Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman WWE Great Balls of Fire 2017 Match Preview, Pick

The monthslong rivalry between Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman will come to a head Sunday night at Great Balls of Fire when they square off in what is sure to be a wild Ambulance match.

A program that dates back to January, it has spawned several bouts, two significant-injury angles and a legitimate hiatus for The Monster Among Men. Sunday night in Dallas, all of the rage and disdain the Superstars have for each other will manifest itself in a war in which the only way to win is to incapacitate your opponent long enough to stuff their prone body into an ambulance.

How did Reigns and Strowman get here, and who will leave pay-per-view extravaganza with his arm raised in victory, the rightful No. 1 contender to Brock Lesnar's WWE Universal Championship?

Background

March's Fastlane was the setting for Reigns and Strowman's first high-profile pay-per-view clash.

On that night, just weeks before WrestleMania 33, Reigns brought The Monster Among Men's win streak to an end, courtesy of a massive spear. The loss not only stopped Strowman's winning ways, but it left him on the outside looking in at the biggest matches on the WrestleMania card.

Left to share the ring with luminaries such as Mojo Rawley, Curt Hawkins and Epico and Primo, Strowman was an afterthought in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal while Reigns headlined the event, pinning and retiring The Undertaker.

Furious about the lack of competition on the year's most important card, Strowman confronted universal champion Brock Lesnar just 24 hours after The Showcase of the Immortals, making it clear to The Beast Incarnate and the WWE Universe that he would not let the injustice of WrestleMania stand.

One week later, he perpetrated a violent assault on Reigns.

Brutalizing the former Shield member and leaving him in need of a stretcher, Strowman proved he wasn't finished with his rival.

He sent Reigns crashing off a ledge while strapped on the stretcher, then tipped over the ambulance his body was stuffed into. Not only did the angle write The Big Dog off of television for a few weeks, but it also served as the star-making vehicle for Strowman that finally, and firmly, entrenched him in the main event scene.

A victory over Reigns weeks later at Payback, clean in the center of the ring, only helped re-enforce Strowman's position on Raw.

His triumph would not go unpunished, though.

Reigns, in a moment of fury, brutally attacked Strowman, targeting his elbow. The three-time WWE champion sent Strowman scurrying to injured reserve. The monstrous competitor would need surgery to repair his injured arm but defied all expectations by returning well before the six-month timetable set by WWE physicians.

He would explode back on to the scene in June, attacking Reigns on numerous occasions. The Big Dog answered on the July 3 episode of Raw, spearing Strowman off the stage and through a table, putting an exclamation point on the build to their ambulance match Sunday.

The Match

Reigns and Strowman have extraordinary in-ring chemistry. Each of their matches to this point has been a heavyweight war that has built on the previous one. Sunday, with the added element of the ambulance and no rules to confine them, the heated and intense rivalry should reach its conclusion in fitting fashion.

Strowman made it a point to target the ribs and midsection of his opponent in both their previous pay-per-view matches. Expect that to continue Sunday, especially as he seeks to wear his rival down just enough to put him in the ambulance and secure the victory.

Reigns, on the other hand, will likely target Strowman's arm as the Superstars seek to stick with the story that has been told to this point.

Big spots, brutal bumps and an unforgettable finish should be in store for the WWE Universe.

Who will be left standing?

Credit: WWE.com

Prediction

A few weeks back, Reigns went to the ring and anointed himself the No. 1 contender to the Universal Championship at SummerSlam. One could presume that means he goes over Sunday night, drumming up some momentum for himself ahead of what should be a brutal battle with either Brock Lesnar or Samoa Joe in Brooklyn, New York.

Not so fast.

Reigns got the upper hand on Strowman on Monday's episode of Raw, typically a telltale sign that The Monster Among Men will leave Dallas with his hand raised in victory.

Add to it the fact WWE Creative has picked up where it left off in presenting Strowman like an unstoppable force capable of rolling into SummerSlam and defeating whoever may hold the gold, and you have even more evidence of a Strowman victory.

The Monster Among Men wins Sunday night, setting up a titanic battle for SummerSlam and leaving Reigns to wait for his title opportunity.

Winner: Braun Strowman