Kurt Angle announced on “Monday Night RAW” that ‘the Monster Among Men’ Braun Strowman will face off against ‘The Big Dog’ Roman Reigns at WWE Payback 2017. The RAW General Manager booked a blockbuster match for the upcoming PPV event on April 30 in response to Strowman’s misbehavior on RAW’s backstage over the last two weeks.
What Just Happened?
Strowman got another shot at Reigns following his brutal attack on his WWE Fastlane 2017 conqueror last week on RAW. Many wrestling fans considered the segment the greatest promo in the history of WWE as the series of vicious attacks were punctuated by Strowman flipping over an ambulance.
The former Wyatt cult member continued to wreck havoc backstage the following week on RAW by beating up ‘the Golden Truth’ and then Kalisto. Strowman proved to be unstoppable at that point until the Big Show knocked him down and challenged him to a match later that night.
At the main event, Big Show finally learned what ‘the Monster Among Men’ is all about. Strowman climbed to the second rope and nailed a super-suplex on the 7-footer, causing the ring to implode. Although it wasn’t the first time a ring implosion involving Big Show happened on WWE programming, it nevertheless catapulted Strowman’s stock to new levels.
Ambulance Match
SB Nation’s wrestling blogger Randall Ortman reported that a major stipulation would be added to Strowman-Reigns match at Payback.
The purpose of the stipulation is to protect Reigns from suffering a momentum hit.
As already reported by multiple sources, Reigns is being penciled for another title match with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34 in New Orleans next year. WWE wanted Strowman to look strong heading into a title clash with Lesnar, and at the same time, keep Reigns relevant for future championship feuds.
“Expect Braun Strowman’s Payback match with Roman Reigns to add a stipulation next week so that Strowman can keep his momentum into a Brock Lesnar program and Roman can lose without taking a pin,” stated by Ortman, who isn’t ruling out the possibility of another superstar interfering the match.
With regards to the stipulation, many believe it’s going to be an ‘Ambulance Match’ since Strowman’s epic Ambulance flip reignited his rivalry with Reigns. WWE further fueled the speculation that an ambulance will be involved by releasing a video of top-10 ambulance attacks. It’s been more than two years since WWE held the last Ambulance match, and it featured the Lunatic Fringe Dean Ambrose against the Eater of Worlds Bray Wyatt.