WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After Jan. 23 Show

Uncertainty looms after the final WWE Raw before the 2017 Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Seth Rollins is no longer assured a spot in the annual Battle Royal. The rules of Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns' battle for the Universal Championship have changed. And Undertaker's and Goldberg's appearances on Monday's go-home show perhaps points to young stars getting shut out.

What's next for these Superstars and stories? How will the action during Raw's trip to Cleveland impact Sunday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view in San Antonio?

There is no shortage of unknowns heading into the event. Let's dive into the biggest ones—from the change in the KO vs. Reigns bout to where Rollins is bound to go now that he's out of the Royal Rumble match.

How Will Added Stipulation Affect Owens vs. Reigns?

Owens vs. Reigns added a new layer.

The Universal Championship bout will not only force Chris Jericho to stand locked inside a suspended shark cage, but it will also be a No Disqualification match. Raw general manager Mick Foley made the change on Monday's Raw.

Will weapons now come into play? Is interference a certainty? 

Total Wrestling magazine believes Jericho will slip his best friend some kind of foreign object:

That seems to be the likeliest scenario. 

And this is where the Jericho-Owens friendship could finally go up in flames. Y2J could drop a pair of brass knuckles into the ring, for example, and Reigns could be the one to use them. If Owens loses his title this way, he will be seething coming out of the Rumble, placing Jericho in his sights.

Will WWE Develop Ali's Character?

The cruiserweight division welcomed a new face when Mustafa Ali debuted on Raw in six-man tag team action. A brief vignette introduced the high-flyer to the audience.

That video offered a glimpse of who Ali is, but it's not nearly enough. So far, his gimmick is that he wants to defy cultural preconceptions about him based on his name.

For Ali to have a real shot at stardom, WWE is going to have to give fans more to sink their teeth into. But will the company be able to pull that off? Can it showcase a Pakistani wrestler's story without delving into stereotypes?

WWE has been uneven with its success with Ali's peers in the cruiserweight division.

Jack Gallagher, The Brian Kendrick and Neville are all intriguing to varying degrees. Drew Gulak, Lince Dorado and Tony Nese, meanwhile, have paper-thin characters, leading to their struggles to connect with the crowd.

Ali's athleticism and stunning reverse 450 splash will only get him so far. He's going to need something more to work with to avoid becoming another faceless cruiserweight. 

Will Part-Timers Overshadow Present Stars?

The final image of Monday's Raw featured Undertaker, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar staring each other down, with the three titans all poised to strike.

It made sense to group these men together. They are all key figures in Sunday's Royal Rumble match. Lesnar has history with both men. And WWE wanted to use their star power to hype the PPV.

But is it a sign of things to come in the actual match?

Will the established stars get all the spotlight, leaving the emerging talent in the background? Will WWE book one of these men as the Rumble winner rather than elevate someone like Braun Strowman or Sami Zayn?

WWE Creative Humor joked about Monday's closing visual:

The company can't make the same mistakes it has made with the Royal Rumble in the past few years. Repeat winners have won several times. And WWE has missed the boat with huge fan favorites.

Undertaker, Lesnar and Goldberg can all get to their respective WrestleMania destinations without winning the Rumble. The Superstars of the New Era need that victory far more. 

Hopefully WWE recognizes that.

How Will Rollins Impact Royal Rumble Match?

Rollins' dreams of winning the Royal Rumble collapsed in an instant on Monday's Raw.

Per Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon's orders, Rollins had to put his spot in the 30-man bout on the line against Zayn, and The Architect lost when Triple H's music distracted him.

Now, Zayn has a shot at WrestleMania glory, while Rollins is left to overflow with rage.

Will Rollins even show up to the Rumble? Will he appear only to eliminate his enemy, Triple H? 

He's too big of a star not to play a role in the major event. Shenanigans are on the way, and they will most likely involve Triple H.

The battle between The Game and Rollins has been brewing for months, with WWE mostly ignoring the story. For the company to insert Triple H's presence into Rollins' life at this moment suggests the two will collide in some fashion in the Alamodome.