10 WWE No Mercy 2017 Impulse Reactions
1. Monster Letdown
There were logical ways to deliver a Brock Lesnar victory, as there were sensible methods to handle a Braun Strowman defeat. This match sadly dodged both.
The early portion of the match seemed to signpost the changing of the guard. Braun again brushed off a Lesnar german suplex to hit his massive Powerslam for a nearfall. Brock was down and just about out, exactly as John Cena was when 'The Beast' crushed 'The Champ' in their incredible SummerSlam 2014 war that totally re-established Lesnar as the man to beat.
However, unlike the Universal Champion, Strowman had no follow through. The longer the match went, the more exhausted he looked, and the more exhausted he looked, the more it seemed clear which way the booking was going. Lesnar's mid-match kimura wasn't enough to maintain excitement in the painfully lacklustre battle, nor were a series of suplexes and only one failed F5 attempt before the match raced to the disappointing conclusion.
Strowman is still salvageable of course, but the defeat had more than a faint whiff of the 'Ryback' about it. 'The Big Guy's (first ever) loss to CM Punk in a panic-booked October 2012 main event marked an inexorable slide, with WWE far too careless in managing his trajectory in the aftermath.
Whatever vehicle Brock arrives to Monday Night Raw in, Strowman desperately needs to tip it over.