WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After Jan. 16 Show

Championship pursuits generated some of the biggest questions to come out of Monday's WWE Raw.

Bayley is closing in on the Raw Women's Championship. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson nearly won the red brand's tag titles and look poised to grab the gold soon.

What will be the pace of these narratives moving forward? Will Bayley unseat The Queen before this feud has reached its peak? Is a Gallows-Anderson reign around the corner?

After Raw's visit to Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday night, fans have to be wondering what's ahead for Alicia Fox's character and where WWE can possibly take the story of Titus O'Neil pestering The New Day from here.

The following is a look at all those questions, breaking down the lingering unknowns as Raw marches closer to the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 29.

Is the Old Fox Coming Back?

Fox had been a cardboard sidekick in recent weeks—the silent love interest of Cedric Alexander and the object of Noam Dar's obsession. Suddenly, though, it looks as if the former Divas champ is reverting to her peak as a character.

On Monday's Raw, Alexander wanted nothing to do with Fox, even though she helped him knock off The Brian Kendrick. He ducked her attempt to embrace him, leaving her dumbfounded in the ring.

This wasn't surprising, given that Fox assisted his rival, Dar, in beating him on 205 Live last week.

The unexpected part of the equation came in a backstage interview moments later. When asked about the Alexander situation, Fox loudly and angrily proclaimed she didn't want to talk about it.

Her outburst was reminiscent of when Fox was at her most compelling, when she was a live wire with a short fuse in 2014.

WWE would be wise to bring this version of Fox back. It would beat her current act by miles. And as Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful pointed out, she's adept at playing crazy:

After seeing only a flash of the old Fox, it's hard to be sure it's here to stay. WWE has focused more on Alexander than Fox, so this element of the story may get dropped. That would be a mistake; Fox is more fun when she's unhinged.  

Are Gallows and Anderson on the Verge of Being Champions?

Gallows and Anderson pinned Sheamus and Cesaro in a title match on Monday's Raw but didn't walk out as champions. Moments before the bruisers hit Magic Killer on Cesaro for the three-count, Sheamus had inadvertently clubbed the referee.

So while a second official counted the pin, the original ref negated the result, disqualifying Sheamus instead.

That's as close to the Raw Tag Team Championships as one can get without winning them. Will Gallows and Anderson follow that up by finishing the job? Or are the heels set to fall back down the ladder?

The lack of depth in the tag team division will assure Gallows and Anderson several title shots in the near future.

Enzo Amore and Big Cass are busy tangling with Rusev and Jinder Mahal. The Golden Truth and The Shining Stars have been non-factors. The New Day is lost in an odd story involving O'Neil.

That will leave the door open for The Club to challenge Sheamus and Cesaro several times over. The chances of WWE finally crowning the former IWGP tag titleholders is high. 

What Now for O'Neil and The New Day?

Over the past three weeks, Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have defeated O'Neil.

The powerhouse has sought to join The New Day, only to be rebuffed each time. The latest interaction between O'Neil and the former tag team champs ended with Big E besting the big man.  

This time, a spot in the Royal Rumble match was on the line.

Big E's win assured all three members of The New Day would be in the upcoming Battle Royal. As for O'Neil, his time in the trio's spotlight may be over.

Total Wrestling magazine believes this story is done:

If that's the case, what's next for The New Day and O'Neil? Big E, Kingston and Woods need rivals to push them or the group will go stagnant. WWE seems to have given up on O'Neil as anything other than fodder.

He's at risk of getting pushed aside during WrestleMania season as WWE brings in as many big names as possible for its No. 1 show of the year.

Will WWE Be Patient with Bayley's Story?

The latest leg of Bayley's journey to the Raw Women's Championship focused on her youth.

Charlotte Flair mocked the challenger she will face at the Royal Rumble PPV by showing the crowd photos of Bayley as a fan, posing with wrestlers. She read some of the No. 1 contender's journal entries.

By mocking Bayley's dreams and dismissing her as average, Flair set the stage nicely for the rest of their rivalry.

Painting Bayley as a dreamer and an underdog—someone who worked hard to get there—is the absolute right move. The key to the story's success, though, will be its pace.

The more buildup to Bayley dethroning Flair, the better. A lengthy chase with pitfalls and frustrations along the way will result in a more satisfying climax.

But will WWE jump the gun and have Bayley win the title at the Rumble? The women's title didn't stay around anyone's waist for long last year. Hopefully WWE changes course in 2017.