WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After February 22 Show

The February 22 episode of WWE Raw was a game-changer on the road to WrestleMania. The arrival of Shane McMahon reignited the McMahon family drama and led to the announcement of an enormous main event-quality match between the prodigal son and Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell.

While that was by far the most memorable moment of the broadcast, it was hardly the only buzz-worthy moment of the show.

There was the announcement of the No Holds Barred match between Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar, the unexpected (and unnecessary) heel turn from Ryback and a bloody beatdown that left Triple H standing tall to close out the show.

All three elements created burning questions that await answers in the wake of Monday's show.

Credit: WWE.com

1. Is Brock Lesnar the Right Opponent for Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32?

The Beast Incarnate attacked our Lunatic Fringe hero on Monday afternoon, slamming him onto the hood of a car in footage that aired at the top of Raw. Ambrose was stretchered out of the arena and taken to a local hospital only to leave and return to the building after commandeering the ambulance.

After showing intestinal fortitude, getting to his feet and mustering enough energy to challenge Lesnar to a No Holds Barred Street Fight at WrestleMania, Ambrose found himself on the receiving end of an F-5 on the arena floor.

And the crowd cheered.

No matter how much WWE Creative tries to book Ambrose like a scrappy underdog undeterred by the pain and punishment he suffers, fans love the unapologetic ass-kicker Lesnar too much to throw their support behind The Lunatic Fringe.

The audience wants to see Lesnar pummel his opponents, as evidenced by the "one more time" chants that took over after The Beast dropped Ambrose with his finishing move.

That is not conducive to the story that the company is trying to tell.

It is trying to generate sympathy for Ambrose, but fans have none for those stupid enough to oppose Lesnar. Instead of admiring his guts, they damn his stupidity, opting instead to throw their support behind the best character and biggest box office attraction in WWE today.

Their match at 'Mania will be phenomenal, but one has to wonder whether it will actually do any good for Ambrose.

Credit: WWE.com

2. Can Ryback Weather Another Nonsensical Heel Turn?

When Ryback hopped off the ring apron during Monday's six-man tag team match against The Wyatt Family, leaving Kane and Big Show to suffer a loss, everyone recognized it as a heel turn.

And fans remembered all too vividly what happened the last time Ryback turned heel out of the blue without much rhyme or reason behind it.

The Big Guy failed miserably, as he was subjected to a series of losses against John Cena, an unsuccessful partnership with Paul Heyman and an underwhelming undercard tandem with Curtis Axel. The heel character was never well-defined, even when he spent weeks bullying backstage personnel, and the result was a disappointing run that took months for him to erase.

There may be no coming back from another failed turn, especially given how inconsistently Ryback has been booked since October 2012.

He spoke of crashing glass ceilings and grabbing brass rings, but it was all rhetoric fans have heard from The Big Guy in the past.

It is time for WWE Creative to do something substantial with him or finally come to the conclusion that he is not the guy his physique suggests he is and move on.

Credit: WWE.com

3. Can Triple H Resist the Urge to Feed His Ego During His Feud with Roman Reigns?

The beatdown that left Roman Reigns bloodied and fans cheering on Monday's Raw had the exact opposite effect of what WWE Creative was hoping for—at least what this writer hopes for.

See, Triple H has made a habit out of upstaging his opponents, overshadowing those who should be basking in the spotlight. Most infamously, he did it to Randy Orton, who took years to recover. Batista, John Cena, Chris Jericho and Rob Van Dam are just a few of the other Superstars who were adversely affected by a program with The Game that was originally intended to put them over.

Sure, most of those guys eventually did beat Triple H, but not before The Game established dominance and nearly undermined them along the way.

Either intentionally or not.

On Monday night, The Game looked like a world-beater who stepped right out of the 2000s, cutting Reigns off and leaving him lying in a crumbled heap at his feet. A crotch chop added insult to injury and popped the fans in Detroit, the least desirable reaction given the intent of the segment.

As WrestleMania approaches, Triple H will have to remember that he is the heel, the corporate suit determined to keep the WWE title away from Reigns. At 46, he should not be portrayed as physically superior to Reigns at any point, yet that is exactly what happened on Raw.

Someone should remind The Game of his place in the story, what his role actually is. Otherwise, the next five weeks will be bumpy ones for the company and its hand-chosen lead babyface.