It’s been announced that on this Monday’s Raw that AJ Styles challenged Braun Strowman to face him for the United States championship. Of course, we all know Strowman won’t win this match as it’s going to be another attempted beatdown by the OC and end in disqualification.
The difference here is Strowman probably won’t need Rollins or Ricochet to come to his aid to further push him (well deserved, by the way). Of course, they could come out and that opens another possibility.
Strowman vs Rollins at Clash of Champions for the Universal Championship
Yep, you read that right.
Rumors currently have Rollins and Strowman facing off for the Universal title at the Clash of Champions pay-per-view.
It’s not surprising given Strowman’s hesitation at handing the belt to Rollins on Raw after he chased off the OC, but it could be more than that.
Look at it this way, during Strowman’s match with Styles on Raw, Rollins and Ricochet could come out to help him and Strowman demands the match afterwards, or, assuming the OC don’t get Styles disqualified, Rollins could cost him the match by running out like his hot-headed self tends to do.
Strowman won’t win either title
While he’s deserving of winning both as he’s been the fan favorite (louder pop on raw than Rollins or Ricochet, just saying) for a while, he doesn’t do well in championship matches.
The truth is it’s not his lack of ability but the fact there are very few superstars that could make it believable that they beat him. Just like with Brock Lesnar, one would need a huge amount of suspension of disbelief to think Rollins, Styles, Ricochet, or any number of others could defeat him straight up.
The problem stems from the Shawn Michaels syndrome
Since Michaels managed to defeat Sid and Diesel in epic matches, it’s become common for the smaller wrestlers to beat up, chop down, or whatever term we choose, large wrestlers. The Big Show often lost to smaller, faster opponents he should’ve mauled, and Strowman is in the Big Show mold.
Aside from a few like Kane, Batista, Undertaker, and Goldberg, few big men have been dominant in the WWE over the last twenty years. Sure, they had their moments, but they’d eventually lose to someone they probably shouldn’t. At least, they faced the Rock, Austin, Triple H, and Orton who could really sell it. Now, not so much.
Could it be Andre’s fault?
Definitely possible. Andre the Giant was rarely a champion as he never stayed in one promotion for long and the fact it was unbelievable that anyone could beat him in the WWE (His losses in Japan were largely ignored in the US at the time and still are by the WWE). It took the immortal Hulk Hogan, who wasn’t a small man himself, and Andre’s willingness to put Hogan over in WrestleMania 3 that allowed it to happen.
In the end, it’s easier to have the big men either get chopped down regularly or not give them a title, no matter how much they may deserve it or how much the fans would love it.
