Braun Strowman promised to make a statement during his maiden voyage into a Steel Cage Match and potentially put his foe, Big Show, “out to pasture” before moving on to challenge Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at WWE No Mercy. He certainly made an example of his opponent, but Show did not cede the proverbial stage as easily as The Monster Among Men thought he would.

The giant gave a turn-back-the-clock performance that included an early KO Punch, the return of his old big elbow for a top-rope plunge straight into the heart of The Gift of Destruction, and multiple attempts to escape over the top of the cage. Unfortunately, each of those awesome feats depleted Show’s reserves bit by bit, and the younger Strowman held on to administer a top-rope superplex that failed to collapse the double-reinforced ring, but did enough to finally empty Big Show’s tank.

One Running Powerslam later and the match was over, but the astonishing display of power continued, as Strowman lawn-darted Show through the wall of the cage after the bell, breaking it off its hinges and sending The World’s Largest Athlete plummeting to the floor. He even had a statement of the literal variety to go with it: “Brock Lesnar, at No Mercy, this is your future. And mine is becoming the new Universal Champion.” After what he’d just done, it was a hard point to dispute.

After being thrown through the steel cage by Braun Strowman, Big Show is helped to the backstage area by WWE officials.