10 WWE Plans Doomed From The Start
4. Braun Strowman: Monster In The Bank
Braun Strowman had been in revelatory form as Monday Night Raw's ginormous enforcer. No endless Roman Reigns feud, Brock Lesnar squash nor comedy interlude (and there were plenty of those) could interrupt his meteoric rise.
Enamoured with his ridiculous physical charisma and his propensity to pull off any insane stunt required, the same fans cynically sick of 'The Big Dog' bought into 'The Monster Among Men' because he was clearly somebody Vince McMahon adored too. The rationale stacked up:
1) Look at him.
2) LOOK AT HIM.
The massive, massive man got massively, massively over and the company assured his status by quietly turning him babyface in 2017 ahead of what most assumed was a fruitful following year. Just as it seemed like nobody could divert McMahon's gaze away from Reigns, the former Wyatt Family giant had somehow become everybody's great saviour.
Winning the most bankable title shot in WWE was the beginning of the end.
A case-wielding Braun should have been a shoo-in to take the big one. He'd won hearts by surviving attempted vehicular homicide and won the Tag Team Titles alongside an actual child by decimating Sheamus and Cesaro by himself.
But he didn't challenge and defeat Brock Lesnar at his first attempt. Failing to take advantage (or even take out) 'The Beast' at SummerSlam, he snoozed as Brock fell to Roman Reigns, then made the babyface move of announcing his challenge to Roman in advance before turning heel the very same night. His eventual shot was lost to a gloomy non-finish, and the leader of 'The Dogs Of War' looks entirely unmoved by the golden opportunity squandered.