WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After Dec. 19 Show

It would have been fitting for the Dec. 19 episode of WWE Raw to end with the sound of a ticking clock.

Countdowns of various kinds had to be on fans' minds after Monday's show.

There is, of course, the wait for Emmalina's arrival. The first edition of Raw after Sunday's Roadblock: End of the Line pay-per-view didn't welcome back the wrestler formerly known as Emma.

That's been something the audience has gotten used to of late. It is hard to tell when she will step into the Raw spotlight again.

After Monday's Raw, fans have to wonder how long Sheamus and Cesaro have before their alliance splinters past the point of no return. The new Raw tag team champs look destined for self-destruction.

And fans of the cruiserweight division have been waiting for WWE to get that portion of Raw rolling. Is including Neville in that mix the answer to the division's woes?

Those are among the biggest questions to emerge from the PPV-fallout edition of Raw. Let's dive into each of them, looking to figure out what's ahead for the red brand.

When Will Emmalina Walk Through the Door?

Emma's transformation into Emmalina has yet to materialize. WWE promised her "debut" last week, only to not follow through.

The tagline for her vignettes remains "premiering soon."

Her reintroduction has been dragged out to the point of absurdity. The folks from Fightful pointed out how long it has been since WWE started teasing her arrival:

It made sense to not bring her back on right before Survivor Series or Roadblock, as she might have been lost in the shuffle. But that will be the case if she shows up on next week's show, too. A post-Christmas edition of Raw is bound to have fewer viewers and be a less significant show than normal.

Could Emmalina have to wait until 2017 to come aboard the red brand? Is she going to make it to the screen before the Royal Rumble?

At this pace, WWE is in danger of taking the air out of her arrival. Video packages can only sustain fans' interest for so long.

Is Neville the Key to Bolstering the Cruiserweight Division?

The cruiserweight division has been sluggish and underwhelming since it became a part of the Raw brand. A shot of energy, though, came in the form of an underutilized star on Sunday.

Neville attacked Rich Swann and TJ Perkins at Roadblock, making his first appearance on WWE TV in months.

The Man That Gravity Forgot followed up that assault by berating fans on Monday. He showed off a much more aggressive, vindictive side of himself. And when the babyfaces he attacked stepped in the ring with him, Neville issued another beatdown. 

This surprise development has been one of the most intriguing things we've seen in the cruiserweight world so far.

Neville is more established with casual fans than acts like Noam Dar and Drew Gulak. He's a fantastic in-ring performer. Plus, his heel turn looks to have rejuvenated him in a huge way.

But Neville alone can't be the cruiserweights' savior. 

The division has to feature longer matches than we saw from Cedric Alexander and Dar on Monday night. Character development across the board has to pick up. 

WWE would be wise to spotlight mustached charmer Jack Gallagher more, too. 

How Long Can Sheamus and Cesaro Hold It Together?

The New Day's record reign as Raw tag team champs is now over, thanks to Cesaro and Sheamus. The European bruisers knocked off the fun-loving trio at Roadblock.

But as we saw that night and during the course of Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus' infighting has only worsened after winning the gold. 

Sheamus has taken full credit for besting The New Day. The tag team partners stood apart from each other at several points during Raw, competing separately for the crowd's attention.

ESPN.com's Brian Campbell believes the odd-couple angle has reached its shelf life already:

Will WWE keep up this animosity until there is an implosion? Or will these two warriors get on the same page in an effort to keep the tag titles in their possession? 

There's no way Cesaro and Sheamus will approach The New Day's 483-day reign, but can they keep the gold in hand until WrestleMania?

WWE has a number of intriguing narrative options to take with the duo. The trouble is that Raw's tag team division doesn't offer a ton of viable contenders. Aside from The New Day, Cesaro and Sheamus could face Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. But the company would need to give that team an infusion of momentum after months of poor booking.

That's about it, unless WWE calls up The Revival from NXT for a smashmouth throwdown for the ages.

What's the Plan for Rollins at the Royal Rumble?

Roman Reigns has his dance partner for the Royal Rumble on Jan. 29. Raw general manager Mick Foley announced on Monday's show that Reigns will take on Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship at the event.

But what of Reigns' tag team partner?

"

The fun continues for @WWERomanReigns & @WWERollins as they battle @FightOwensFight and @IAmJericho in #RAW's main event! pic.twitter.com/RWHqYBLYja

— WWE (@WWE) December 20, 2016"

Seth Rollins is fresh off facing Chris Jericho at Roadblock, but that feud appears to be over. Plus, Jericho's Royal Rumble role will be to stand in a shark cage suspended above the ring during Owens vs. Reigns.

The Architect has made it clear he wants Triple H's head. That's a bout WWE is likely to save for WrestleMania, though. The company could add another marquee match to the Royal Rumble, but Rollins is a safer bet to be a part of the PPV's Battle Royal instead.

The trouble is that Rollins has been in limbo while waiting for his story with Triple H to take off.

He's been Reigns' ally once again and a peripheral figure in the Universal Championship scene, but he doesn't have a narrative of his own for the moment. WWE has to find a way to remedy that.

Rollins needs something to sink his claws into before WrestleMania.