Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman: Winner, Reaction from Raw Last Man Standing Match

Braun Strowman exacted revenge on Sami Zayn on Monday night, as he defeated his determined opponent in a Last Man Standing match on Raw.

WWE shared how the match ended: 

It was a highly physical match, and the EMTs had to help Zayn, but that didn't stop Strowman from continuing his assault, via WWE:

Despite the loss, both Bleacher Report's Ryan Dilbert and the Miami Herald's Scott Fishman had strong praise for Zayn: 

Zayn and Strowman have had issues dating back to October, as The Underdog from the Underground took it upon himself to stand up to the beastly Superstar when nobody else would.

That led to an intense feud, which Raw general manager Mick Foley played a significant role in as he attempted to protect Zayn.

Foley halted a match between them on Raw when Zayn was getting battered and beaten, and he even tried to stop the Canada native from challenging Strowman to a match at Roadblock: End of the Line in December.

In actuality, though, Foley's tactics purposely fired up Zayn so that he was ready to go to battle, and it worked out in his favor, as he lasted 10 minutes against Strowman at the pay-per-view.

Foley showed up during the match and seemed poised to throw in the towel; however, Zayn persevered and was given the victory despite not technically pinning or submitting Strowman.

The former NXT champion admitted on Raw Talk following Roadblock that he was disappointed since he felt he would have truly beaten Strowman if the match had been a bit longer, and that set the stage for another showdown between the polar opposites.

An enraged Strowman took his frustrations out on much of the roster, while Zayn opted to play mind games with the big man.

During Strowman's match against Seth Rollins last week, Zayn attacked The Monster Among Men before escaping through the crowd and leaving Strowman even angrier than before.

After that incident, Zayn declared himself ready to take on Strowman in one of the most brutal match types WWE has to offer:

Despite Zayn getting the better of him on multiple occasions, Strowman made it clear that he was prepared for the test as well:

"

I'll die on my feet before I fall to my knees!!!! #LastManStanding #IveOnlyBegun #MonsterAmongMen

— Braun Strowman (@BraunStrowman) December 27, 2016"

Both Zayn and Strowman entered the match with plenty to prove, and the bad blood between them was evident from the start.

Strowman has been built up as an unbeatable monster since reaching the main roster, while Zayn has had a tougher road and endured some ups and downs along the way.

Monday's match was a potential momentum-builder for both men with the Jan. 29 Royal Rumble approaching, which made it a crucial bout in terms of positioning for a Universal Championship match at WrestleMania in April.

Strowman prevailed to not only build confidence ahead of the Rumble but also erase the memory of his loss at Roadblock.

With that victory, Strowman is undoubtedly among the top threats in the Royal Rumble, while Zayn is left searching for answers and without a clear direction.

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