WWE has completely ruined Braun Strowman’s star potential

Another WrestleMania, another arguably disappointing Braun Strowman booking. Is the WWE is wasting The Monster Among Men?

Let’s get this out of the way: Braun Strowman is a star. Unequivocally. Undeniably. Without question. He’s one of the biggest stars, and not just literally, in the WWE today. Fans think so, and despite what the same fans may believe, so does the WWE. It’s why he’s always on Monday Night Raw, featured prominently on pay-per-views, and why he wins events like “The Greatest Royal Rumble.”

It’s also why he’s been featured alongside Saturday Night Live stars Michael Che and Colin Jost in storylines leading up to the Andre the Giant Battle Royale at WrestleMania 35. Regardless of what opinions many wrestling fans may hold for Che, Jost or SNL in general, Saturday Night Live, having been on the air for 44 seasons, is one of NBC Universal’s most treasured properties, and Che and Jost posses a prominent position on the program. WWE, a longtime partner with NBC Universal, has a storied history with SNL — remember Mr. T and Hulk Hogan hosted the program on the eve of the first WrestleMania — and they see a chance for crossover potential. In this cross-promotion, folks familiar with SNL, but not necessarily WWE, see Strowman in their first or renewed impression of the product, and no one is more physically and demonstrably impressive in the WWE right now than Strowman.

He is, as his nickname plainly states, a monster among men, and a charismatic one at that. He’s one of a kind, and the WWE is transparently aware. However, could the WWE use Strowman better? As a singular, unmistakable, inimitable talent, are they using him to his full potential? Many would argue that they aren’t.

But why? Why isn’t the WWE taking full advantage of someone with huge star potential, when ostensibly they already recognize his abilities and promise? Do they want him to play an essential, but theoretically less-important role? Do they not find him properly marketable, despite evidence (including occasionally their own actions) to the contrary? His experience at last year’s WrestleMania did see him win the Raw Tag Team Championships, but his hand-selected partner was a “random” 10-year-old, Nicholas. Perhaps, do they not know how to write for a Superstar so distinct?

There are numerous roles to play within WWE programming; There are main-eventers, comedic acts, mid-card performers, special attractions, etc. While Strowman is already playing a critical part of the show, one could argue that he should be the show. He has all the skills required to be the centerpiece of a WWE platform. He’s a marvel. He’s imposing and almost irrationally strong, but not lumbering like the big men of WWE yesteryear. Watching Strowman in the ring isn’t like watching King Mable (RIP); he’s a near implausible athlete that matches the current product’s style. And, he’s charismatic and entertaining on the microphone, when not over-scripted, with the adaptability to play both menacing and affable. He’s a five-tool player relegated to a bench role via coach’s decision.

Role players are critical to a team or show, but why just have someone fill a role when they may be capable of so much more? To make a basketball analogy reigning NBA MVP James Harden was once a sixth-man, averaging less than half of his current offensive production, and he excelled in that position, but it wasn’t until he became the featured player that his star elevated and his potential fulfilled. WWE needs to decide if they want to keep Strowman a “sixth-man” just because he’s adept at it, or let him try to see if he’s capable of more. He just may surprise them.

The WWE books its champion around marketability and whether it can sell its champion to the desired audience. This is where WWE’s decisions in regards to Strowman are most confounding. By all appearances, Strowman is a draw and the WWE knows it. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, for cross-promotion with SNL, the WWE chose Strowman, and when WWE showed up on Jimmy Fallon this week, Strowman was there. When spotlighted, he’s one of the most viewed WWE performers on YouTube, and when he’s been in the main event previously, Raw’s ratings improved. Prior to his Big Show-esque fickle, flip-flopping between heel and face dynamics, Strowman always received strong reactions from the crowd. Which audience segments the powers-that-be believe he doesn’t appeal to? What’s his Q score? Is he just too Southern-sounding and looking for Vince McMahon? There must be a reason; it’s just not evident.

Maybe the reason is simple. Maybe the reason the WWE hasn’t booked Strowman to his maximum potential is that they just don’t know how. After all, the WWE hasn’t had a lot of performers like him come around, because performers like him rarely exist. WWE has its preferred methods of storytelling and maybe they can’t make Strowman fit their mold. For example, the WWE love the inherently contradictory “dominant underdog” champion: The Superstar whose ability to overcome the odds is unbelievable, despite repetitive, consistent proof that all he or she does is overcome the odds to the point you’d swear the oddsmaker has never watched a minute of WWE programming.

John Cena, Roman Reigns and Hulk Hogan were all invincible underdogs, defeating monsters and overcoming obstacles regularly, but booked to make it look like they were in danger of losing. For them, it was far-fetched, but that narrative is, from an optics perspective, even more inconceivable with Strowman. Maybe the WWE doesn’t want to book a dominant face champion, swatting away challengers with the ease with which Superman handles regular thieves. But why not? To put it simply, people like seeing cool people they like do cool things. Cool things like this, for example:

Sure, it may get boring after a while, but that’s why the WWE employs a creative team, correct? And if they don’t want him to be a face, Strowman’s proven he makes a great heel, they just have to let him be dominant. Brock Lesnar has been an effective, yet controversial, dominant heel champion, Strowman could pull it off as well. The only difference is Braun would be there week to week. Is the WWE afraid that if they booked Strowman as a dominant heel he’d become too popular with the crowd? Well, it worked okay for The Rock and the New World Order. Just adapt.

Whatever the reason, the WWE seems hesitant to let Strowman try to be the best version of Strowman. Maybe he already is, the man’s a star after all, we just won’t know if he’s capable of more until they honestly try. Has the WWE completely ruined Braun’s star potential? No, not yet. Are they stopping him from reaching it? Currently, yes and only they know why.