Braun Strowman's 4 Best Possible Matches for WWE TLC 2017

Ahead of WWE TLC 2017, Braun Strowman is a predator without clear prey in his path.

The Oct. 22 pay-per-view is beginning to take shape, but The Monster Among Men is not yet a part of it. He's too big of a star and too compelling a presence not to be a part of the Raw-branded event.

Some outside-of-the-box thinking is a must for finding his spot on the show. That is unless Brock Lesnar will be around for the event. His presence would give Strowman an obvious target to charge toward.

Finn Balor appears to be on a collision course with Bray Wyatt. It doesn't look like Samoa Joe will be healthy enough to wrestle by the time TLC arrives. And Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose may be busy battling The Miz and The Bar.

There's not a ton of big names left to take on at this point.

Which possible matches would give Strowman a chance to shine at TLC? Which potential bouts would allow him to continue to stockpile momentum and leave victims in his wake?

Read for a look at a quartet of options for The Monster Among Men at the upcoming PPV.

4. Braun Strowman vs. Matt Hardy

Credit: WWE.com

Thanks to his brother's injury, Matt Hardy doesn't have much direction to speak of.

He's out of the tag team title hunt. And his place on the TLC card is up in the air. Perhaps a date with a monster is in order.

The decorated veteran would make an intriguing short-term rival against Strowman. 

For The New Face of Destruction, a victory over a beloved future Hall of Famer would be a good boost. Hardy is also a ring general that would help lead Strowman to a strong match. If there are any stunts involving ladders or tables, Hardy has ample experience in those departments.

As a bonus, a violent run-in with the dangerous Strowman could easily be the catalyst for Hardy's long-awaited transformation into his previous "broken" persona. 

3. Braun Strowman vs. Jason Jordan

Credit: WWE.com

If The Miz is busy antagonizing The Shield, Jason Jordan will be in danger of being without a dance partner at the TLC PPV.

WWE's strategy of letting him impress but fall short in matches with big stars is a smart one. Jordan was fun to watch against both Cena and Reigns. The losses allowed him to show off his heart. The top-notch competition made him feel like a big deal.

Going that route against Strowman would work.

Jordan could be brave or foolish enough to step up to Strowman en route to the PPV. The Monster Among Men would then dominate and overwhelm the babyface in a David vs. Goliath matchup.

This way Strowman could continue his momentum and pile on impressive showings after his loss to Lesnar. And the suplex savant would be a solid holdover rival until the build to Survivor Series begins.

2. The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Cesaro and Sheamus

By the end of Raw, The Shield's reformation felt even more inevitable. Reigns, Rollins and Ambrose met backstage and exchanged knowing looks.

And the fact The Miz, Cesaro and Sheamus both battered and mocked the group on the show points to them being The Hounds of Justice's foes at TLC.

A bit of creative booking, though, could have Strowman step into that major match. Perhaps Strowman plows through The Miz in order to get another crack at The Shield. Maybe The Miz recruits Strowman to take his place and serves as the mouthpiece for the coalition.

Either way, Strowman would be a tremendous addition to that bout.

He has a long history with Reigns to build on. He is fresh off beating down both Ambrose and Rollins. There would be plenty of bad blood to tap into.

Plus, if this turns out to be a TLC match, Strowman will thrive in that chaotic environment. There are few things better in wrestling right now than The Monster Among Men going on a rampage. And he'd be able to do just that with ladders, tables and chairs involved during a clash with three former world champs.

1. Brock Lesnar

It's not likely Lesnar will be around for the TLC PPV. His part-time schedule often keeps him from battling in consecutive PPVs.

Should The Beast Incarnate be available Oct. 22, though, a No Mercy rematch with Strowman is a no-brainer.

Their physical, smashmouth contest last month ended in disappointing fashion. The Monster Among Men never got to lay waste to his surroundings. And he went down rather easily after a single F-5.

By revisiting that match, WWE could right that wrong. It could more effectively showcase Strowman's power, having him push, test and hurt The Beast Incarnate.

Adding a table-, ladder- or chair-centered stipulation would make this an even more brutal and action-packed clash.