WWE Raw: Burning Questions to Address After May 15 Show

Monday's WWE Raw built the foundation for Extreme Rules with a change of heart, an upset win and the addition of two big matches on the card.

The June 4 pay-per-view is now set to feature a kendo stick dangling from a pole and five men fighting over the right to the next No. 1 contender for the Universal Championship.

Will the former situation leave audiences underwhelmed? Will Finn Balor charge past Roman Reigns in the latter one?

Raw lagged at several points, but it did well to create buzz about what's ahead for Alexa Bliss and the Superstars all vying for a shot at Brock Lesnar. Monday's show also stirred up questions about Alicia Fox's future and what happens now that The Golden Truth has dismantled.

Read on for a look at all those questions, breaking down the biggest unknowns to emerge from the red brand's trip to Newark, New Jersey.

What's Next for Goldust and R-Truth?

The Golden Truth is no more.

Frustration got the better of Goldust on Monday night, and the veteran turned on his own partner. He battered R-Truth before their scheduled tag team bout.

And with that, Goldust embraced the dark side and ended a partnership that began in early 2016.

Questions come with the next chapter in each man's story. Will the heel turn work for Goldust? Is the 48-year-old Superstar ready to deliver with a solo run? And will R-Truth remain relevant outside of the tag team division?

As much as there is uncertainty abound in both cases, one can't blame WWE for shaking things up. ProWrestling.net columnist Jason Powell wrote: "Only time will tell whether this is anything more than an undercard program, but I'm happy to see Goldust do something other than comedy for a change."

The tag team division lost some depth with the move, but The Golden Truth had run its course. And if WWE is going to do anything with Goldust, there isn't much time left to do so at this point in his career.

Can Bliss-Bayley Thrive with Pole Gimmick?

Bliss and Bayley's latest confrontation turned ugly in a hurry. The Raw women's champ whacked her rival with a kendo stick, leaving her writhing in pain.

Raw general manager Kurt Angle offered to give Bayley a standard match against Bliss at Extreme Rules, but the babyface wanted a chance for revenge. Angle then made the bout a Kendo Stick on a Pole match. 

That sounds like something straight out of the Vince Russo playbook.

Can Bliss and Bayley flourish in spite of the stipulation? Will fans take this seriously? Will there be enough kendo stick-centered violence at the end to create something memorable?

The odds are against the two talented Superstars.  

The history of contests featuring objects on a pole isn't great. Revisit early '00s WCW for a refresher. Chances are, this will result in more punchlines than drama.

Bliss and Bayley have an uphill climb ahead of them.

Is Fox on the Rise?

Fox had the surprise result of the night when she knocked off Sasha Banks.

She didn't even need Noam Dar to assist her. Fox beat The Boss cleanly. That was her first one-on-one win on Raw since Jan. 2015, per CageMatch.net. 

Was that a fluke? Or is Raw set to spotlight Fox and look to give her the most momentum she's had in a long time?

Bayley is in the Raw women's title hunt. Nia Jax is on the edge of that championship picture as Bliss' muscle. That leaves some room in the division's midcard for someone like Fox to make an impact.

The Golden Truth, Breezango and Jinder Mahal have all earned more airtime in recent weeks than anyone would have guessed at the beginning of the year. This trend looks to be continuing with Fox. 

She's poised to get some spotlight courtesy of her burgeoning feud with Banks. And as wild as it sounds, she stands a good chance of coming out the victor.

Who Will Face Lesnar?

Braun Strowman won't be challenging Lesnar for now. WWE confirmed on Monday's Raw that the behemoth underwent elbow surgery.

To decide who steps up to The Beast Incarnate for the Universal Championship, Angle booked a Fatal 5-Way match for Extreme Rules. The winner will become the No. 1 contender.

Is this how Balor gets in position to take on Lesnar? Is a Reigns-Lesnar rematch inevitable? Would WWE throw us all a curveball and go with Joe or Wyatt?

The company did offer a clue on Monday in the form of Reigns beating Balor in singles action.

The Big Dog pulled off the win despite a (storyline) bad shoulder. That speaks to Reigns being booked as a more dominant force than Balor.

However, July's Great Balls of Fire PPV isn't nearly big enough for a match of the magnitude of Reigns vs. Lesnar. WWE is likely to save that clash for SummerSlam or WrestleMania. That will open the door for the likes of Balor and Joe.

Regardless of who comes out on top at Extreme Rules, WWE has a great opportunity ahead. As Kyle Fowle of the A.V Club wrote: "With three weeks to build to the match, there's a ton of potential to tell some interesting stories."

Depending on who challenges Lesnar and whether WWE scripts another dominant performance from The Beast Incarnate, this is a situation where the title chase could end up being better than the actual climax.