WWE Raw followed up Fastlane with a show that seemed unclear on its direction. While there were signs of what would come next, angles throughout the night seemed to be pointing in multiple directions.

While Ronda Rousey got to play up her heel persona and Batista and Triple H more or less sealed the deal for their WrestleMania 35 clash, the rest of the brand was scrambling to claim a spot on the card.

No one showed this more clearly than Drew McIntyre, who has missed out on far too many big shows recently. The Scottish Psychopath made his own main event by laying out Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

Kurt Angle booked his ticket for 'Mania with the declaration that his final in-ring performance would be at The Showcase of The Immortals. While he hasn't looked entirely himself lately, the announcement fueled excitement about who could step up.

Others proved their worth with big victories as Bobby Lashley regained the WWE Intercontinental Championship with the help of Lio Rush. Alexa Bliss also announced she would be hosting WrestleMania.

These were the biggest moments of a show that began to frantically build the April 7 undercard with more than a little uncertainty.

Drew McIntyre Makes Emphatic Statement Despite Uncertain WrestleMania Place

Drew McIntyre intentionally ruined the main event by laying out Roman Reigns before his first singles match back, and Dean Ambrose snapped. He demanded Triple H immediately give him The Scottish Psychopath one-on-one in a Falls Count Anywhere match.

The Lunatic Fringe got his wish, but he was not up to the challenge against a ferocious McIntyre, who trapped Ambrose in the railing before hitting a thunderous Claymore for the win. He then hit another before standing tall to end the night.

It is not all that clear what McIntyre will do at WrestleMania. It would certainly be a huge moment if WWE decided he and Reigns should be a featured singles match on the show, but there's only so much space on the card.

No matter what happens, though, the Scot has to be considered one of the clear breakout stars for 2019. He is taking the next step as a heel, and it would not be surprising if he was universal champion by SummerSlam.

The match with Ambrose showed some of The Lunatic's best singles work in a while especially working with anyone besides Seth Rollins, and it was a great way to establish he has a stake in WWE in his last few weeks with the company, even if it's just as The Big Dog's sidekick.

WWE Blurring the Brand Lines on Road to WrestleMania

After months of NXT stars working both Raw and SmackDown Live, as well as Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair competing for the Raw Women's Championship while being blue brand stars, the lines between who works which brand have grown blurrier than ever.

This week, Shelton Benjamin attacked Seth Rollins during his promo, representing Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar. While commentators stated The Gold Standard was still a member of SmackDown, it was barely made into a big deal that he was working the opposite brand at the behest of The Advocate.

With WWE approaching WrestleMania and the expected Superstar Shake-up, WWE seems barely interested in defining who is on what brand as long as they can tell good stories and put on quality matches.

While that thought process is admirable, it has led to a variety of outcomes. Ricochet and Aleister Black have been wildly overexposed while EC3 and Nikki Cross barely appear. Benjamin's appearance was great for a guy who is rarely used, but many others are not getting any time on either brand.

Clearly defined brands matter primarily because they keep the shows feeling fresh and utilize more talent. WWE is riding the line to a dangerous degree at the moment.

Lio Rush Redeems Himself and Keeps Bobby Lashley Relevant with IC Title Win

In the rematch Bobby Lashley has long demanded, The Almighty managed to survive Finn Balor and regain the Intercontinental Championship. He only did so thanks to a loud distraction from Lio Rush, setting up The Extraordinary Man to dive right into a Spear.

While it would be more interesting to have the Irishman walking into WrestleMania as champion, it was the right move for WWE to make sure Lashley and Rush stay together. The new champion is not the same without his hype man.

The Almighty has consistently felt ineffective when The Man of the Hour is not around, but it was immediately believable that he could overwhelm Balor once Rush was back. This feud is likely far from over, but there is no way it gets to 'Mania as a singles match.

As much as Balor, particularly, deserves a singles match at WrestleMania for once, there was never going to be enough room. It would be a great crowd-pleasing moment if he managed to get the gold back on The Grandest Stage of Them All, though.

Alexa Bliss Takes on Rightful Role as WrestleMania Host

In her latest A Moment of Bliss segment, Alexa Bliss announced the host of WrestleMania: herself.

She gave a faux-sincere speech before to highlight this was an inevitable outcome, making clear she was a bigger star than anyone who came before, including The Rock.

The Goddess seemed poised for a lackluster run at 'Mania just one year after she was one of the featured matches on the card. Rather than throwing her on the kickoff show, she makes perfect sense as the host even if the role feels a bit useless.

For the past few months—even after being cleared for action—Bliss has been used more as a manager than an in-ring worker. She does well in the role and will likely return to the squared circle in the coming months. For now, it's best to let her heal up and remain relevant.

The Superstar Shake-up should allow her to refocus. Raw is overloaded with women's talent right now, but that will change with the shift to balance the rosters. She's going to be needed much more after April.

Kurt Angle Announces His Retirement Match for WrestleMania

Kurt Angle decided to set the date for his retirement as WrestleMania, beginning an end-of-career tour with a contest against Apollo Crews, who tried his best but ultimately fell to the Angle Slam.

The Olympic Gold Medalist has not looked himself in recent months, so it is not surprising he will be stepping away from in-ring action for good this time. It will be best for his health and give a greater spotlight to everyone else. Before he leaves, though, he may be able to put on a few more great showings.

His match with Crews was over too quick to matter, but it showed some of the old Angle flair. He can handpick his opponents in the coming weeks, hopefully even traveling to SmackDown Live to challenge guys such as Daniel Bryan.

However, the biggest question remains who will be his final opponent. It would be best if he fought a younger star who can benefit from the moment, but it should ultimately be the WWE Hall of Famer's choice.

If he wants to fight John Cena or The Undertaker, it would not be exciting but would make for a good story as both are long-running feuds that have never happened on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

He could also choose someone who will push him to his best. Such options would be Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Mustafa Ali, Samoa Joe, Andrade, or even Chad Gable if WWE wants to take a chance.