In his latest, PWP Nation’s Editor-in-Chief Caden Moran discusses Braun Strowman and details where it all went wrong for the former threat in WWE
For the longest time, it appeared WWE had solidified a superstar for the ages. A big man with impressive in-ring ability, promo skills and a connection with the fans. Since the second brand split in 2016, WWE had been building the rise and dominance of what should’ve been one of their biggest stars in 2019.
That man is Braun Strowman.
Braun Strowman should be one of WWE’s most feared superstars right now, but he isn’t. After a number of fun matches with WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and months in the main event scene, Strowman is nowhere near the level he was at. The biggest question around “The Monster Among Men” is a simple one. Where did it all go wrong for one of WWE’s former forces?
Well, it’s not a difficult question to answer.
At first, the fans were unsure about Braun Strowman. When he was re-introduced on Raw during the 2016 brand split, he appeared to be just another big man. However, as time moved forward, the fans began to realize that he was more than that.
Strowman’s fast improvement in terms of in-ring ability caught the WWE Universe by surprise. Not only can he work a match like any other big man can, but he continues to prove that he can adapt to any style put in front of him. He can work with agile guys such as Apollo Crews and Seth Rollins while he can work with the larger guys like Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
His first true test was being put in a series of matches with Reigns. Strowman went on to defeat Reigns a number of times at the 2017 Payback and Great Balls of Fire events. Defeating someone like Roman Reigns, especially twice on a Pay-Per View stage is huge. Strowman’s conquering of “The Big Dog” proved to be the right decision as his popularity among the fans rose.
At this point, the fans wanted Braun Strowman to be the one to dethrone Brock Lesnar for the red belt, myself included.
Braun Strowman was continuously being built up to potentially take over as the face of WWE. After his long and fun program with Reigns, Strowman was put in matches with Lesnar for the Universal title. Even as Strowman fell to “The Beast Incarnate” every time they faced off, Strowman began to earn the respect of the fans. His momentum began to rise more and more despite his failures to slay the beast.
The first sign of Strowman’s demise was Wrestlemania 34. Strowman was booked to face off against The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) for the Raw Tag Team Championships. Instead of being put in a high caliber match on the biggest stage, he was put in a mediocre title match with an 11-year old kid. None of it made sense.
If it was anybody else, it might have been fine. However, since it was Braun Strowman, someone who was seen as the next face of the company, it was not the right call.
Even though Braun Strowman won the Raw Tag Team titles with Nicholas, he would go on to vacate the titles the next night. It was a wasted match and opportunity for him.
“The Monster Among Men” appeared to be back to his old ways during the Greatest Royal Rumble event in April of 2018. Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble match after eliminating 13 men, a new record. That night in Saudi Arabia should’ve been a turning point for Braun.
At the time, it might have appeared that night was a turning point for him. However, in hindsight, that night and the months following proved to be anything other than a turning point.
At the 2018 Money in the Bank event, Strowman won the men’s ladder match to become “Mr. Money in the Bank.”
Personally, I was not a fan of Strowman winning the match. I thought it was a waste of a winner and it could have gone to somebody who isn’t high up the card as Strowman is. As it turned out, my thoughts were right.
Braun Strowman winning the Money in the Bank ladder match was where it all went wrong for the man.
How could someone winning the coveted Money in the Bank contract be the downfall of them? It seems impossible. However, the way Braun Strowman’s reign as “Mr. Monster in the Bank” turned out was proof that there is such thing as a “wrong” option.
We’ve seen former contract winners fail in their quest to cash in and win a world title. Look at a guy like Damien Sandow. Sandow won the Smackdown Money in the Bank ladder match in 2011 and was seen as world champion material. However, Sandow failed in his cash-in attempt against John Cena, and he never truly recovered from it.
With Strowman, his run with the briefcase was meaningless. He went on to feud with Kevin Owens for the contract, which he would succeed in defending. Strowman then turned his attention to his old foe, and WWE Universal Champion at the time, Roman Reigns.
It looked as if Strowman was going to dethrone Reigns a number of times to become to Universal Champion. However, the reunited trio of The Shield spelled the end of Strowman and his run as “Mr. Monster in the Bank.”
Strowman quickly turned heel and went on to face Reigns for the red belt at the 2018 Hell in a Cell event after he announced he would be cashing in beforehand. He failed in defeating Reigns after Brock Lesnar interrupted the match and destroyed both men. Strowman’s run as Mr. Money in the Bank was a waste of a contract, and WWE should learn from it for the future.
Hell in a Cell 2018 was the official downfall of Braun Strowman. He went on to turn babyface once again, almost Big Show-esque. He would go on to feud with Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and more importantly, Baron Corbin for a number of months.
Braun Strowman went from being the potential conqueror of Brock Lesnar to being put in meaningless feuds and matches with lower-card competitors.
Now, Strowman’s momentum and fan support is almost nonexistent. He is set to compete in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal match at Wrestlemania 35 next month. Strowman’s focus in the match has everything to do with Saturday Night Live talent Colin Jost and Michael Che. Everything about Braun Strowman’s current situation and position is quite sad.
Maybe Strowman can recover in the future. However, as it appears right now, Braun Strowman is just another guy on the roster.
WWE had a gem in front of them, and they somehow managed to screw it up. Can we even be surprised at this point?
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