different considering the ongoing bad blood between the two sides. Reports have swirled for weeks about legal issues between Punk's camp and WWE with regard to royalties, specifically those tied to the upcoming WWE 2K15 video game that heavily features Punk. We'll find out tonight if the Second City Saint's name comes up at all.
As for the ongoing action in WWE, Dean Ambrose continues to steal the show since his return at Night of Champions. WWE showcased the Lunatic Fringe in multiple segments on last week's Raw, including the opening and closing segments. His music even played to close the show even though he was standing in the ring with John Cena.
Both Ambrose and Cena want a piece of Seth Rollins, who betrayed Ambrose when he broke up The Shield and who cost Cena his chance to regain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Brock Lesnar at Night of Champions. But Ambrose told Cena last week not to get in his way, so it doesn't look like the two will be teaming up anytime soon.
On Friday Night Smackdown, Ambrose stole Rollins' Money in the Bank briefcase and has been walking around with it ever since, including at house shows, so he should have it tonight on Raw. Rumors say WWE will heavily feature Ambrose tonight and the company will clarify the direction for Hell in a Cell.
Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio last week that the plan is for Cena to face Ambrose in the opening match of the pay-per-view. The winner would go on to face Rollins inside the Hell in a Cell, while the loser would take on Randy Orton inside the steel structure. We'll see if WWE moves in this direction tonight.
In another interesting bit of news, a Reddit user named MetsFan4Ever, who has been verified by the moderators on that site as having legitimate connections within WWE to provide insider news, posted on Sunday that WWE is planning to pit Brie Bella against Nikki Bella inside the Hell in a Cell at the pay-per-view. This would be the first Divas match in history to take place inside the steel, so look for any indications of that tonight on Raw.
Paul Heyman did not appear on Raw last week despite the fact that his client, Brock Lesnar, retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship by disqualification the previous night. Will Heyman strut out to the ring to gloat tonight? The current rumors say Lesnar is not scheduled to work at Hell in a Cell, though this is subject to change, as always.
Finally, Dolph Ziggler took back the Intercontinental Championship from The Miz last week on Raw after he lost it to him one night earlier. But Cesaro also got a shot at the belt on Smackdown after he won a Battle Royal. Will Miz or Cesaro get another chance to regain the belt, or will a new contender emerge? Rumors say Bray Wyatt is on deck to feud with Ziggler, so we'll see if WWE plants the seeds for that tonight.
As always, check back with MStars immediately after the show for a full recap of all the action. But for now, let us know your thoughts, guesses and predictions for tonight's show in the comments section.