How to Book Roman Reigns While Braun Strowman Recovers From Elbow Injury

Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman are having the kind of feud that most WWE Superstars only dream of. They're in the main event, they're captivating the crowds, and they're destroying each other every time they touch. 

Every time they step into the ring, it's as if each man is doing so for the last time. They bring everything they have, and they never hold back. It was indeed a fun ride, but now it's been put on hold thanks to Strowman's injured elbow.

So what does The Big Dog do now?

This was surely the last thing the WWE wanted. Strowman and Reigns were only just getting started, and they had a lot of work left to do. Strowman will be back eventually, of course, and when that happens, he and Reigns should pick up where they left off.

But now the WWE's top guy is left with an empty dance card, and fans are left wondering what he will do. The biggest problem here is that every top star on Monday Night Raw is busy. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be a big issue, but each feud those stars are involved with has the potential to do some serious business.

Seth Rollins and Samoa Joe are at war. Dean Ambrose and The Miz are feuding over the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt have a date with darkness. That leaves Reigns on his own.

Of course, the WWE likely won't let that last for long.

Reigns needs great heels to work against, mostly because of his inability to get over as a babyface. Two of the best heels on Raw right now are Cesaro and Sheamus.

Credit: WWE.com

The duo had finally come into its own as a fan favorite and had meshed well as a top tag team. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, and fans had thrown their support behind the mismatched team.

But when they turned heel on The Hardy Boyz, they shocked the world. 

Now Cesaro and Sheamus are two red-hot heels, and they may be a good fit to keep Reigns busy while Strowman is out. Of course, the same could be said of Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. The Club may not be on top of Raw's tag team division, but they are a well-oiled machine and are capable of drawing tremendous heat with the crowd.

That's a good thing, because without that working in Reigns' favor, any team opposing him would automatically get cheered. Therein lays the problem with the most obvious choice the WWE has to face Reigns. He's the 286-pound gorilla in the room, and he's the man who will eventually step into the ring with The Big Dog.

Credit: WWE.com

Brock Lesnar has been missing in action since defeating Goldberg at WrestleMania 33 for the WWE Universal Championship. The company's second most important title was supposed to be elevated because of Lesnar, but it's only been mentioned in passing on TV.

That title can't be discussed without also mentioning Reigns.

It's the rematch that everyone knows is going to happen again at some point. After all, Reigns retired The Undertaker, and Lesnar ended Taker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania. Both men have done it all in the WWE, and both men have overcome their biggest obstacles.

What's left except to book them against each other?

But the WWE is surely thinking about 2018. WrestleMania 34 needs a massive main event, and Lesnar vs. Reigns may be it. So if they clash now, then there may be nothing left for next year. While the WWE can't be expected to keep them separated for 12 months, it was also likely not the plan to pit them against each other this soon.

Credit: WWE.com

However, with Strowman on the shelf, the WWE may not have a choice now.

Maybe Lesnar should get back on Raw and get moving again. The Universal champ should be in the mix, and his title should be on the line. The company needs him, and fans deserve to see the belt more than they have in the past month.

Otherwise, Reigns would just have to hang around until Strowman returns to action.

Realistically, that's not possible. Reigns is the WWE's top guy, and the company needs him on the card. Unless he's booked in throwaway matches with no long-term consequences, he should be used with Lesnar. It's a marquee match and one that the WWE can heavily promote despite when it happens.

The Big Dog should be booked as the star he is, and that will surely be the case. He shouldn't be used against another babyface, because it's a no-win situation for him. Lesnar is the best choice for him right now, and that will probably be a win for him in the end.

The WWE has to choose its next few moves carefully, because while Reigns should stay busy; he should also stay ready. He and Strowman still have some compelling stories to tell, and that will happen in due time. But for right now, Reigns needs an opponent, and Lesnar needs a way back in.

The story is about to get much more compelling.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at BoinkStudios.com