Is Braun Strowman Ready for Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return?

Braun Strowman is in the midst of a very entertaining feud with Kevin Owens on Monday Night Raw. WWE’s Monster Among Men has become KO’s stalker, hunting the Prizefighter every week on TV. Fans are enjoying the ride thus far and it’s become a highlight of the company’s flagship program.

But the fun and games will stop because eventually because Brock Lesnar will return. WWE has yet to announce when that’s going to happen. The Universal champion has not been seen for over two months and the brand he’s supposed to lead is rolling along just fine without him. Fans know the deal when it comes to Brock and the majority of them aren’t losing too much sleep over his absence.

The most important part of course is that WWE continues to keep moving. Brock may hold the second most important championship in the company but WWE doesn’t need him for weekly TV. Lesnar is reserved for high profile matches on big events, along with the occasional promo or scuffle on Raw. That’s the extent of his obligation to WWE and at this point, he and his title have become an afterthought.

Watch Strowman and Kevin Owens on Raw:

Braun Strowman sends Kevin Owens for a ride in a portable toilet: Raw, July 2, 2018

However Braun Strowman has a briefcase that gives him a shot at that title. Had Strowman never faced Lesnar, fans would likely be salivating at the idea of a cash-in on The Beast Incarnate. After all, very few Superstars can match up to Lesnar and to see him overshadowed by a red-hot big man would be epic indeed.

But Strowman has already had more than one opportunity to take the strap from Lesnar. He and Brock have waged war and beat each other down to the point of no return. Fans watched Braun take the best that Lesnar had to offer and he kept coming back for more.

The two are so evenly matched that many fans believed it was only logical that Strowman would be the one to win the Universal Championship. Roman Reigns may have been the favorite to do exactly that but it’s obvious that WWE is in no rush to make it happen.

The next best option is Strowman, who has dominated nearly everyone on Monday Night Raw. Unlike Reigns, Strowman is extremely over as a babyface. He’s paying his dues and doing everything asked of him. Braun is a main event powerhouse and he’s one of the most entertaining Superstars on the roster. Braun Strowman may not be the top guy but he definitely carries himself like one. But what happens when Brock Lesnar comes back?

Fans expect The Monster Among Men to be ready and he surely will be. Strowman will likely confront Lesnar and Paul Heyman in the middle of the ring, so both men can know of Braun’s intentions. He will stand eye to eye with Brock and he will not back down. Lesnar will smirk, he will bounce and then he will probably back away. Heels live to fight another day and Brock Lesnar is no exception.

Watch Strowman attack Lesnar on Raw:

Braun Strowman attacks Universal Champion Brock Lesnar: Raw, Aug. 21, 2017

So a Braun Strowman cash-in is probably not going to happen on Monday Night Raw. Why waste a brawl between him and Lesnar? Again, fans have seen this feud already and they remember how it played out the first time. If Brock is indeed going to lose the title to Strowman, then it could happen because he’s already a bit weak from a prior match. The man standing across the ring from him in that match could be Roman Reigns. Or it could be someone else.

Bobby Lashley is staking his claim for top contender in WWE. His run with Sami Zayn was short and probably could have been shorter, as it failed to deliver for many fans. But there is no denying that Bobby is a main event player in his own right. WWE would be foolish to not use him in that role, which seems to be what’s happening now.

Lashley and Reigns will face off on July 15 at Extreme Rules in a match that could determine who will face Lesnar for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam on August 19. While the company has not officially announced such a stipulation, it’s obvious that Reigns and Lashley’s rivalry is building to something big. A title opportunity is the only real prize that could await the winner. But what if that prize continues to slip just out of reach?

It’s possible that Reigns and Lashley’s match at Extreme Rules does not settle their differences. If that’s the case, then their heat could continue to SummerSlam. A Triple Threat for the Universal Championship could be the main event of the evening. That match could see Brock retain, only to be pinned by a charging monster at the end.

A Braun Strowman cash-in would tear the house down at SummerSlam. More importantly, it would solidify him as a main event megastar. The fans would love it for many reasons, not the least of which is that the Universal title would finally be back on Raw. But then there’s the fact that Braun has worked so hard to get to this level. When fans see a talent pay his dues and learn his craft one match at a time, they tend to develop respect and a connection to that talent. But is WWE better off with Braun as Universal champion?

Watch Strowman call out Brock Lesnar:

Braun Strowman calls out Brock Lesnar after Money in the Bank: WWE Exclusive, June 17, 2018

It’s entirely possible that if Strowman becomes the next top titleholder on Monday Night Raw, he will be slid straight into Brock Lesnar’s booking. Braun is a full-time Superstar of course so there’s little chance that would change if he became champion. But like Lesnar, it’s nearly impossible to hurt Strowman. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to even slow him down.

Brock wins almost every match and he usually does so with an exclamation point on the end. Even in highly competitive matches with Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar still wins in convincing fashion. He can sell for his opponent, he can slow the mach down to his tempo and make it look good, but he always turns up the energy when it mattes the most. Lesnar is practically invincible.

What makes anyone think that Strowman will be work any differently? Is it possible that fans could turn on Braun after he wins the championship because he is just so dominant? The fun would come from watching one Superstar after another attempt to dethrone Strowman, but that recipe has already been used and it has indeed left a bad taste.

No matter what happens with Braun Strowman, the fact is that he does make an intriguing Mister Money in the Bank. It’s almost a guaranteed title win for him. Whether he takes the belt from Lesnar, Reigns or even Lashley, is anyone’s guess. But Strowman is surely ready for the next step. The same is true for the fans.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, YouTube, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com