5 Injuries that Changed WWE Since the Brand Split

Credit: WWE.com

2. Braun Strowman

Since the Brand Split, Raw has been building up Braun Strowman as an unstoppable monster. He quickly dispatched local enhancement talent, before moving to the top of the card. There he would finally find the competition he so eagerly craved.

WWE creative was hitting all the right marks with Strowman, protecting him in defeat and putting him over equally as protected superstars such as Roman Reigns. During the Royal Rumble, Strowman eliminated 7 competitors before finally being eliminated by Baron Corbin. On the January 30, he challenged Kevin Owen’s for the WWE Universal Title. He failed to capture the title, but won via disqualification. He even tipped over an ambulance!

Due to his impressive heel run, it was being reported that Braun would be WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar’s first challenger at Great Ball of Fire. However, on May 8, it was reported that Braun had a legitimate elbow injury. Though the injury was said to be minor, it put Strowman on the shelf long enough that WWE had to find a replacement for The Mountain Among Men.

Samoa Joe, Bray Wyatt, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns competed in a fatal 5-way at Extreme Rules to crown a new No. 1 contender. Newcomer,  Samoa Joe, who made Finn Balor tap out to the Coquina Clutch to capture the No. 1 contendership. Their feud was originally intended to be a one-off to fill time before Strowman’s return. But after an impressive in-ring promo with Paul Hayman and lots of fan support, those plans may change

Stroman made his return to Raw last week and continued what he started. He challenged Roman Reigns at the Great Balls of Fire PPV. Though the injury couldn’t stop the Mountain Among Men, it did perhaps stifle his push, which allowed Samoa Joe a moment to shine.