Early Raw Preview: WWE Title Match & A Familiar Force Returning

THE first Raw of 2012 is set to be huge. Dolph Ziggler will challenge CM Punk for the WWE Championship and the returning force is set to make his/their appearance.

Ziggler earned the chance to fight Punk for the title last week, when he beat Punk in a gauntlet match. Punk will also be looking for some revenge on John Laurinaitis, whose distraction undoubtedly cost Punk the match.

For the past 6 weeks, cryptic video promos hyping a return of a familiar force have been airing on WWE programming. That return is slated to happen on January 2, 2012. Hot favorites are Chris Jericho or The Undertaker – but only time will tell.

The FedEx Forum (the host of Raw) is also advertising John Cena vs. Kane and Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole in a Memphis Street Fight. It is currently unknown whether those matches will happen on the live broadcast, or air specifically for the live audience (or if they will even happen).