There were very few surprises during the second episode of SmackDown on FOX, where the WWE draft took place. The one genuine surprise from the show was Braun Strowman being drafted to the blue brand, after spending an eternity on the red one.
So what could have prompted FOX to lap up the Monster Among Men, you ask? I will have the answer for you in this article, or at least, speculate as to why this move may have essentially happened.
Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of the draft. Also, do you think that Braun Strowman belongs on the red brand or do you think that SmackDown is a perfect home for him?
In my opinion, SmackDown could be the perfect home for a brand new beginning.
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#5 Because he's been on RAW for far too long
Sometimes a reboot happens in the way that it did for Bayley, where she adopted a new look and a change in attitude, and she embraced the darkness in her, turning on the fans. In other cases, when it is not even firmly established, if you're a babyface or a heel, what you need is a reboot and a restart to revive your career. Strowman has a chance to do that when SmackDown moves to FOX because he's been on RAW for many years now.
Just the visual of seeing him in new lighting, on a brand new stage, may be enough to make the fans interested in the man once again. RAW already has its own powerhouse in Lashley, and with Strowman on SmackDown, there is a resident monster. I really do believe that Strowman needed this because he'd been doing one thing for too long, and needed a big change!
#4 For the Fury vs. Strowman build to exclusively take place on SmackDown
The main event segment on RAW was Braun Strowman's confrontation with boxing legend Tyson Fury, a man who sizes up quite brilliantly against Strowman. But there was just something missing with Jerry 'The King' Lawler on commentary calling the action because he's so synonymous with the Attitude Era and has been for so many years. As we saw during the draft as well, FOX is treating the whole WWE experience as a real sport, and the presentation is very different.
So now, we know that Braun Strowman and Tyson Fury will face one another when WWE goes to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, and this is a match that is best built up on FOX and not the USA Network.
And this may be the short-term reason why Braun Strowman was drafted to the blue brand, to ensure that this highly publicized bout is built up exclusively on FOX. In the weeks and months that follow, it should become more evident what route WWE wants to go down.
Fury may also benefit from the shorter segments on FOX because his inability to work will not be exposed.
#3 To compete against more actual combat sports athletes
There was a lot of talk around who would win in a legitimate fight- a professional wrestler or a combat sports athlete, especially before the business had been exposed. A possible match between Muhammad Ali and Hulk Hogan, for example, would be something that people would discuss for hours on end.
Kids still have the same kind of fascination for all their favorite combat sports athletes and therefore the whole idea of a boxer taking on a professional wrestler, for example, holds great appeal to them. Becky Lynch would be slaughtered by Ronda Rousey in a real fight, but in the fantasy world of professional wrestling where both women are at par, there's the possibility of an upset when the two clash in the ring.
So, in keeping with FOX's legitimate sports approach, the idea of Braun Strowman taking on MMA fighters (who follow sports entertainment and want to transition into the business) like Daniel Cormier or Stipe Miocic could happen at some point in the future. Even Velasquez will want new competitors to fight against and Braun Strowman could be an ideal opponent.
Braun Strowman's legitimate 'strongman' roots could give him the background needed for such incredible multi-sport dream confrontations.
#2 To rekindle a feud with Roman Reigns
Perhaps the best feud of Braun Strowman's career thus far has been with Roman Reigns. Both men are powerhouses and they took each other to the limit during the feud. One can even argue that Braun Strowman hasn't looked hotter since, than when he was putting on those great matches against The Big Dog.
I really do think that Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns could have yet another great feud on SmackDown Live and the audience will be invested in it. Not only has a certain amount of time passed to make the feud fresh once again, Roman Reigns seems to have lost a lot of momentum feuding with The Bludgeon Brothers in a storyline that started great but doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment. If Brock Lesnar remains on SmackDown, these are the two men that he should be wary of, who're both aiming for his throne.
Braun Strowman himself has lost a great deal of momentum ever since he took the pin against Seth Rollins in a match that Rollins decisively won. Were he to pin Roman Reigns, the audience would really buy into the monster again.
#1 Perfect opponent for The Fiend
One has to wonder where The Fiend will go after the feud with Seth Rollins ends. I mean I doubt WWE will want him to enter the title picture again after the mess they made of things at Hell in a Cell 2019, where the whole audience in the arena chanted 'AEW' in unison.
I do strongly believe that a feud with Bray Wyatt may be the best course of action for the Monster Among Men, and this is not simply because the two men have a history with one another that goes back many years to the time when both men were a part of the Wyatt Family, back when Strowman started his career. Much has changed since then, and both men are powerhouses in their own right, albeit in two separate WWE brands.
So it will be a question of whether The Fiend with all his newfound power can take on the mighty Braun Strowman and come out on top in what should be a collision of two massive forces. It's impossible to pick a winner in a match like this, which is why I'm assuming it'll be a titanic clash.
Plus. Strowman also ate a mandible claw on RAW!
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