10 Things Happening In WWE Right Now You Wouldn't Have Believed 12 Months Ago

10. Braun Strowman - Beast Killer

The rise of Braun Strowman in 2017 has been one of the highlights of the WWE year. Unlike Jinder Mahal on SmackDown, 'The Monster Among Men' has been gradually built up over time, slowly gaining credibility and fan acceptance along the way.

WWE's decision to revive the job match played a big role in his transformation. Manhandling terrified opposition, his annihilation of enhancement talent once he went solo on Raw was the perfect way to establish him as a violent barbarian. From there Strowman has grown as a performer and even headlined SummerSlam, where he was arguably the standout performer of the night.

Conversely, the juggernaut wasn't even on the main card for WrestleMania 33 - such is the level of thought put into the Strowman push. With no meaning or logical match available, he was instead relegated to the pre-show Andre Memorial Battle Royal, patiently gaining his moment the following night when he squared off with Lesnar.

From where he was to where he is, WWE's methodical cultivation of Strowman from Wyatt Family background player to legitimate main eventer has been simply stellar. Strowman is a walking case study of how to build a headline talent and get them over - a rare feat in modern day WWE.