WWE Announces Blockbuster Triple Threat Match for Next Week’s Raw

WWE announced a triple threat match for next week’s WWE Raw. The winner of that match will become the number one contender for Drew McIntyre‘s WWE Championship. On tonight’s episode of Raw, the three competitors were confirmed.

Sheamus vs Riddle is the first of the qualifying matches

The first qualifying match of the night was Sheamus vs Riddle. The former World Champion and the former NXT Tag Team Champion fought a thrilling bout, with stiff strikes and quality wrestling.

Both men took their opponent to the absolute limit. Sheamus applied the Texas Cloverleaf submission hold but Riddle was able to counter it into a cradle. The inside cradle was enough to give Riddle the win and help him qualify for the triple threat match.

Keith Lee and Bobby Lashley faced off for the first time ever on Raw

The next qualifying match was between the WWE US Champion Bobby Lashley and Keith Lee. Both behemoths were coming off big wins at Survivor Series and felt like they deserved a title shot.

The match featured some cool spots, like when Lashley hoisted Keith Lee aloft and ran him into the LED ring post. He even managed to deliver a massive vertical suplex to the monstrous Lee.

The former NXT Champion was wary of the Hurt Lock and managed to fight out of it many times. Lashley was unable to lock Lee in the hold due to the latter’s girth and tried for a sleeper hold.

Lee smashed Lashley under his weight, which seemed to knock the US Champion out. However, MVP attacked Lee, giving him the disqualification victory.

The Captain of Team Raw overcame the Viper

The final qualifying match was a WrestleMania 35 rematch between Randy Orton and AJ Styles. Their match was relatively slow paced, typical of a Randy Orton match. Styles targeted the Viper’s knee and almost got him to tap out to the Calf Crusher.

Orton looked to have Styles in prime position for an RKO but Styles managed to slither out of it and connect with an enziguri. Orton rolled out of the ring and swept Styles’ feet from under him on the apron.

He looked set to slither back in and pick up the win, but The Fiend appeared behind Randy to distract him.

Orton was able to regain his composure and set up for the RKO, but The Fiend once again spooked Randy Orton. Once the lights were back on, Orton frantically looked around for his nemesis, but got caught with the Phenomenal Forearm for his second consecutive loss on Raw.

After winning their matches, AJ Styles, Keith Lee and Riddle will face off in a blockbuster triple threat match to determine the number one contender. Irrespective of the result, any of the three men will put on a banger opposite Drew McIntyre.