How to Energize WWE Product Until Brock Lesnar Finally Returns

A tremendous Raw on Monday offered the blueprint for how WWE can gain momentum until Brock Lesnar begins to prowl ringside once again.

WWE offered fans surprises, fresh faces and a well-timed cameo from a Hall of Famer. Bringing back The Beast Incarnate will aid the product, but before that, repeating the things that made Monday night a hit is a must.

Despite all the fun that occurred in Montreal, Monday's Raw flopped in terms of ratings. As ProWrestling.net notes, the show pulled a 2.55 rating, down from 2.68 last week and 3.02 from the first Raw in May 2014.

That's not an indication of the audience rejecting that night's show as much as it is a result of several weeks of lackluster programming in a row. It's felt like the WWE writing team has been on cruise control since WrestleMania.

Stories have failed to engage. Scenarios have repeated themselves ad nauseam.

It's no wonder so many folks tuned out before Sami Zayn and Dean Ambrose made Monday night must-watch television.

Lesnar's eventual return will provide a surefire shot in the arm. WWE can't wait until then to get things going, though. The smart move is to take what worked in Montreal and expand upon it.

Infuse electricity in the WWE by way of emerging stars, nostalgia and the company's best mic maestro.

Put the New Blood in the Spotlight

Neville glided across the ring in a tag team match against Bad News Barrett and Sheamus. Zayn made his Raw singles debut, answering John Cena's United States Championship open challenge.

Ambrose and Seth Rollins had a long stretch of ring time to work with and composed one of the best TV matches of the year. Roman Reigns battled in the main event.

It's no coincidence that a well-received Raw happened to feature young, rising talents.

Overexposing guys like Kane and Big Show drains enthusiasm from fans. While WWE isn't and shouldn't just cast all the established guys aside, it has to realize how much fun it is to see new, promising wrestlers try to carve out their legacies.

Make sure to keep Neville's hot streak going. Invest in Damien Sandow. Find a place at the table for Luke Harper.

Mixing these up-and-comers with guys like Cena and Randy Orton adds a freshness to the product. And making fans excited about the future is just as important as creating buzz today.

Lastly, don't be afraid to let someone beat Cena every once in a while. Pushing the champ is good, but nothing beats a win by a rising star.

Bring in Special Guests

Raw and SmackDown don't give off the "anything can happen" vibe often enough.

When Bret Hart came out on Monday and introduced Sami Zayn, that created a lasting image—a moment that had fans abuzz. WWE needs more of that. It need only look to NXT for inspiration.

Over the past few months, Rhyno and The Brian Kendrick have popped in to Full Sail University. In the past, Cesaro, Big Show and have shown their faces at the developmental brand.

Going this route with the main-roster shows is an easy way to electrify the product.

If Shelton Benjamin were to make a one-off appearance, The Dudley Boyz came back to work a short program with a current tag team or Steve Austin hosted for one night, the shows would feel different and unpredictable. Fans wouldn't have to see as many of the same matches time and time again.

Benjamin can call out Neville and put on a high-flying display. Booker T can have an unexpected return match against Bad News Barrett over a dispute about who is the best King of the Ring.

Beyond that, WWE has a man on its roster whom it would not have to sign to a short-term deal in order to better the product: Paul Heyman.

Make Use of Paul Heyman

WWE has an all-time great sitting on the bench. Of course, Heyman is tied to Lesnar, but he doesn't need the beast at his side to make great TV.

Put him at the commentary table, have him go on the recruiting trail for his next client or simply hand him a mic and let him spin a yarn or two.

Heyman consistently delivers promos of the highest quality. Why he is not talking up Lesnar or barking about something that irks him regarding WWE is a mystery. Making the future Hall of Famer a bigger part of the show is an easy fix.

Let him create anticipation for the return of his enraged powerhouse.

Lesnar's contract limits him from helping to boost WWE more consistently, but that doesn't prevent Heyman from doing the same. To keep Raw from continuing its ratings slide, it only makes sense to lean on Heyman just as much as it should its young guns and surprise names from the past.