The Complete A-Z Of Wrestling In 2017
25. B - Braun Strowman
A potentially perfect amalgamation of what Vince McMahon looks for in a WWE Superstar and what his core audience want in a character, Braun Strowman's gone from hopeful prospect to bonafide top title contender over the course of the year.
The 'Monster Among Men's textbook trajectory through rank-and-files and headliners was unrelenting, save for a Brock Lesnar-sized speedbump and a recent snoozer with prospective Royal Rumble fodder Kane.
Giving the company the opportunity to experiment with more outlandish devices in angles and storylines, Strowman's indestructible giant schtick somehow tiptoed along the right side of preposterousness without reducing his growing main event aura. Breathless clashes with Roman Reigns were particularly thrilling, but Braun crucially never cheapened his cinematic near-death experiences with knowing cool or a wink down the lens.
Believably unstoppable, a WrestleMania match with Triple H may keep him from the Universal Title, but topline dominance must surely await in 2018.