This year has seen a number of monumental events take place in the wrestling world: The Hardy Boyz returned to WWE, Goldberg became Universal Champion, Kane announced he’s running for Mayor in Knoxville and the Undertaker quite possibly retired from in-ring competition. And whether these moments made your cheer, boo, laugh or cry, there’s no denying that 2017 has been a huge year for WWE.
However, one of the things that this year will also be remembered for is the meteoric rise of Braun Strowman. The Monster Among Men has ravaged his way through the roster and ascended to the top.
But that reign of destruction has hit a speed bump due to Strowman’s unfortunate injury. Will this setback only delay the inevitable or halt the monster’s push for good?
Is Strowman Set To Be WWE’s Next Big Star?
While the Braun Strowman character has been appearing on WWE television since 2015 — when he debuted as a member of the Wyatt Family — it was his subsequent solo run that has had the WWE Universe buzzing. Much like previous giants, Strowman made a significant impact on the solo roster, mauling his way through anybody who got in his way. But while fans weren’t thrilled about his unusual rivalry with Sami Zayn — which actually turned out better than predicted — he has won a lot of critics over since the beginning of this year.
Due to Strowman’s size, many fans were worried that he would be limited in the ring. But the giant superstar has had no problem proving them wrong, putting on entertaining matches — particularly his two incredible main events with the Big Show. He showcased his agility, skills and versatility in the ring and due to this, could be around for a very long time to come.
And it’s clear that WWE has picked up on Strowman’s charisma and the WWE Universe’s positive reaction to him, as the character has gone from strength to strength and has rarely been defeated. This incredible run of success has saw the Monster Among Men destroy countless superstars and concluded with his shocking victory over Roman Reigns at Payback.
While we all expected that run to come to an end with Reigns defeating Strowman in an Ambulance match with the Big Dog advancing onto bigger and better storylines, recent rumors suggest that WWE actually intended for Braun to win this one. Furthermore, he was then due to take on Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship at the company’s new Network special Great Balls Of Fire, with a rematch rumored for SummerSlam.
But alas, it seems like we won’t see that take place now. While WWE will indeed survive by finding another worthy competitor for the Beast at the event, we are left wondering if Strowman will reclaim his shot at gold when he returns from injury.
Will Strowman Pick Up Where He Left Off?
While it’s still uncertain, it seems that we can expect Strowman to be out for an average of 4-8 weeks. And in the long run — this isn’t all that long. Sure, it means that he will definitely miss Extreme Rules, and likely miss Great Balls Of Fire but it suggests that he could pick up right where he left off. However, the real issue here is that his rivalry with Roman isn’t over yet. But with SummerSlam probably being the next PPV Strowman will make it back for, it’s likely that we will see the conclusion of their program here — the same event that he was rumored to have his rematch with Brock at. And this begs the question: when would he take on Lesnar for the gold? The Beast’s limited schedule would probably take him out of the equation until at least Survivor Series in November. And we know that the higher powers wouldn’t risk Strowman beating Reigns unless they can guarantee he’s facing Lesnar next — which, at this point in time, they can’t.
So while it’s incredibly likely that Braun Strowman will indeed continue to dominate upon his return to WWE, will he get the opportunity to challenge the Beast and win some championship gold? It’s definitely a match that a lot of the WWE Universe wants to see, and I sure hope we get to see it at least once.
Do you think Strowman’s injury has hindered his current push in WWE?
