Opinion

WWE: The Battle to Turn Braun Strowman Heel and Make It Work

Published

7 years ago

September 2, 2018

Braun Strowman’s recent heel turn on WWE Monday Night Raw was one of the most unexpected moments fans have seen in quite some time. The Monster Among Men has been chasing the red brand’s top championship nearly as long as Roman Reigns has but many believed that it was only a matter of time until Braun Strowman finally captured the gold.

But now that Braun is once again an antagonist, it seems that he is no closer to becoming Universal champion than he ever was before. So fans are surely struggling to understand why this change was made and where WWE goes from here. But even though it’s difficult to accept, the facf is that Braun is now a heel and WWE must find a way to make it work.

Strowman is a likable guy, which is going to make it tough for anyone to hate him. The super-heavyweight from North Carolina is really just a country boy at heart and outside of the ring, he appears to be a normal guy.

Fans can relate to him, which means he’s easier to connect with. He may look like a larger-than-life character but that is purely for business. His rise in popularity was directly related to his rise in the company because the more he did, the more fans cheered him on for doing it.

But Braun Strowman is not some mindless big man. He’s smart, he’s talented and he gets it. He knows how the game is played. He’s come along faster than anyone likely dreamed possible and now he’s rubbing elbows with the elite of WWE. What’s not to like about him?

However Braun is not going to be that big lovable powerhouse anymore. He may not go back to performing his freakish feats of strength like he did before turning babyface but he will likely continue to throw his weight around. Of course now he has to do it against fan favorites that the crowd typically loves to cheer for.

Gone are the days when Braun stared a Superstar in the eye and fought him like a man. This Braun Strowman will take what he wants when he wants and he will do whatever it takes to get it. This time, Strowman is probably not going to be the fearless machine that mowed over everyone standing in his way. This is the thinking man’s Braun Strowman, which makes him more dangerous than ever.

Strowman will indeed have to change now. If he were to continue doing exactly what he did before turning on Roman, then fans would have no reason to boo him. WWE wants the audience to forget how much they love Braun and then somehow learn to love Reigns. The latter is likely not going to happen but the former just might.

The turn will take time of course. This cannot be an overnight transition. Braun Strowman is not turning on the fans and betraying an entire wrestling company the way Hulk Hogan did when he joined the nWo. This situation is a little more nuanced which means Braun must approach it from a different angle.

Strowman must find a way to lose every redeeming quality that made him a popular Superstar before. Somehow, Braun must rediscover his ferocity and animalistic tendencies yet temper them with the intelligence of a man that knows when and how to strike. Anything less and WWE fans will have no reason to hate him.

But this is where The Shield comes in. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose are two of the most popular Superstars in Vince McMahon’s company. Separately they’re two of the top talents in WWE but together, they’re two top talents that cannot be stopped. Fans may still like Braun but when the moment comes to decide who is more popular, Rollins and Ambrose will likely win the day.

All Strowman has to do is blindside the two men and when he does, the crowd will turn on him. Braun may be fun to watch but Seth and Dean are fun from start to finish. They have a stronger bond with the crowd and anyone that touches them is surely going to hear the boos from the audience.

But the Roman Reigns problem is a problem indeed. Unlike Rollins and Ambrose, Reigns will probably not be cheered against Braun Strowman. At this point, there are very few WWE Superstars that could baby out The Big Dog. This means that WWE should be prepared for the opposite crowd reaction when Reigns and Strowman face off at Hell in a Cell on September 16.

Of course the company is surely ready for that. Why wouldn’t they be? Everyone knows that Roman continues to struggle for total acceptance and that will definitely be the case at HIAC. Braun may be a heel once again but he has yet to wreak havoc throughout Monday Night Raw. Right now Strowman’s fans surely still love him. But even if they didn’t, it may not be enough to completely turn on him and side with Roman.

Eye for an eye, Roman. #MonsterPayback #HIAC #Raw

— Braun Strowman (@BraunStrowman) August 28, 2018

The fact is that this is not going to be an easy rivalry in terms of fan reaction. Roman is the protagonist but he will hear the boos from fans. Strowman is the antagonist yet he will hear the cheers with every move he makes. Fans will hijack this feud the way they hijack nearly every feud that Reigns has ever worked. So why continue down this road?

Why not stop now and redeliver Braun as a desperate man that made a mistake by siding with Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre? Very few fans are likely to hate Braun for his actions on Raw. So considering this heel turn seems to be too much to believe, maybe the company should just change gears and try something else.

But the problem here is that there is nothing else. WWE turned Braun Strowman heel because there is no viable top heel on Monday Night Raw. Roman Reigns is the top guy and the top babyface but he had no one to match him on the other side. Now he has. Braun is the perfect opponent for him and fans know that. A move had to be made to balance the power on Raw. What else could WWE do but turn Strowman heel?

The timing may be off and it’s not what many fans want but it’s happening all the same. Just how much more WWE can do with Braun as the unstoppable monster this time out is unknown. But if Strowman is going to continue to work at the main event level on Raw, then he must have an open door to the top. Roman Reigns is that open door.

Braun may or may not be the next Universal champion but at least he’s riding high on the roster. Braun Strowman is now in a position to help carry the red brand from this point on. He’s no longer an afterthought and he’s no longer playing catch-up with anyone. This is Braun’s best chance to shine on Raw. There’s no doubt that he is certainly capable of doing just that.

About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Related Topics:Braun Strowman Featured Featured Big hell in a ell Monday Night Raw Roman Reigns WWE

Up Next

Greg DeMarco’s Three Stars of The Night: ALL IN (September 1, 2018)

Don't Miss

Defending The WWE Divas Division

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 days ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY – 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY – The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY – POD is WAR (Los Tres Friends)

FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts… Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Listen on your favorite platform!

iTunes | iHeart Radio | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

4 weeks ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1