WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After Jan. 2 Show

The first WWE Raw of 2017 raised questions about the anatomy of several of the red brand's rivalries.

Braun Strowman left Sami Zayn unable to stand on Monday's Raw. He beat up the babyface until he wore a black eye and punch-drunk daze. Is that the end of the tale, with the hero unable to overcome the dragon?

If so, what lies ahead for both men?

And what of Bayley and Charlotte Flair? A title tilt now awaits them at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 29. How will WWE build to that moment, and how will it pace these enemies' story?

Monday's show also created questions about the company's long-term plans for the returning Goldberg and how it is handling the cruiserweight division. The following is a dive into those issues, looking to make sense of the unknowns that the year's first Raw left behind.

Will Goldberg Face Owens, Reigns or Strowman?

As Monday's Raw drew to a close, a number of titans stared each other down. Animosity hung in the air. An explosion was imminent.

In the process, Goldberg eyed Roman Reigns, got in Kevin Owens' face and barreled into Strowman. Were these all just fun moments, or was WWE teasing what's to come with Goldberg?

A Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar rematch is a lock. But how else will WWE use Goldberg?

The company would be smart to have him clash with emerging stars—be it Owens or Reigns. His face-off with Owens was electric, hinting at how hot a feud between them would be. That's the kind of old vs. new booking WWE needs to turn to more often.

It will be a waste to have Goldberg walk away before facing any new opposition.

Will WWE Continue to Short the Cruiserweights?

The cruiserweight division began 2017 with a whimper. Its two bouts on Raw were among the most forgettable of the night.

Ring time is a big part of that. Per CageMatch.net, Drew Gulak defeated Cedric Alexander after two minutes, 12 seconds; TJ Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick ended at 4:38.

Short bouts like that will make it hard for the cruiserweights to make an impact.

Yes, they have their own show in 205 Live, but the audience has little incentive to watch after seeing them on Raw. The percentage of the show's airtime WWE is giving Perkins, Alexander and their peers makes them feel insignificant.

And as PWTorch columnist Greg Parks joked, Raw is stuck in a holding pattern with the division:

Raw doesn't follow up on results from week to week. The matchups repeat too often. It feels as if WWE is offering minimal effort with the cruiserweights.

Something has to change—and fast.

What Arc Can We Expect from Bayley vs. Flair?

Bayley earned a title shot against Flair by outlasting Nia Jax on Monday. And now, the match many expected to happen is set for the Royal Rumble PPV.

Will WWE repeat what it did with Sasha Banks and Flair—namely have the two trade the title several times over? Are we set for a steady diet of Bayley and Flair heading into WrestleMania and beyond?

Pacing this rivalry so that it climaxes at WrestleMania makes plenty of sense.

WWE will, though, have to keep Bayley and Flair apart more often. If they wrestle 12 to 15 times between now and then, it will be harder to get hyped about their final battle.

Distance between now and the Rumble will create anticipation that Banks vs. Flair lacked.

Bayley building momentum against other foes and Charlotte showing off her character outside of the ring are keys to making this an effective story. WWE can't front-load the Bayley-Flair meetings. 

What's Next for Strowman and Zayn?

Strowman crushed Zayn in a Last Man Standing match.

The Underdog from the Underground gave Strowman a tougher test than one might expect, but the monster feasted on Zayn in the end on Monday night. After Zayn couldn't stand for a 10-count, Strowman continued the assault, throwing him off the stretcher that medical officials strapped him to.

The bout felt like the end of this story—at least for now.

Where does Zayn go now after he recovers? Who does Strowman look to destroy with Zayn out of his way?

Denny Burkholder of CBS Sports predicted another meeting between these two during the Rumble match:

That kind of interaction would be fun, but it would only be temporary. Both men need new rivals and should remain in high-profile stories.

Zayn is a smart fit as a midcard champion. If WWE ever starts focusing on the U.S. title again, Zayn would be excellent chasing and defending the crown.

As for Strowman, he's bound to take down Raw's giants, Mark Henry and Big Show, at some point. But neither of his rivals has staying power. WWE is going to have be creative moving forward with its fast-rising beast.