Braun Strowman, Credit: WWE.com
Braun Strowman may seem like a strong choice for the Royal Rumble, but there are reasons why he shouldn’t win this year.
Braun Strowman has greatly improved in a lot of areas since he first came onto the WWE main roster. Last year, Strowman felt like a natural fit for the Wyatt Family. But with two other big men supporting Bray Wyatt in Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, Strowman was often looked at as another big man with a big beard.
He was limited at the time in terms of in-ring skill. There was no denying that Braun Strowman showed a lot of potential as a big, strong superstar. But the opportunities to be able to shine as a WWE superstar weren’t there in the Wyatt Family. However, Strowman is one of many who have benefitted from the WWE Draft in July.
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Braun Strowman has become a mountain among men on the Raw brand. The WWE did the right thing in having him mow down a list of “local competitors” and some lower-tier superstars. Some might feel there is some momentum as he enters the 2017 Royal Rumble match. It would be a quick rise to the WrestleMania main event spotlight if he won the 30-man battle royal.
There’s a good chance that Braun Strowman will eventually be someone who dominates the Royal Rumble. Maybe in a fashion similar to another dominant monster by the name of Kane. With certain big men looking at eventual retirement, WWE has someone in Strowman who could be capable of filling that void.
But to have Strowman make that kind of jump this soon seems a bit too quick. He’s only been in professional wrestling since first attending the WWE Performance Center in 2013. And there are additional reasons why Strowman should not win the main event at the 2017 Royal Rumble.
3. There are more Deserving Superstars
The WWE has a number of superstars who are arguably more deserving of a main event match at WrestleMania 33. For example, Sami Zayn will likely get one of the biggest pops from the crowd if he found himself challenging Kevin Owens for the WWE Universal Championship. There were some reports that the WWE was planning a storyline for Zayn similar to Daniel Bryan three years ago.
However, there are other candidates that are more likely to find themselves winning the 2017 Royal Rumble match. The Undertaker was a point of discussion when there were rumors of him facing John Cena at WrestleMania 33. Some fans might be hopeful for a returning Finn Balor, if he is fully recovered from his devastating shoulder injury. Balor challenging Owens would likely be the match of the night.
Braun Strowman is likely destined to become the next great big man in the WWE. This is especially true with legends like Big Show, Kane and Mark Henry nearing the end of their careers. Someone is going to have to fill those extremely large shoes. At the moment, Strowman finds himself in a very beneficial position.
Therefore, he will eventually find himself in the main event of WrestleMania one year. But he doesn’t deserve that kind of spotlight. Not just yet. And not ahead of some of the earlier mentioned superstars.
2. Braun Strowman Likely to be Fed to Legend
The WWE decided to have a slight tease when Braun Strowman was backstage during Undertaker’s promo. Some might think this is a potential sign the WWE wants to have Strowman face the Phenom for a WrestleMania feud. It would make a little bit of sense. But let’s take a look at how Strowman has been booked in 2016 after the WWE Draft.
The majority of the superstars up until now are generally a little bit smaller than Strowman. This mountain of a man has been destroying smaller superstars with a level of ease. Even in his feud with Sami Zayn, Strowman looked extremely strong. It was the kind of feud that benefitted most men. However, Strowman has not competed against other stronger powerhouses. The Undertaker, while an elder veteran, is still considered a larger superstar.
Strowman probably needs to be developed more before becoming a credible threat to someone like the Undertaker. For that matter, it would be very likely to see Strowman be beaten up by someone like Goldberg or Brock Lesnar. Both are pretty much viewed as veterans who have made a name for themselves as dominant powerhouses; much longer than Braun Strowman.
Legends like Goldberg, Lesnar and the Undertaker are likely going to be part of matches the WWE will bills as “main events.” One way to get them over would be to eliminate Strowman. It might not be the best thing for his character, but it is a likely scenario to play out at the Royal Rumble.
1. Braun Strowman Is Not Ready
Let’s be honest, Braun Strowman is very green still. But he was first trained by WWE in 2013. Strowman is someone who has been brought into the WWE without any prior experience in professional wrestling. His move set still has some major rooms for improvement and the WWE is likely not doing developing his character. Strowman is probably about a year away from being ready to main event WrestleMania.
He’s improved since he was a member of the Wyatt Family starting in 2015. It is important to give credit where it’s due. Strowman has certainly evolved from the quiet giant who got rocked by Brock Lesnar in last year’s Royal Rumble. That brings us to another reason why Braun Strowman isn’t quite ready to win the Royal Rumble. It’s only been a year since he received several clotheslines and looked a bit mortal.
Strowman may have a staredown with Lesnar, or possibly with Goldberg or the Undertaker. But one year is not enough time for him to grow into someone who can credibly take on any of those three active legends. Since being drafted to Raw for a solo run, he’s competed against smaller superstars.
Braun Strowman has been dominant. But he hasn’t had a lot of matches against big name superstars. Give him another year and he’ll officially be ready for the WrestleMania main event spotlight.
