10 Most Improved WWE Superstars Of 2016

9. Braun Strowman

Though far from the finished article, Braun Strowman is considerably stronger today than he was even a few months ago. The former strongman competitor only started training as a wrestler three years ago, and was hot-shotted onto the roster without an obligatory spell on NXT television last year. He became the Wyatt Family’s enforcer, and in a stable full of brutes, Strowman stood-out for his imposing size.

It was evident from day one that Braun was behind the curve, however. A clumsy, awkward performer, he was exactly the kind of unseasoned big guy that WWE have pushed to the moon for years. Strowman was only good for a few seconds of mauling, but he struggled to look convincing even in such a limited role, and looked far from ready for the spot he’d been given.

The concerns escalated when the draft split him from the Wyatts and sent him to Raw, but Strowman has become a highly-effective monster. A surprisingly good athlete, Strowman has honed his limited skillset to the point where he’s hugely convincing in demolishing smaller opponents, and he looked like a star at Survivor Series 2016. There’s still a long way to go, and the real acid test will come when he’s asked to wrestle longer singles matches, but Braun has made impressive strides in recent months.