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On Sunday, Braun Strowman will get the 1-on-1 Universal Championship match the WWE Universe know he deserves. He will go toe to toe with Brock Lesnar at No Mercy, which arguably boasts a better card than Summerslam.
The build has been extremely physical, and it will all culminate in a winner takes all brawl at the Staples Center. For once, the Beast hasn't been positioned as the favourite on television, and the announcers have repeatedly hinted at a title change. This is, of course, one path to take, but there are other alternatives available.
Also read: WWE No Mercy 2017 Results and live updates
So, without further ado, here are 5 possible endings to Braun Strowman vs. Brock Lesnar at No Mercy.
#5 Brock Lesnar cheats to win
One of the reasons why this feud has worked is that WWE has managed to give Lesnar a sense of vulnerability.
The Monster among Men has gotten the better of Lesnar in recent wee and it’s clear he has the Beast’s number. To beat Strowman, Lesnar is going to have resort to tactics he never thought he’d have to.
A few years ago at Summerslam, The Undertaker cheated to defeat The Beast Incarnate. And Lesnar might have to resort to those tactics if he wants to beat Braun Strowman.
A low-blow while the referee’s back is turned or a Paul Heyman distraction would allow the Beast to retain the title whilst still making Strowman look strong. It’s a win-win for both parties.
#4 Bray Wyatt takes control
The reason this angle seems so appealing is that the WWE hasn't teased it once since the Rumble. In the Rumble match, there was a split-second where the 50,000-strong crowd thought Braun Strowman was going to bow to the authority of Bray Wyatt like old times.
Instead, the monster among men assaulted the charismatic cult figure and disregarded any former alliance. Now that both men are on RAW, there hasn’t been a single interaction between the two, which plays into our favour.
Imagine a scenario where Strowman is setting himself up for the running power-slam, only for the lights to go out and Bray Wyatt to appear in the ring to mesmerise Strowman. This second of weakness would allow Lesnar to squeeze in his only bit of offence in the whole match, a decisive F5 to get the three count.
This would set up an absorbing feud between the two former Wyatt family members, whilst Lesnar gets to continue his championship run.
#3 Braun Strowman goes over clean
As a new era dawns, it’s time for the superstars of the past generation to create new stars. John Cena has done his bit over the past few years to make new main eventers. Now it’s time for the box office draw himself, Brock Lesnar, to help build the future. He & Cena are the only two active superstars who have names that hold weight in the mainstream world.
A clean Braun Strowman win at No Mercy would do wonders for his credibility. He wouldn’t just be seen as a monstrous heel, he’d be viewed as an unstoppable force that just mowed through the last immovable object in the WWE.
It’s no secret that ticket sales for live events are at an all-time low; the WWE literally have nothing to lose by putting the belt on the most entertaining superstar alive today. Strowman needs a clean win to validate his position as the most destructive being in WWE today.
#2 Samoa Joe interferes
We haven’t seen Samoa Joe on WWE television since his main event tag team match with the Miz against John Cena & Roman Reigns. Rumours suggest the Samoan will be appearing at No Mercy to interfere in a match.
If Joe were to interfere in this championship match, it could perhaps give us the Strowman championship run we’ve all wanted and continue an intriguing feud between Joe & Lesnar.
The Samoan would garner ample amounts of heat for ruining a match the WWE Universe have wanted to see all along. He could either cost Lesnar the match through a distraction or just beat the two senseless. The No Mercy pay-per-view could then end with Samoa Joe standing tall over the two most dominant Superstars in the industry today.
#1 Brock Lesnar gets squashed
Remember the shock value generated by Goldberg squashing Brock Lesnar last year? Now let’s repeat such an event with a Superstar who actually deserves it and can gain valuable exposure from it. Could you imagine the traction Strowman’s name would receive if he were to squash a legit former UFC heavyweight champion?
This match would differ from the one with Goldberg, as the one doing the squashing this time would have more than two moves in his locker. This would be more like the epic John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar main event at Summerslam in 2014. It’ll be uncomfortable to watch, a showcase of physical dominance and awe-inspiring storytelling. If played right, a star could be born at No Mercy.
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