Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley: Highlights, Pitfalls to Avoid for WWE Raw Feud

Charlotte Flair and Bayley's battle over the WWE Raw Women's Championship has the potential to be a stellar, stirring story that fans will remember for years to come.

Its foundation is strong, as the rivalry is built on a classic dynamic. Bayley vs. Flair is good vs. evil, the common (wo)man vs. ruthless royalty, heart vs. physical superiority.

Bayley thrives as a babyface. Flair is a top-notch heel. 

And their title matches, at the Jan. 29 Royal Rumble pay-per-view and beyond, promise to be excellent.

As WWE marches forward with this narrative, though, plenty of missteps could trip it up. The company cannot leave fans numb by overexposing these enemies as it did with Flair's last rivalry. Succeeding at pacing and using role players will be vital too. 

Read on for a look at what is clicking between Bayley and Flair thus far and what hurdles lie ahead for the feud.

The Dreamer Against the Braggart

On Jan. 16, Flair stood in the ring with a smug grin stretched across her face. She gleefully cut down Bayley, dismissing her as average, as a fan in a world where she didn't belong.

And as the champion mocked Bayley's childhood stories in which she dreamed of being a wrestler, Flair helped generate pathos for her babyface foe.

The rivalry has painted Bayley as the likable warrior with loads of heart and grit. Meanwhile, Flair has come off as a snooty, gloating shrew with a silver spoon in her mouth.  

This dynamic between the women has been excellent. And each wrestler is deftly playing her role.

Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman tweeted: "Charlotte shines as mean girl with the wrestling pedigree. Then there is Bayley as relatable #WWE Superstar living dream. Love it."

WWE has found the ideal foils for each wrestler. And the juxtaposition of their characters has driven this feud thus far.

The promos between the two women haven't always been great from a delivery standpoint, but they have been rich with emotion.

A Crowded Championship Scene

Too often, WWE has given its rivalries a narrow frame, one that shuts out the rest of the roster to focus on only two individuals. That's been especially true in the women's division, where the champion and the challenger sometimes feel like the only women on the roster who exist at that time.

The Bayley-Flair feud has avoided that stumbling block.

Sasha Banks has been Bayley's cheerleader and supportive friend. Dana Brooke has been Flair's goon and protector. Nia Jax has forced her way into the story, not content to let everyone else clamor over the women's title.

The rivalry benefits from having so many moving parts. 

These supporting characters have given the story welcome depth. And having more than one wrestler hunger for the championship at one time makes it feel like a more valuable prize.

The inclusion of these other women has allowed WWE to vary what we see onscreen from week to week too. Bayley battled her way through Brooke to get to Flair. Jax has complicated things by wreaking havoc on Monday nights.

Moving forward, WWE has ample options to play with.

Running the Rivalry into the Ground

Flair vs. Bayley has the potential be a squared circle saga that stretches on for months. But as it unfolds over time, WWE cannot leave fans feeling fatigued by the sight of these rivals clashing.

That was the main criticism of the feud between Banks and Flair last year. WWE booked the same matchup again and again.

The Boss and The Queen faced off 23 times on PPV and TV in 2016, per CageMatch.net.

There was too little variation and not enough inclusion of the division's other members. The story suffered from repetition. As Sean Rueter of Cageside Seats pointed out, even Emma and Summer Rae took shots at the rivalry.

A lengthy feud only works if anticipation builds between each battle. The narrative needs twists and turns as well. It can't just be a pair of rams smashing each other with their horns over and over.

Keeping Bayley and Flair apart in order to save their in-ring showdowns for major events is a must. 

This is where making Banks, Jax and Brooke part of the story will help. Creativity will be key as well. WWE has to propel the feud through ambushes and behind-the-curtain scenes rather than a cycle of non-title and title matches on TV.

Impatience During Bayley's Trek

Climactic, moving moments are vital parts of wrestling. And WWE has a whale of a moment in its pocket with Bayley.

Her quest to be champion and to prove herself by raising the Raw Women's Championship above her head could be tremendous. 

But WWE can't rush that moment. Banks' title wins didn't have the emotional firepower they should have because they happened so quickly and so often.

WWE is better off taking its time with Bayley's move up the mountain.

Should she come within inches of victory at Royal Rumble, only to fail, it will bolster the impact of her eventual win. Should she tumble down the list of contenders in the coming months, only to fight her way back to the No. 1 contender's spot, fans will be more engaged along the way.

Bayley arrived on Raw in August. There is plenty of time to crown her down the road.

Shawn Michaels famously realized his boyhood dream at WrestleMania XII, but only after failing to win the WWE title at the previous WrestleMania and after spending four years as a singles star. WWE doesn't have to wait that long to crown Bayley, but patience will make her story better.