A Winner is You

Although he’s not the best talker in the history, the fact that Braun Strowman can cut a better-than-average promo is such a significant part of appeal that it’s almost hard to process. It moves him from a novelty act to the center of attention, because any time he opens his mouth it’s going to shift the focus to him. That he consistently says things that don’t make him sound like a bumbling moron or a timid mouse in the body of elephant creates an atmosphere where he’s able to engage with the audience and the other performers as their equal, not someone who is just there because they won the genetic lottery.

The only question that remains for him is whether or not he can become a great talker. He currently operates like an actor with somewhat limited range, but anyone who has seen him read for the titular role in Juno is acutely aware that while he’s not Daniel Day Lewis there’s something beautiful inside of him — not a baby, despite what he may tell you in that video — and underneath all the (pardon the pun) brawn, lives an active brain with a strong sense of humor and real gravitas as a performer.

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Gravitas is something Kevin Owens already has in spades. Although I’d not go so far as to agree with Owens’ assessment of himself as a “good hearted” guy, he carries with him enough pathos at pretty much all times that everything he says or does exists in an interconnected network of actions and motivation which always lead back to his need/desire to support his family at any cost. There’s a specific moment in his interaction (which somewhat comes across in the screenshot the WWE video team chose) with Braun where he realizes that he’s stepped in it.

And it’s in that exact moment that you realize that, although he wasn’t lying — in fact, he was remarkably straightforward about his intentions when advocating the benefits of an allegiance between he and Braun — he knew that this outcome (an attempt at a running powerslam) had the best chance of happening  and the bet he made was not going to end well.

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Don’t worry, though, as I’m absolutely 100% sure this will:

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