WWE Rumors: Backstage plans for Braun Strowman's future as Universal Champion
Braun Strowman finally reached the mountaintop at WrestleMania 36 when he defeated Goldberg to win the Universal Championship that has eluded him for close to three years.
It's clear that had it not been for Roman Reigns pulling out, Strowman would not have been the Universal Champion right now. However, what's interesting is the fact that he's finally feuding with Bray Wyatt - over there years after splitting from The Wyatt Family.
When asked about what lies ahead for Strowman as Universal Champion, Tom Colohue told Korey Gunz on Dropkick DiSKussions that WWE's handling of Strowman has been a mixed bag. However, he also said that Strowman being put at the start of the second hour means that they have faith in him as a draw, but not necessarily as the Champion. He revealed the possibility of WWE reverting to their original plan at Money in the Bank 2020:
"They've shown faith in Braun Strowman, but there's a lack of depth at the top of SmackDown. And that's why they've been bringing in John Cena and Goldberg. Now without Roman Reigns, there aren't many people left that Strowman can face, especially on the heel side. You've technically got Daniel Bryan, but he's a face and he's involved in something else. So there aren't that many opportunities. This, to me, looks like they're trying to revert back to what their plan was in January - to put the title on Bray Wyatt, again, and wait for Roman Reigns to be ready."
What's next for Braun Strowman?
This wouldn't be surprising, especially since Strowman appears to be a placeholder at this point. We're not sure when Roman Reigns is going to return, but the good news is that he indicated that the reason for him missing WrestleMania this year wasn't due to health issues, but the fact that his wife Galina Becker is expecting twins.
Wyatt might be the best option for WWE to go with right now, but there's no doubt that Strowman deserves a decent run with the title, particularly after all the missed opportunities in 2017 and 2018.
What SmackDown needs more than anything now is an injection of top talent into the roster. Colohue was right in pointing out the lack of depth in SmackDown's main event scene. If it centers around only three men (Strowman, Wyatt, and Reigns), then it'll be problematic for WWE in the long run.