Braun Strowman didn’t waste any time after becoming Mr. Money in the Bank on Sunday night.
“The Monster Among Men” was approached backstage shortly after his win and was asked about what he plans to do next. He kept it brief.
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“You and every other single person in the WWE Universe should know what’s next. Two words — Brock Lesnar.
Strowman has had his fair share of encounters with the reigning Universal Champion in the past. The two first clashed as part of a Fatal 4-Way including Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam in August 2017. Lesnar won after hitting Reigns with an F-5.
But feeling as though Lesnar hadn’t truly defeated him, Strowman called for a one-on-one match at No Mercy the following month. Once again Lesnar was victorious, this time in a nine-minute match.
The two crossed paths yet again at the Royal Rumble in January, this time in a triple threat match with Kane. Lesnar pinned the Big Red Machine and moved on to feuding with Roman Reigns in the months that followed.
Despite his loss early on, Strowman has had a outstanding 2018 thus far. In February he set an Elimination Chamber record by pinning a record five wrestlers in the match. then at WrestleMania 34 he hand-picked a 10-year-old fan named Nicholas to help him win the Raw Tag Team Championships, which he did by single-handily beating Cesaro and Sheamus.
The duo had to drop the titles a night later (since Nicholas was still in school), but just two weeks later Strowman was champion again by winning the 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble match in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in late April. In the process he set a new record for most Royal Rumble eliminations at 13.
By defeating Finn Balor, The Miz, Rusev, Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens and Kofi Kingston in the match, Strowman can now challenge for the Universal Championship whenever he pleases.
Moments before the men’s ladder match started, fans witnessed a separate briefcase be cashed in. Alexa Bliss won the Women’s Money in the Bank contract earlier in the evening and held it for just over two hours before interfering in the Raw Women’s Championship match between Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey. She dispatched for the former UFC Champion by tossing her over the announcer’s table, then pelted Jax with the briefcase multiple times before officially cashing in. She hit a DDT and Twisted Bliss dive for a quick win.
WWE’s next pay-per-view event, Extreme Rules, takes place at the PPG Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 15.
