On October 31st, WWE Crown Jewel from Saudi Arabia will feature current Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Tyson Fury facing off against The Monster Among Men, Braun Strowman.
The feud between Fury and Strowman has been surrounded by a lot of buzz, but questions revolving around their in-ring chemistry, and Fury's transition from boxing to wrestling still remain.
WWE's rich history has seen boxers taking on Superstars, and the company has handled these crossovers in various ways. The clash between Fury and Strowman will make for an interesting bout since they are almost of the same size, and are two big names as well.
Given the high profile clash that is set to take place at Saudi Arabia, here's a look at three most likely finishes for the Braun Strowman v Tyson Fury fight.
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#3 Tyson Fury squashes Braun Strowman
This is not ideal, but let us acknowledge the possibility of Tyson Fury demolishing Braun Strowman. WWE has placed competitive fighters coming from outside of WWE such as Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, Ronda Rousey among others on high pedestals in the past. Since Tyson Fury is an undefeated World Champion, it would not be out of the realm of possibility that he knocks Strowman out with one blow.
One has to believe that Tyson Fury's camp would not have found this deal beneficial to his brand if he were to be obliterated by Strowman. While Fury taking Strowman down in one punch may not be a popular finish among the fans, it would certainly be a surprise and could mask any in-ring limitations Tyson Fury may have.
WWE is reportedly paying Fury around $15 million for the match and if the company plans to conduct future business with Fury or any other mainstream athlete, it is important to make them look good. A swift knockout by Fury is a believable way to end this match.
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#2 Ambiguous Finish - interference or disqualification
DQ is one of the safest ways to allow both competitors to walk away unharmed. The company used the disqualification approach to stay away from declaring an outright winner from the clash between Floyd Mayweather and Big Show. It was not the ending the fans were looking for, but WWE was able to protect both stars.
Also, WWE certainly will need to concentrate on the business angle after this match, as well as address aspects such as needing to protect Strowman, plans with Fury in the near future among other angles, which will certainly decide the way this clash ends at Crown Jewel.
A likely path to a DQ could come if Strowman fails to finish off Fury, and in the process also gets frustrated at Fury's resistance throughout the match. Strowman could then cross a line which would lead to disqualification.
Another potential approach for a messy finish could be through an intereference from another Superstar. Either way, if WWE chooses to protect the stars from a clean loss, the match could go the way of the Mayweather and Big Show bout, leaving fans disappointed with the finish.
#1 The Last Monster Standing
In the clip above, you can the superb psychology of Gorilla Monsoon and Muhammad Ali in their brief encounter. Ali began to coax Monsoon into a boxing match, and at the same time, one could also see Monsoon leading Ali into putting his guard down. The clashing styles made this encounter intriguing, as both men were respecting the other's game. Hopefully, WWE will take a page out of this book for the Fury vs Strowman clash.
Strowman is a powerhouse and a professional competitor, someone who is known to flip an ambulance, a semi-truck and has also produced other moments of brilliance with his strength. Tyson Fury may be an undefeated boxing champion, but Strowman has been an asset to the company and will most likely be protected.
Many people feel WWE holds MMA competitors in higher regard than its own roster. We’ve seen Brock Lesnar earn special treatment due to his recognition as a former UFC Champion, while Ronda Rousey was able to step into the revered Women’s division and dominate from the get-go. Certainly, it is not a good look for the weekly product to have outsiders dominate the WWE roster.
Fans will be hoping for a competitive, back-and-forth match between the two behemoths. The injury Strowman inflicted upon Fury could come in to play, which could give Strowman an early advantage in the match.
However, if WWE goes the route of the Classic Big Man battle, we could be in line for a hard-fought match with several near standing ten counts. While the injury could prevent Fury from getting on his feet before the ten count at the closing stages of the fight, this is the most likely scenario for the fans to enjoy the match and for Strowman to walk away with the victory.