Alexa Bliss, Randy Orton Cliffhanger, Keith Lee Rises, More WWE Raw Fallout

WWE's sudden fascination with fire once again reared its ugly head Monday night on Raw as Alexa Bliss challenged Randy Orton to do to her what he did to The Fiend at TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs.

And he...did?

Maybe he didn't.

But he probably did?

The angle was the latest example of shlock TV designed to bump ratings and create even the slightest hint of buzz for a show that has become the most monotonous entry in the WWE Universe.

It was the most notable element of the December 28 episode of the flagship but hardly the only buzzworthy one. Keith Lee earned a momentous victory, The Miz regained Money in the Bank and Asuka merely existed despite being the brand's women's champion.

Dive deeper into each of these topics with this recap of Monday's USA Network broadcast.

Alexa Bliss Cliffhanger Leaves Fans Scratching Their Heads

Raw ended Monday night with fans wondering if Randy Orton actually set Alexa Bliss on fire, the same way he did "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt at the conclusion of TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs.

As television ratings sag, the company sought to grab the attention of the audience with a shocking angle that will convince them to tune in to next week's show. In doing so, though, it produced a segment of television that was fine enough to start but featured editing in the final moments that left fans confused rather than excited.

Bliss ordered Orton to set her ablaze in a performance that was much better than the material asked for. Angry at The Viper, she was visibly trembling as she stood soaked in gasoline, daring the third-generation star to do the deed.

Then came the edit that featured a closeup of Orton holding a match as the arena went dark, a screwy technique to take the focus off Bliss and keep her out of harm's way. It was an attempt by WWE's production team to change things up and create excitement for next week's show. Instead, it created a cringeworthy close to the show that resulted in more laughter than genuine intrigue.

At a time when WWE Creative has rightfully been lambasted for its effort, or lack thereof, on the flagship show, it was nice to see them take a risk and try something different. Perhaps it should take things a bit slower and not jump the shark right from the get-go. Maybe focus on better defining some of the characters before sliding face-first into arson and first-degree murder on live TV.

This isn't the first time WWE has been scratching and clawing for any ratings increase it could find. Last year, the final Raw of 2019 featured Liv Morgan returning and insinuating a lesbian relationship with Lana.

That was an obvious ratings ploy that had no discernible payoff. Orton and Bliss' tense standoff was also a ploy but rather than soapy development, it stretched the boundaries of realism.

And Kevin Dunn, that edit...WOOF!

At least they tried, right?

Keith Lee Rebuilds Momentum with Big Win

Keith Lee's run on the main roster has been inconsistent, to say the least, but Monday represented another high for The Limitless One as he defeated Sheamus to earn a shot at Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship on next week's January 4 episode.

The win came in a highly competitive showdown with The Celtic Warrior that served as the culmination of mounting tension between the two, both of whom are friends with McIntyre but do not necessarily get along themselves.

Lee looked like a badass in the win, absorbing everything Sheamus threw at him before delivering a jarring double chop to the chest and a Spirit Bomb for the pinfall victory.

Of course, the most likely outcome is Sheamus somehow involving himself in next week's match and costing his rival the WWE Championship, as the company appears poised to book McIntyre vs. Sheamus vs. Lee for the Royal Rumble.

That's fine, if only because it keeps Lee in the spotlight rather than falling into mediocrity and obscurity, as he did shortly after his initial jump to the main roster last summer.

Overshadowing of Asuka Threatens Credibility of Raw Women's Championship

In case you have not been paying attention, Asuka is the reigning Raw women's champion. Other than a one-month interruption, she has been since April. You would be hard-pressed to know that because she has not had a single program since winning the title that was actually about her. 

The feud with Sasha Banks and Bayley was more about the heel duo than The Empress of Tomorrow. Her brief program with Zelina Vega featured the longtime manager proving herself as a championship contender. Then there was the mess with Lana that was all about her underdog story, and now Asuka finds herself routinely overshadowed by Charlotte Flair.

Asuka has been one of the cornerstones of WWE in 2020. She carried the women's division after Becky Lynch's pregnancy and consistently delivered between the ropes. She has an enormous personality and is one of the most popular, respected performers on the roster.

Yet, for whatever reason, Vince McMahon and the rest of the crack creative staff has no problem forcing her to the background in favor of other women.

We have known since Flair returned at TLC that Asuka was never going to be the face of the women's division. Not as long as the second-generation competitor was around. The suddenness of Asuka's banishment to the role of Flair's sidekick came much quicker than expected and threatens to further diminish the value of the red brand's women's championship.

At least until The Queen wins it in grand fashion, further padding her stats as WWE inches closer to the inevitable moment in which Charlotte breaks her father's record for world title reigns.

At Asuka's expense.

Miz Regains Money in the Bank Briefcase in Lazy Booking Decision

Adam Pearce returned the Money in the Bank briefcase to The Miz on Monday night, citing John Morrison cashing in on behalf of The Hollywood A-Lister as the reason for giving it back. See, according to WWE bylaw, only the actual winner of the briefcase can execute the cashing in of the contract.

Or some convoluted nonsense like that.

On one hand, this is a totally fresh approach to a concept that has become stale in recent years. From that perspective, it was nice to see WWE Creative book something new that will, hopefully, return the briefcase to some sort of prominence after its piss-poor utilization in 2020.

On the other hand, though, it was also incredibly lazy.

WWE needs a spark. It heard the rumblings of fans who criticized the booking decision from the TLC pay-per-view and rectified both by just handing it back over to The Miz because his buddy took it away from him and handed it over to the referee?

Yes, it's a total heel move that will help Miz, but the fact that it occurred in a backstage afterthought of a vignette does not create any hope that WWE has any real plans for him to benefit from the eventual second cash-in.

The vignette is the perfect representation for Raw as a whole: messy, desperate but ultimately, lazy.