WWE Roadblock 2016: How to Fix Least Promising Storylines So Far

A radical change in direction is required for a number of storylines en route to WWE Roadblock: End of the Line.

As the Dec. 18 Raw-exclusive pay-per-view approaches, Rusev, Alicia Fox and The New Day are in the midst of underwhelming narratives. These tales are coming off trite or dull at this stage. Each one needs a jolt of energy.

Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho has potential to steal the show. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair's marquee feud will culminate in an Iron Man match. Those are among the better rivalries ahead of Roadblock.

For Rusev, Fox and others, it's going to take some work to belong in that group. The following is a look at WWE's best options to bolster Roadblock's underwhelming feuds.

Alicia Fox vs. Bayley

For Fox vs. Bayley to morph into a strong non-title feud, the enemies need deeper issues between them.

The current reasons for their animosity are silly. Fox saw Bayley give Cedric Alexander a toy bear, and petty jealousy was well on its way. WWE has to make this story about two women looking to beat each other down for the sake of climbing the ladder, not catty schoolgirls fighting over a man.

Fox has to talk about wanting to be champion again. It's been six years since she held gold.

Her hunger to be relevant in an era of fresh faces is a better starting point than her fear of Bayley stealing her boyfriend.

For Bayley, she should be out to prove she deserves a shot at either Banks or Flair after Roadblock.

Fox can be her stepping stone. She can test Bayley's toughness.

This route will enable WWE to showcase Bayley's character and give Fox some direction—all without delving into tired cliches about women.

The New Day vs. Sheamus and Cesaro vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson

The key to adding buzz to the Raw Tag Team Championship scene is to convince the audience The New Day can be beat.

The trio has held onto the titles since last summer. No squad has been able to take it down. And it's hard to imagine anyone doing so at this point.

WWE can combat that in two ways. First, it can spotlight cracks in The New Day. Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods should bicker with each other, the pressure of being the longest-reigning tag champions getting to them.

Second, the company should focus on making one of The New Day's rivals look strong.

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have so many losses on their resumes that it will be tough to make them look like formidable contenders. That's especially true with such little time between now and Roadblock.

The better bet is to have Cesaro and Sheamus emerge as the No. 1 contenders. 

On the Dec. 12 edition of Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus and The Club will both clash with The New Day for the titles. This should be a showcase for The King of Swing and The Celtic Warrior. They should dominate the bout, only to have The New Day squeak out a lucky win.

WWE would be smart to infuse some controversy here, too. Kingston could pin Sheamus with a roll-up while using the ropes for illegal leverage. Sheamus and Cesaro could then have a case that they deserve a title shot at the PPV.

Titus O'Neil Trying to Establish His Brand

Titus O'Neil's struggles are an afterthought.

The powerhouse has tried to establish "The Titus Brand" in recent weeks. Empty press conferences and losses in the ring are all that have come of it. His failures, though, could lead to an intriguing story. 

As Roadblock approaches, Raw general manager Mick Foley should address O'Neil's paltry record. Foley would then tell O'Neil that, if he if he doesn't win by the end of the year, his Raw contract will be void.

Suddenly, O'Neil's matches will matter more.

Should he face someone like Big Show at the upcoming PPV, he'll have something significant on the line. And in the weeks following the event, O'Neil can keep losing, becoming increasingly desperate.

That's an opportunity for him to become more vicious and underhanded—an animal backed into a corner.

For now, O'Neil is a forgettable part of the equation. With the walls closing in on him, his story becomes instantly more compelling. 

Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Rusev

An all-out hoss fight between Big Cass and Rusev could be special.

WWE has to change the tone of the narrative before that collision, though. The story thus far is too much like a soap opera. Like it did with Rusev's 2015 feud with Dolph Ziggler, the company is leaning too much on the tawdry and not enough on the intense.

On the Dec. 5 episode of Raw, Rusev's wife, Lana, seduced Cass' best bud, Enzo Amore. She tricked him into coming to her hotel, where The Bulgarian Brute was waiting to smash him into the carpet.

The violent climax was excellent. Everything leading up to it was cringe-worthy.

WWE is better off focusing on Cass and Rusev looking to destroy each other. The Lana-as-an-object-of-lust element should go away. Amore looked like a slimeball for trying to sleep with a married woman. 

The better bet is to find ways to make Amore and Cass actual babyfaces.

Rusev needs to leave behind a path of destruction. The big man should continue to assault Amore, leaving Cass to play the hero and avenge him.