5 Reasons why Braun Strowman is the perfect opponent for Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns, it’s fair to say, isn’t the most popular wrestler on the WWE roster.

Some don’t like how consistently he is booked to win. Some don’t like the fact that he’s perennially propped at the front of the queue, relegating other fan favourites to bit part roles. Others just flat out don’t like him.

And ever since he was handpicked to presumably bring down the curtains on the Undertaker’s career at WrestleMania 33, the outcry against him has reached fever pitch.

Instead of turning a blind eye to the protests, however, the WWE pulled off a blinder by booking him in a bruising rivalry against the Monster among Men, Braun Strowman. And here are 5 reasons why we think that their match-making skills – in this instance at least – have been nothing short of perfect.

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#5 Shoe on the other foot

After watching Roman Reigns practically bully (he eliminated him in the Rumble and defeated him at Mania) the Undertaker into retirement, it’s nice to see him get pushed around for a bit.

Now, I don’t mean this with any malice, but it does offer a nice change-up in programming stance to see Reigns pitted against someone who can capsize an ambulance with him in it!

The fans absolutely hated witnessing the Deadman lose to Reigns, and although he isn’t technically a heel, it’s still somewhat assuaging to watch him get his comeuppance for unceremoniously booting the most celebrated legend in the industry into retirement.

Call it vicarious satisfaction or whatever else you will; it still feels pretty damn good, doesn’t it?

#4 True underdog

Booking a Superstar as a babyface who has to overcome insurmountable odds has been a go-to mantra of the WWE’s to get someone over. Only, with Roman Reigns, it was doomed to failure right from the beginning as he was just too badass to play the victim.

Pitting him against the whole posse of those aligned with the Authority only made him look like an all-conquering behemoth, not the underdog grafter that the WWE was hoping it would make him out to be.

But against Strowman – who is a larger, stronger and more dangerous opponent – the whole “underdog” shtick makes a lot more sense.

Strowman can legitimately threaten Roman’s safety, as he has no doubt adequately displayed, and he’s already scored a victory against him at Payback. Whether the fans like it or not, Roman Reigns is the underdog in this fight, and he is chasing the come-from-behind win.

#3 Gets Strowman over

If Superplexing Big Show off the turnbuckle and causing the ring to implode didn’t send a loud enough message, then surely the unrestrained ambulance attack against Roman Reigns should have rammed home the point that Braun Strowman doesn’t have any hidden agenda.

Unlike the Authority who just wanted to preserve their control or the Undertaker who was fighting to prove that WWE was still his yard, Braun Strowman doesn’t have any ulterior motives behind his actions.

He just wants unmitigated destruction – plain and simple.

Sure, he’d confront Kurt Angle once in a while to demand ‘proper competition’, but really, all he wants are more Superstars that he can victimise. And regardless of whether Reigns comes out of this feud ultimately victorious, WWE has achieved what it set out to do with Braun Strowman in the first place.

One monster heel – signed, sealed and delivered.

#2 Long-term storytelling

The WWE has been guilty of not placing enough stock in long-term storytelling in general, but Raw as a brand has been especially culpable of that. There was even a time when the WWE was pushing Reigns by having him scythe through new competition week after week, thinking that it would get him over with the fans.

Thank goodness they’ve realised their folly.

Today, however, we see all the markings of a long term rivalry brewing between Strowman and Reigns. They’re both at each other throats incessantly, and Strowman already has a victory over Reigns to boot – meaning that this feud will go on for at least another two pay-per-views.

Admittedly, there are no signs yet that the fans have thawed on Reigns...but booking him in a long-term program only increases the chances of that. The longer Reigns goes back and forth with Strowman, the more opportunity for us to see a more humanised version of him.

Two plus two, my friends.

#1 Covers up his weakness

We all know that the most glaring chink in Reigns’ armour exposes itself when you thrust a microphone in front of his face. And being the handpicked golden boy that he is, the WWE has gone to great lengths to ensure that he gets over as a character while covering up for his lack of oratorical ability.

A feud against Strowman, however, even makes that flawed approach quite believable.

No one in their right mind is going to hurl insults at Strowman or trade verbal jabs with him; Strowman comes to fight and anyone squaring up to him better be ready to do so as well – a scenario that has played right into the WWE’s hands when it comes to Reigns.

Reigns’ discomfort with the microphone takes a backseat when he goes at it hammer and tongs with the Monster among Men. That he cannot cut a promo is momentarily forgotten as we're sucked, wide-eyed, into the violent world of two irrepressible alpha males duking it out for supremacy.

And it is precisely through this manner of booking that Reigns' strengths - his athletic ability and durability - are highlighted and his weaknesses, swept under the rug.

More of the same please, WWE.

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