Rebuilding Braun Strowman, Fresh Faces AEW Can Push and More Quick Takes

The WWE returns keep coming with former Universal champion Braun Strowman being the latest to resurface on Raw last Monday night.

The Monster Among Men has kept a relatively low profile since departing the company in June 2021. It was inevitable that he'd be brought back with Triple H taking control of the company's creative direction over the summer, but how he'll be booked going forward remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, AEW continues to deal with the disastrous aftermath of the events that transpired after All Out went off the air involving CM Punk and The Elite. Thankfully, last Wednesday's solid edition of Dynamite put the promotion back on the right track heading into Grand Slam.

As big of a blow as it will be to not have Punk, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks around for the foreseeable future, AEW can capitalize on their absence and turn a negative into a positive by using this period to push underutilized stars.

This installment of Quick Takes will delve into who from the AEW roster should be spotlighted in the coming weeks, why WWE can't rush into The Bloodline betraying Sami Zayn, an imminent return of LA Knight, and more.

Braun Strowman's Raw return was met with a roar of approval from those in attendance in Kansas City, but it did leave fans wondering what exactly WWE has in mind for him moving forward.

Per Mike Johnson of PWInsider, he will be slotted on SmackDown as a babyface. His appearance on Friday's show didn't give any indication what's in store for him on the blue brand other than that he will be the same one-man wrecking crew he portrayed prior to his 2021 exit.

The Monster Among Men accomplished quite a bit during his original run, including winning the Universal Championship. His long-awaited world title reign came at a time where there were no fans in the building and was subpar as a result, though the years of bad booking he endured leading up to then hardly helped.

WWE has seemingly never quite figured out how to use Strowman effectively. Beyond a potential one-off match with Roman Reigns, positioning him in the main event scene long-term would be a mistake as he can be valuable in other ways.

The company has lacked a big man who can work, and Strowman fills that void perfectly. He should be booked strong against credible midcard competitors who can endure the loss without feeling overexposed.

His popularity with the audience speaks for itself, but pairing him with the right people will be what keeps him interesting.

AEW had one of its toughest weeks of 2022 to date following the controversy surrounding CM Punk and The Elite and the suspensions that reportedly followed, but Wednesday's Dynamite did as commendable of a job as possible of attempting to move forward.

The situation was undoubtedly messy and there could still be consequences that stem from it. The best thing AEW can do at this point is put on the best product possible and attempt to make the most of all the eyes currently drawn to it.

Despite injuries and other unforeseen circumstances that have plagued the company this year, AEW has pivoted into several interesting directions, and this should be no exception. That includes an impromptu tournament for the vacant AEW World Championship, but the start of new stories will be of utmost importance.

All Out was always meant to hit the reset button for AEW, but now, it's especially crucial to keep viewers engaged in the weekly programming and send the message that backstage turmoil will not define the exceptional effort put forth by the rest of the roster.

It will take time for pieces to fall into place and for feuds to get going again, but the mostly-positive fan feedback to the latest Dynamite is an encouraging sign for the future.

Sami Zayn has consistently taken everything handed to him throughout his WWE career and turned it into gold, but his alliance with The Bloodline might be his best work to date.

It's unknown what the endgame was intended to be when the storyline started back in April, but at this point, it would be criminal for it to culminate in anything but him and Kevin Owens unseating The Usos as undisputed WWE tag team champions.

Owens' recent remarks about Roman Reigns and run-ins with The Usos on Raw have sparked speculation that it could be coming sooner rather than later. However, WWE would be wise to drag this angle out for many more months and get every ounce of entertainment out of it possible.

Solo Sikoa's recent addition to the group shouldn't immediately spell the end of his time with them. He can continue to coexist with Sikoa and The Usos and aid them to victory before Reigns eventually decides Zayn has fulfilled his usefulness and kicks him to the curb.

If the storyline progresses at an acceptable pace, that doesn't have to happen until much closer to WrestleMania season.

It was painfully apparent from the moment they debuted on WWE TV earlier this year that Maximum Male Models were destined to have a short shelf life.

Mace and Mansoor have given the act their all, but with their current gimmick, they aren't meant to be much more than an undercard tag team. That's why dragging down NXT standout LA Knight with them never made sense from the get-go given the potential he has to be a breakout star on his own.

A video on WWE's YouTube channel filmed after Friday's SmackDown hinted at Max Dupri returning to his roots as LA Knight, giving fans hope that it won't be much longer that he'll be associated with the stable.

At a time when SmackDown is in the process of bolstering its roster, Knight can be an incredible asset toward the top of the card. He proved during his NXT stint that he can be believable both as a babyface and as a heel in addition to being able to hold his own in the ring.

Maximum Male Models can continue to exist with Maxine Dupri at the helm, but Knight is long overdue for an opportunity to show what he can do as a serious singles competitor.

The suspensions of CM Punk and Kenny Omega couldn't have come at a worse time, as AEW was just starting to build momentum again upon their respective returns to the ring in August.

The company's bloated roster may actually be its ultimate advantage now that Punk and The Elite will be absent from Dynamite for the foreseeable future. This time should be used to spotlight fresh faces and see if they can sink or swim on their own merit.

Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs are two promising prospects who could really benefit from increased exposure. They had a fine feud in the weeks preceding All Out, but extra character development and more creative attention would take them to the next level.

Wardlow is another individual who has felt lost in the shuffle in recent months and could easily be utilized as a main event-level performer this fall. Eddie Kingston and Miro are also in need of direction and could be in line for much-needed renewed pushes.

AEW has such a deeply talented roster that the promotion won't have to stretch to fill television time and shouldn't rely on the same top talent it always has to occupy the main event scene when others can be afforded a chance to shine instead.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.