Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe: Predictions for Raw Feud After WWE Extreme Rules

After a grueling Fatal 5-Way match at WWE Extreme Rules 2017 Sunday, Samoa Joe emerged victorious. The crafty veteran locked Finn Balor in the Coquina Clutch and forced him to pass out just as Balor looked poised to pin Roman Reigns following the Coup de Grace.

Just months into his run on the main roster, Joe is No. 1 contender to Monday Night Raw's top title and set to clash with champion Brock Lesnar in a battle of monsters that was at one time heralded as a dream match that could never happen given it looked like Joe would never come to WWE.

Now, it is a reality. These two men debuted at around the same time and are regarded as similarly built powerhouses of wrestling. The question left to answer is what WWE will do with such an impressive clash of talent. Is this set to be a one-off event or a long-lasting summer feud?

Unfortunately, many signs point to Joe's run at the top of Raw being short.

Lesnar has not been around for two months, and he has yet to defend his Universal Championship. Given how strong Lesnar has been booked in WWE, he will likely be holding that title for a while, with it not being out of the question The Beast will go all the way to WrestleMania as WWE universal champion.

Joe is the first challenger to Lesnar and has not been around long. He has also been booked strong, but he has a ways to go before coming off as a true threat to Lesnar. This does not quite match up to the hype of the clashes with Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns that have been heavily teased.

Meanwhile, Joe still has unfinished business with Seth Rollins, who will likely be left without much to do while Joe is battling Lesnar. The two had a great match at WWE Payback that felt like the opening act of a war, only to be sidetracked by WWE's reshuffle following Strowman's injury.

Still, the road to WWE Great Balls of Fire should be great television as Joe makes Lesnar the face for a while. Much like Lesnar's feud with Goldberg, Joe stands up physically to Lesnar, which will allow them to engage in intense and two-sided brawls.

While Lesnar uses Paul Heyman as his mouthpiece, Joe is one of the best WWE mic workers. Having the No. 1 contender and Heyman clash on the mic would be just as entertaining as the physical confrontations between Joe and Lesnar. It will be easy for The Samoan Submission Machine to sell Lesnar as the hero to the fans when The Beast is forced to save Heyman from Joe's constant physical intimidation of the manager.

Unless WWE is hoping to shock fans and push Joe to the top, this will be a one-match feud, with Lesnar coming out on top at Great Balls of Fire after a physical war. Joe should leave looking strong with a tease of his promise in the main event scene down the line.

Lesnar can then step up to a new challenge from Roman Reigns, Finn Balor or Bray Wyatt (assuming Strowman is not back) while Joe returns to his rivalry with Rollins.

As an opening act for Lesnar as champion, this should be great, giving the Beast Incarnate a veteran who can do the heavy-lifting and bump for his high-power offense. However, WWE would need to change direction for a long-term feud between these two powerhouses to materialize.