Braun Strowman's Success Proves Not All Pushes Are Created Equally

Braun Strowman, who has had a breakout 2017 after steadily being pushed since the beginning of WWE's brand split in July 2016, seems to have ruffled some feathers as a result of his rapid rise.

In a recent interview with Pro Wrestling Illustrated (h/t Jack Snodgrass of Pop Culture), Strowman revealed there was "animosity" surrounding his push. The Raw MVP candidate seemed to feel his peers resented him for getting so much so quickly.

Given the limited amount of top roster spots, the abundance of talent and endless backstage politicking, WWE locker rooms are conducive to a cutthroat, at-times toxic, environment. Jealousy is inevitable and a common side effect of success.

Top stars in WWE come from an array of origin stories. Some WWE Superstars, like AJ Styles, competed around the world and are finally getting their opportunities at the tail ends of their illustrious careers. Others, like Roman Reigns, take the more contemporary approach of cutting their teeth in WWE developmental (Florida Championship Wrestling, which later became NXT) before being streamlined into the WWE infrastructure.

Strowman took the latter approach, having limited time in NXT before a memorable debut as a member of the Wyatt Family. Strowman became a focal point on Raw as a monster heel who tore through lesser competition, and it was soon apparent he was going to be one of the major stars on a new-look Raw. 

Not all pushes are created equally, and Strowman's brand of ascension is much easier to resent because of how many people he passes over despite spending so little time in the pro wrestling industry. 

Animosity can often extend past the WWE locker rooms and into the WWE Universe. Roman Reigns was beloved as a member of The Shield, but once dirt-sheet reports began leaking that he was tabbed to be The Guy, he (successfully) fought an uphill battle against fan resentment for supposedly being "pushed down their throats." 

These days, Reigns is still booed by his fair share of holdouts, but it's more of a Pavlovian response that carries little legitimate resentment.

Meanwhile, Strowman has won over fans while still fighting for the respect of the locker room. And while some may be justified in their frustration with being overlooked, WWE opportunities are not owed to anyone. They are simply provided to those WWE's top officials feel can run with them.

It's a strange meritocracy that figures itself out through a combination of crowd response and WWE's commitment to certain acts. 

Pushes come in all shapes, sizes and circumstances. Strowman may be subject to animosity, but that's just the nature of the beast, and it will be background noise as long as he continues his impressive run.  

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.