WWE Raw: Fixing the Braun Strowman dilemma

Braun Strowman was once a scary giant on the roster, but he’s become just another character that no one takes seriously within the WWE.

There is often a lot of talk about wrestlers that WWE “misses” on. The idea is that the organization frequently misuses talent that fans have seen excel in other places. Ricochet, Jon Moxley, EC3 and plenty others are on this list. However, Braun Strowman has the special place of being a home-grown talent that looked like a cannot miss option for the WWE. But guess what? They missed and have damaged the big man in a way that can be fixed, but we should not trust WWE Creative to do so.

Step into your time machine a few short years ago. In 2017 Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns were involved in the most over feud in the promotion. Every time they set eyes on each other; it was “on sight” as a brawl was sure to break out. This angle was yet another attempt to help build fan adulation for Reigns, but it was Strowman who became the fan favorite – with cheers growing louder and louder for him each week. He was flipping over ambulances and walking out of car crashes like the superhuman he was meant to be on screen. Boy, does that seem like a long time ago.

Somewhere along the way, Strowman was cooled off. Whether it was the tag team match with a child in 2018 or this recent run with the WWE Universal title that amounted to nothing – WWE’s lack of interest in doing anything special with Strowman has translated into an overall lack of interest in his character by the fans watching the product. This is a major issue within WWE as they frequently can’t find ways to keep the heat on the vast majority of their performers, but it’s still something to see them destroy the credibility of a performer like Strowman – almost in spite of the way fans feel about him and others.

Viewers respond when someone is booked very well. Take Drew McIntyre. McIntyre was just another guy when he was defeated by Reigns at WrestleMania back in 2019. A little more than a year later he has been rebuilt in a way that has his many people interested in his current run as champion and his upcoming match against Reigns at Survivor Series. Is this type of rebuild possible with Strowman? Yes. Is it too late? Potentially. But WWE must be willing to try if this character is going to be salvaged into the main event draw, he once looked like back in 2017.

Flipping him between heel and face is not the correct answer. One thing that has been very successful in AEW is that many of their rosters play in a shades of grey landscape. While this would not work for everyone, Strowman is one of those individuals who would benefit from being a character out to just beat people up and be champion. He does not need long monologues for promos, or a deep, scary voice – just let him go out there and dispense hands upon everyone. His biggest catch phrase “I’m not finished with you” was simple and too the point. Letting everyone know that a beat down was on the way. To which everyone responded with cheers.

Strowman is a wrestler who would benefit from some time away from television. Give him an opportunity to recharge and fans to miss him. Then, bring him back as the destroyer he once was. Athletes like Strowman do not walk through the door every day. WWE has one on their hands and they need to fix the mistakes in his booking now, before it becomes too late.