The importance of a strong rivalry is immeasurable in the WWE. Sure, the matches and the characters and the pageantry are all each uniquely entertaining. But, the one thing that ties them all together is the story. What is a hero without a villain? What is drama without conflict? If the stakes are personal, doesn’t it just mean more? With that sentiment in mind, we’re taking a look at the some of the best rivalries in the WWE this year.
There simply is no other choice for the top spot. This isn’t just the greatest rivalry of 2017, but it’s become one of my personal favorite rivalries of the last 15 years.
This one dates back to January at the Royal Rumble, when Strowman attacked Reigns. It looked like the two may have been destined to dance at Wrestlemania, but nope. Instead, the stage was set for Fastlane in February, as the two wrestled their first match against each other. The feud lasted off and on for most of 2017.
That match at Fastlane really set the tone for the rivalry. I thought it was good storytelling…Reigns selling the underdog role. He simply would not die, and that forced Strowman to go out of his comfort zone to try and win the match. Who doesn’t remember the visual of Strowman coming off the top rope with a flying headbutt? The match also served as a nice launching pad for the acceleration of violence that seemed to ensue with each rematch. They didn’t get too crazy, but that gave them room to work with. And, they did. The segments between these two got progressively physical and hard-hitting.
These guys went on to have pay-per-view matches at Payback, an Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire, and both were in an awesome 4-way main event at Summerslam that also featured Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe. They found themselves crossing paths all year long, but I can’t recall them ever having a bad match.
But, it wasn’t just the wrestling. This rivalry created some of the most memorable moments of the year, and left us with some of the wildest visuals we’ve seen in a long time. Strowman flipping over an ambulance, Strowman throwing that chair at Reigns, and of course, “I’m not finished with you!”
All in all, this was a throwback to the more traditional wrestling rivalries, and featured the best components of what makes a ‘monster vs. man’ story so great. So, bravo gentlemen.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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