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Former Universal Champion Braun Strowman has returned to WWE on this week's episode of RAW. He laid waste to the four tag teams competing in a #1 contender's match. He later announced that he would also appear on this Friday's SmackDown.
While Strowman has been at the center of controversy with some of his comments over the past couple of years, there is no doubting that the Monster Among Men is a solid addition to the WWE roster.
Due to his booking towards the end of his first run in WWE, many fans may have forgotten just how over Braun Strowman was. From 2017-18, he was arguably the most over the guy on the entire roster. Whenever you heard the roar and his theme song, you knew some crazy stuff was about to happen.
His feud with Roman Reigns was the highlight of an otherwise forgettable 2017 in WWE. Anytime the two interacted, magic happened. Look no further than their Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire 2017.
Braun Strowman 2017-18: So close, yet so so far away from the Universal Championship
The only problem Strowman had was that WWE failed to capitalize on him when he was white-hot. He lost championship matches to Brock Lesnar at No Mercy 2017 and Royal Rumble 2018.
He dominated the 2018 Elimination Chamber Match, eliminating every competitor before losing to Reigns. He also won the tag team titles with a boy named Nicholas.
Strowman did win the Money in the Bank ladder match that summer but, again, did not win the title. He lost his cash-in attempt against Roman Reigns inside Hell in a Cell. This was followed up by losing to Lesnar once again at Crown Jewel with the Universal Championship on the line.
When Strowman finally won the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36, it was a replacement in front of no fans due to the global pandemic.
So, all of this is to say, Strowman was always pushed heavily during his time in WWE, but he never got his moment when he was at his peak.
Where does Braun Strowman fit in 2022 WWE?
What makes Strowman an excellent addition to the current WWE roster is that he is a legitimate monster. It was evident that WWE was trying to make Omos (to a lesser extent Commander Azeez) the next big monster heel. However, neither of them is as athletic as Strowman.
Also, unlike Omos, Strowman is over with the crowd. Much like his initial run in the company, Strowman got a huge pop when he returned on RAW this week.
If WWE books Braun Strowman as the "Monster Among Men" from 2017-18 and not the guy we saw in his last days in the company, they finally have that heel they lack.
Strowman can be the obstacle that an underdog babyface has to overcome before they reach the main event scene. He can also be the babyface that causes chaos wherever he goes.
Strowman can be placed in the main event scene whenever WWE sees fit, whether as a babyface or a heel. So, he can also fill multiple roles in the company at any time.
In conclusion, fans may have soured on Braun Strowman in the past couple of years due to his comments outside the ring. Given his last run with WWE, whether it be in the mid-card or main event scene as a babyface or heel. The Monster Among Men has a role in WWE and is a solid addition to the roster.
