WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After May 23 Show

On the heels of Extreme Rules and the shocking return of Seth Rollins, the May 23 episode of Raw had plenty of questions to answer.

Instead of giving fans the answers they demanded, WWE created more uncertainty about the state of women's wrestling in WWE, the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder match and the world heavyweight title match that will headline the June 19 pay-per-view event.

Rollins will challenge Roman Reigns for the top prize in the sport at Money in the Bank, an announcement that came less than 24 hours after The Architect attacked the champion at the conclusion of another extraordinary main event, drawing the loudest pop of the night.

WWE women's champion Charlotte defeated Natalya at Extreme Rules, then took it upon herself to berate and humiliate her legendary father en route to ending their on-screen association.

Finally, five Superstars qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match. Kevin Owens, Cesaro, Sami Zayn, Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose all punched their tickets, but who figures to be the favorite ahead of the monumental event?

1. Is WWE Creative really trying to get Seth Rollins over as a heel in his feud with Roman Reigns?

As if the giant pop that Rollins received at the end of Extreme Rules was not evidence enough of his popularity among the WWE Universe, the response he was greeted with as he made his way to the ring on Monday night surely reaffirmed it.

Unfortunately, that did not stop a stubborn Vince McMahon and his crack writing team from trying desperately to re-establish him as a heel.

Rollins tore down the fans, denouncing their support and stating that he never needed them to make it to the top of the industry. Of course, Reigns interrupted and was booed out of the building as he confronted his former Shield brother. Therein lies the problem.

WWE Creative is so consistently stubborn in its determination to put Reigns over as the top babyface in the company that it sets him up for embarrassing situations like the one on Monday night. Tasked with portraying the lead hero in WWE's morality play, he was completely rejected by the audience in favor of the brash, arrogant villain who is far more interesting than the one-dimensional good guy.

It is a major issue facing WWE at this point, because barring John Cena, there does not appear to be a single Superstar on the roster with whom Reigns could be paired who would generate the desired reaction.

2. Will splitting Charlotte and Ric Flair finally rejuvenate the women's division?

Credit: WWE.com

Despite every attempt by WWE to present women's wrestling as a legitimate main event attraction, its legitimacy has been hampered significantly by Ric Flair's presence at ringside.

He has been a consistent distraction, and his role in the finish of his daughter's title defenses has hurt her growth as a character. The two-time Hall of Famer has completely overshadowed the proceedings on more than one occasion.

Luckily, that came to an end Monday night when Charlotte dismissed her father in an angle designed to write The Nature Boy off television.

The dark cloud that is the legendary competitor has been lifted from the women's division, freeing up the competitors for great matches that tell their stories rather than that of the greatest wrestler to ever live.

It may be a bit harsh to be so dismissive of a performer whose contributions to the industry are numerous, but his daughter and her peers will never achieve the notoriety and star power they have earned if they are constantly fighting to get out of Flair's shadow.

3. Who should win the 2016 Money in the Bank match?

Credit: WWE.com

To say that the field for the Money in the Bank match ranks as one of the best of all time, with just five Superstars announced at this point, would be an understatement.

Kevin Owens, Cesaro and Sami Zayn are among the best wrestlers in the industry right now, and all are coming off a show-stealing Intercontinental Championship Fatal 4-Way match at Extreme Rules.

Chris Jericho is a smart and resourceful veteran whose knack for storytelling makes him one of the most valuable Superstars on the roster, while Dean Ambrose is always a wild card.

But which of the five should leave the June 19 show with the coveted briefcase, essentially guaranteeing a world title reign at some point over the next year?

Kevin Owens, of course.

WWE's Prizefighter has been extraordinary, carrying the promotion on his back from an in-ring perspective. That he is the only Superstar in the company's long history to wrestle at every pay-per-view main show in his first year on the roster, per John "Bradshaw" Layfield during the Extreme Rules broadcast, only hammers home how integral he has been to programming over the last 12 months.

WWE should reward that work with the briefcase, especially since he is the antithesis of the glossy, goody-two-shoes Reigns, and thus the perfect alternative for fans to support.