WWE Raw’s Top 5 Segments: Monday Night Rollins

4. Gauntlet Match: The Miz vs. Braun Strowman

As soon as Seth Rollins’ shoulders were pinned to the mat, the result of this gauntlet match was quite obvious. Whether he’d be coming next or last, Braun Strowman was an inevitable winner so the question then really became how he’d win. Well, after Miz eliminated Finn Balor we’d find out. I felt this exchange deserved a spot on the list for that reason honestly as Miz did a magnificent job highlighting Braun’s presence and making his eventual win feel impressive, even if it was hardly ever in doubt.

Firstly, before Braun even appeared Miz was magnifying his dominance, with absolute terror etched across his face as his final opponent’s identity became obvious to him. On the other hand, I don’t think enough has been said about how smooth Braun’s babyface transition has really been. I understand that before turning, Strowman received babyface reactions regardless but even still, the whole act has lost zero steam in shifting which is no mean feat at all. Strowman’s actual ability and genuine charisma is undeniably a big part of that too.

Many big men have received pushes in WWE history but for the last 12 months, Braun has shown a real ability to adapt and it stands him in good stead for a lengthy run on top of WWE. Last week Strowman sung whilst holding a giant bass but yet here he is, still feeling as fearsome and dangerous as ever. Just the way he carries himself is that of a major player and best of all, he’s not a simple domineering brute type but instead a strangely endearing and engaging friendly giant.

All of this was perfectly highlighted in the wonderful pre-match chase in which Strowman sprinted after Miz, before dragging him back to the ring. From there, Miz did a good job and was shown as competitive in spots without ever taking any shine from Braun’s physical advantages. Speaking of such, Strowman’s running dropkick out of nowhere was more delightful than ever and the power kick-out of Miz’s finish only strengthened his presentation. In the end he of course won and though he likely won’t or shouldn’t win on Sunday, his minutes at the end of this gauntlet match were fully maximised.

Another great showing from Braun and just one more example of why Miz is such a valuable, effective villain. A really fun climax to this quite extraordinary match.