10 Pleasant Surprises For Wrestling Fans In 2017

4. The Protection Of Braun Strowman*

roman reigns braun strowman
WWE.com

*if we all just forget about No Mercy.

Yes, looking past a deeply dispiriting main event against Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman has had tons of fun ploughing through just about everybody on Monday Night Raw with increasing insanity.

His February Fastlane clash with Roman Reigns looked positively archaic just two months later when he launched 'The Big Dog' all over the backstage area before tipping over an ambulance attempting to take the poor Shield member off to the hospital.

He'd be one of the few to definitively get the better of Reigns in recent years, highlighting both a confidence in the 'Monster Among Men's steady progression and the actual star-making potential Roman has quietly established in the last few years.

Moreover, he's a sh*t-kicking bad*ss it actually feels safe enough to enjoy. His incredible speed and athleticism belies his mammoth frame, but it's that sheer size that must get blood in it for Vince McMahon every time Strowman's first name is blasted out the speakers as an announcement of impending doom.

The company were careful not to cater to growing crowd support too soon, keeping him broadly heel until falling foul of The Miz, The Bar and Kane during the bonkers Tables, Ladders and Chairs main event. Unless Triple H gobbles the contest up for himself, Braun could now be ready to challenge for a major title on WWE's biggest stage.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett