Ex-WWE Universal Champion facing serious health issues
The former Universal Champion details health battle that led to significant weight loss and missed appearances on WWE programming.
Braun Strowman has addressed his recent absence from WWE television, revealing a severe illness that forced him to step away from in-ring action. The SmackDown superstar shared details of his health struggle through an Instagram update.
Strowman disclosed that he lost 36 pounds in a week while battling what doctors diagnosed as a severe case of flu. His condition included multiple days with a high fever:
We’ll see if people read what I post or not. Or just look at the cool pix. 2025 has been off to a ruff start for me. I picked up some kind of a bug last week and it had absolutely whipped my ass. I laid in a hotel room for four days three with a fever of 102 or higher for the first three days
The Monster Among Monsters confirmed missing several key WWE events, including SmackDown episodes and RAW’s Netflix premiere. Prior to his illness, Strowman had appeared on SmackDown in December, involved in storylines with Carmelo Hayes, Austin Theory, and The New Bloodline.
Triple H Discusses Netflix Impact
Speaking with Variety about WWE’s streaming platform transition, Triple H emphasized the significance of RAW’s move to Netflix:
There’s a moment when we go on the air where we’re accessible to 280 million homes globally. Multiply that by three for people in the homes, right? That’s a massive number. That is a game changer
WWE’s Chief Content Officer views the partnership as a reset opportunity, highlighting the platform’s global reach and its potential to attract new viewers through social media engagement. The strategy includes leveraging platforms like TikTok and Instagram to drive audience growth on Netflix.