'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABjAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQgQAAIBBAEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQAEBRESBgcTFCExAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEQACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQSAxEAIQVhsf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Azb2+ZLejc0kDaha8za23jVICBqYf0SiRndTbrBYx105nrJjmwi1x/NzvXyYilKdEz5mkTmuwIk1GjXqinXXs8b5aZKTFARczhTGtXfWw7D4Of//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Braun Strowman returned to WWE in the fall of last year after being released back in June 2021. Upon his return, he won a feud over The Nigerian Giant Omos before building a rivalry in slow-burn fashion against The Ring General Gunther.
After his feud with Omos came to an end, the former Universal Champion shifted his focus to winning the SmackDown World Cup, where the winner would get a shot at Gunther's Intercontinental Championship. In the semi-finals of the tournament, the Imperium distracted Strowman, which allowed Ricochet to advance to the final.
The following weeks saw The Monster of All Monsters feuding with The Ring General, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci, alongside Ricochet. On the December 30, 2022, episode of SmackDown, Strowman addressed the fact that Gunther has defeated almost everyone on the blue brand's roster but has not defeated The Monster Among Men. Hence, the match was made official for this week's SmackDown.
Strowman was recently a guest on this week's WWE's The Bump, where he spoke about his upcoming title contest against the former NXT UK Champion. The Monster of All Monsters said he is ready to fight Gunther:
"Let's see what you got big boy. I'm ready for it. I love a fight, and like I said, he's a big young man. He's hungry. He's had a hell of an Intercontinental Championship reign with some absolute unbelievable matches. Let's keep the train going," said Braun Strowman. [From 47:3 to 47:54]
Strowman won his first Intercontinental Championship back in 2020. Later that same year, he captured the Universal title at WrestleMania 36, defeating WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg in the process.
You can read more about Braun Strowman claiming that he is 'waiting to dethrone' The Ring General here.
Braun Strowman and Ricochet were recently seen on WWE SmackDown forming an unlikely alliance
Despite some Twitter back-and-forth last year after Strowman bashed 'flippy-floppy' wrestlers, meaning smaller ones compared to the giants, the former Universal Champion and Ricochet have formed an unlikely alliance.
The latter won the World Cup Tournament to get an opportunity to face The Ring General. Ricochet went on to lose the bout. During the tournament, the former Intercontinental Champion pinned Strowman to advance to the next round.
On the latest episode of SmackDown, Strowman saved Ricochet from a beatdown at the hands of HitRow.
It isn't completely out of the realm of possibility that WWE will unite these two as a potential tag team in 2023. Strowman isn't a stranger to this notion as he has held tag titles with a 10-year-old boy Nicholas, and Seth Rollins.
While Ricochet hasn't been in the tag team division yet, teaming up with The Monster Among Men might just be what helps him stay relevant.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit WWE's The Bump with a link back to this article for the transcription.
