WWE fans were disappointed to learn of a major injury to former Universal Champion Braun Strowman. He has been out of action, and while it was said he was hurt, the injury turned out to be more severe than anticipated.
The big man went in for neck surgery, which means he'll likely be out of action for quite some time. We here at Sportskeeda wish him a safe and speedy recovery, but it does raise questions about Monday Night RAW.
Braun was drafted to the red brand alongside Ricochet. The two have been a tag team, but the company likely also foresaw singles success for the former Universal Champion. Needless to say, this leaves a hole in both the tag team and the singles divisions.
This article will look at four stars who could potentially replace Braun on the red brand until he's back in action. Two of the stars could fill the big-man niche, while two could potentially team up with Ricochet.
#4. Omos could shockingly form a tag team with Ricochet
Omos is perhaps the biggest wrestler in WWE today. The 7-foot-3-inch behemoth weighs in at 416 pounds, meaning he towers over everybody he encounters. His dominance has led to him winning the RAW Tag Team Titles in the past and even feuding with top stars such as Brock Lesnar.
The Nigerian Giant was drafted as a free agent during the recently concluded WWE Draft, still running alongside MVP. Many hope to see MVP stick to Friday Night SmackDown and recreate The Hurt Business with Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander. If this happens, what could happen to Omos?
An intriguing direction could be for him to team up with Ricochet. The dynamic of the team would be similar to the high-flying star's tandem with Strowman but with a less experienced and even bigger star in Omos.
#3. Odyssey Jones could be RAW's new lovable big man
Odyssey Jones is a WWE Superstar who many fans may be unfamiliar with. He's made several appearances on NXT, but only a handful compared to many top stars on the brand. He also dealt with an injury that kept him out of action.
Jones was drafted as a free agent prior to Backlash, meaning he will be part of the main roster going forward. Given his massive size and personality, that could be great news for the WWE Universe but bad news for the locker room.
The big man could, in many ways, help fill the space left by Strowman. He's both big and strong, yes, but he's also charismatic and likable. With enough time, Jones could be as popular as the former world champion, but perhaps with a less aggressive mean streak. Whether lacking that aggressive nature is a positive or negative remains to be seen.
#2. Ricochet could team up with Mustafa Ali going forward
There was a time when Mustafa Ali couldn't get television time in WWE. For whatever reason, Ali was regularly underutilized. That has changed over time, however.
Ali has been a fairly consistent part of Monday Night RAW since Triple H took over creative duties last year. He's recently picked up big wins and also competed at Night of Champions.
He also confronted and took out Joe Gacy on NXT and is slated to appear in some other events as well. If WWE wants to keep exposing Ali to the masses, he could also compete on RAW and team up with Ricochet. The team would be very different compared to Strowman & Ricochet, but their incredible athleticism could be the secret formula for success.
#1. Von Wagner could try to take over WWE RAW with Robert Stone by his side
Von Wagner is a second-generation superstar. Von is the son of Wayne Bloom, who was perhaps best known for being part of The Beverly Brothers. He's been signed with WWE for some time and made his presence felt on the main roster.
The big man has been part of NXT since joining the promotion, but he was selected as a free agent in the WWE Draft. He's since remained on the black & gold brand but has also been involved in main roster matches, such as a recent battle royal.
With Robert Stone by his side, Von Wagner could attempt to fill in for Braun Strowman as RAW's monster. It remains to be seen how that pans out.