Braun Strowman's WWE release has surprised the entire wrestling industry, and we now have more details on what led to the company decided to part ways with the former Universal Champion.
Talking on Wrestling Observer Radio today, Dave Meltzer revealed what insiders have told him about the Monster Among Men being among those fired by WWE. "They made a list and these were guys that Vince decided he’s got nothing for them and so that’s who he decided to cut," he explains. "I think a lot of people were surprised by Strowman."
"There’s a couple of things that hurt Strowman. Number 1 was his salary. It’s one thing when you’re paying $250,000 for somebody that you do very little with but you can always have them run around and do 24/7 gimmick stuff but you can’t put Strowman in that thing. The big problem is he [had] a big contract." As we reported yesterday, that was believed to be $1 million per year.
It sounds like Strowman failed to secure a deal that meant WWE wouldn't be able to release him until the contract ended, while the recent debut of Omos on RAW could also be why Vince McMahon decided to move on from a Superstar who actually faced his son at WrestleMania just a couple of months ago.
"All of a sudden Braun Strowman at a legitimate 6 foot 6 when you got Omos, who is the new toy who is 7 foot 3," Meltzer says. "Braun Strowman’s big thing was that he had size and power and now they are going with a new giant. He can’t be the giant anymore when you got this guy who is legitimately 9 inches taller than him. Granted, Strowman’s got the big body and everything like that but you can only do the giant thing when you’re the giant of the company on the brand but he isn’t that guy anymore. Like with Big Show. If you remember with Big Show, when Strowman came, Big Show was obsolete."
It crazy that WWE couldn't find something to do with Strowman, and it will be interesting to see where he lands (especially after past comments that he would never wrestle for another company).
Do you think WWE made a mistake releasing the Monster Among Men?