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A couple of days ago, WWE announced the release of Braun Strowman, one of the most athletic heavyweights of all time. The Monster Among Men last competed in the thrilling Triple Threat Match for Bobby Lashley's WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash.
Many fans were taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Reports show that Braun Strowman had a lucrative contract and Vince McMahon didn't feel comfortable paying the monster that much money.
The Monster Among Men thanked his fans for their support during his incredible journey as a WWE Superstar.
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Nonetheless, Strowman had a remarkable first run with WWE. From flipping over an ambulance to imploding a ring, he entertained fans with memorable moments.
In certain instances, Braun Strowman didn't win big matches that he should've won. This list explores five such battles.
#5 Baron Corbin defeats Braun Strowman (Elimination Chamber 2019)
After Roman Reigns relinquished his Universal Championship in October 2019 due to leukemia, Braun Strowman became the face of the brand and his greatest rival was Baron Corbin. On paper, a program between The Lone Wolf and The Monster Among Men should've been intriguing, but it went on far too long.
Strowman suffered a real-life elbow injury in late November; he was written off television with brutal assaults from Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley. The former United States Champion received his comeuppance at TLC as Apollo Crews, Finn Balor and Chad Gable helped the injured Strowman achieve a decisive victory.
That should've been the end of their tedious program. But two weeks before Royal Rumble 2019, Corbin agitated Strowman and sent the latter on a rampage. Consequently, Vince McMahon stripped Strowman of his Universal Championship opportunity.
At the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, Strowman should have squashed Corbin in a No Disqualification Match. Instead, Lashley and McIntyre interfered for 'The Lone Wolf.' The trio executed a Triple Powerbomb, and Corbin pinned the weakened monster.
Corbin's glory didn't last for long, as Strowman avenged the loss with a definitive victory in a Tables match the next night.
The loss at the Elimination Chamber didn't do Braun Strowman much harm, but it was completely unnecessary. This was a classic example of the problems created by WWE's 50/50 booking. Fans knew that The Monster Among Men was always going to win the feud, but WWE dragged the program to the point that most fans didn't care.
#4 Braun Strowman loses the Intercontinental Championship (Elimination Chamber 2020)
On January 31, 2020, Braun Strowman defeated Shinsuke Nakamura with a spine-rattling Running Powerslam on SmackDown to win the Intercontinental Championship - his first singles title on the main roster. It was a euphoric moment, as Strowman's consistency and dedication finally paid dividends.
The Monster Among Men didn't have the reign most of his fans would've hoped for, as it ended 36 days later at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Strowman lost the IC title to Sami Zayn in a three-on-one handicap match.
As much as Zayn deserved to win the coveted prize, it was too soon to take it off Strowman. The 37-year-old powerhouse worked extremely hard to win his first singles championship on the main roster. It was all taken away from Strowman too early. The former strongman should have held the title until WrestleMania, or at least Fastlane.
Moreover, Strowman wasn't a fighting champion. A star like him should have put the IC title on the line every single night. Instead, he lost the prize in his first championship defense.
In the end, it worked out well for Braun Strowman. He won his first Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36, but that only happened because Roman Reigns pulled out of the event.
#3 Braun Strowman loses to Tyson Fury (Crown Jewel 2019)
In October 2019, Braun Strowman began a feud with legendary boxer Tyson Fury. This led to a match between the two titans at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Monster Among Men was knocked out by The Gypsy King when he was returning to the ring, resulting in a count-out victory for the boxer. While Strowman was never pinned, he looked weak in defeat.
WWE's inclination to bring celebrities into the ring is well-known. For a special event like Crown Jewel, advertising The Gypsy King seemed quite logical. Vince McMahon needed someone to size up for Fury, and Strowman ticked all the boxes. Still, The Monster Among Men was the wrong opponent.
The Big Show has a history of encounters with celebrities, most notably with Shaq and Floyd Mayweather. 'The World's Largest Athlete' could also rival Fury's attributes, but WWE went ahead with Strowman.
King Corbin had enormous heel heat at the time. A live crowd in Saudi Arabia would have loved to have seen Fury knock Corbin out.
Braun Strowman came off a failed Universal Championship pursuit against Seth Rollins. He was also laid out by The Fiend Bray Wyatt. Strowman needed to gain some momentum. Losing to a boxer was the last thing he needed.
#2 Braun Strowman loses to Roman Reigns (Fastlane 2017)
Braun Strowman was one of the biggest benefactors of the relaunch of the brand split. Before this happened, Strowman was The Black Sheep, a loyal servant to Bray Wyatt. Consequently, the WWE Universe didn't get a good taste of him as a singles competitor.
After the brand split, The Monster Among Men ran through local talent weekly. WWE fans first saw James Ellsworth when Braun Strowman squashed him. Sami Zayn and Sin Cara were also victims of the former Universal Champion's wrath. He also had a strong showing in the 2017 Men's Royal Rumble Match, eliminating seven competitors, including Big Show and Mark Henry.
He started a program with Roman Reigns, who he attacked during his Universal Championship match against Kevin Owens at the titular pay-per-view. However, Vince McMahon was building The Big Dog up for a colossal battle against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. Hence, Reigns pinned Strowman to hand the indomitable monster his first pinfall loss on the main roster.
Strowman would redeem himself post WrestleMania when he obliterated Reigns, but the damage was done as he was forced out of the spotlight.
For starters, Strowman was no longer invincible. His reign of terror came to an abrupt halt just weeks before 'The Grandest Stage of Them All.'
The behemoth was relegated to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which he failed to win.
#1 Braun Strowman loses to Brock Lesnar (Crown Jewel 2018)
The most significant loss of Braun Strowman's career came at the first-ever Crown Jewel pay-per-view in November 2018. Brock Lesnar defeated Strowman for the second time in his career to win the Universal Championship.
When Roman Reigns vacated the Universal Championship, The Monster Among Men took his position as the top dog. It was finally Strowman's time to break through the glass ceiling and become a mega-Superstar. Crown Jewel should have marked his coronation as the brand-new Universal Champion. Instead, The Beast Incarnate won the title.
The only upside was that it took multiple F5s and outside interference for the loss, but Strowman should've been the winner. He would have received an unimaginable boost by becoming Universal Champion and defeating Lesnar. His career could have taken off, and he could have headlined WrestleMania 35. Instead, Strowman's career took a downward trajectory, as he became just another guy in 2019.
Luckily, Braun Strowman did win the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36 from Goldberg. However, it took place in the most anticlimactic way possible, and there was no live crowd. Had he won at Crown Jewel 2018, he would've received the reaction he deserved.
