We haven't seen Braun Strowman on WWE programming since May, and he later underwent level-one fusion surgery on his C4 and C5 vertebrae. While the Monster Among Men did return to pay tribute to Bray Wyatt following the Eater of Worlds' tragic death, he's otherwise been at home recovering.
WWE recently sent Strowman to India to promote an upcoming tour and explained why he's returning to the company not just for himself, but for Bray as well.
"I'm a godfather to [Bray's] son, so I know that I have this big responsibility," Strowman told News18. "But I'm honored at the fact that I was chosen by him to lead if something were to happen to him. So it's a truly humbling honor knowing that I have that weight put on my back and I carry it proudly."
"So especially with my return to WWE, like I have, I'm not only coming back for me, I'm coming back for him."
"The Wyatt family was such a near and dear part of my family with four brothers who taught me the ways of the business," Strowman added, referencing Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, and Bray Wyatt. "And knowing that two of those guys are never going to be able to step foot in the ring again, I have that pressure that I carry, that weight that I carry proudly knowing that I'm continuing on the legacy of what we had started 10 years ago."
Luke Harper, who was known as Brodie Lee in AEW, died in 2020 from a respiratory illness and Rowan is currently wrestling on the independents. Strowman was released by WWE during Vince McMahon's regular talent culls but was later brought back to the company by Triple H.
While there's no specific timetable for Strowman's WWE return, he's optimistic that it will happen sooner rather than later. "I did my five-month check-up and got medically cleared to start lifting weights," he explained. "I lost 35 pounds just sitting around for eight weeks because I wasn't eating like I normally do since I wasn't lifting."
"So now we're trying to put the weight back on. The goal for 2024 is to continue this. I go back after the first year to have another check-up and then get back in the ring, getting back into shape, and then getting back to passing these hands out."
"I'll be a little more cautious thinking because now that I have some hardware and stuff like that," Strowman said of how the injury will change his in-ring style. "But at the end of the day, I don't know, I'm crazy. I've worked around the injuries. As I said earlier, my left leg is 15% paralyzed and it has been my entire career. I don't make excuses. I get it done."
Needless to say, we wish Braun a continued speedy recovery!