Braun Strowman defeats Nakamura in the first dark match of the night.#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/DjMGCG2OUK

— Balor Club Guy (@TheBalorClubGuy) May 11, 2024

After the match, the former WWE Universal Champion took to his Instagram account and posted:

“Damn, it felt good to be back out there!!!! #ThankYou #WilkesBarre #Wwe #TheMonstersBack”

This marked his first in-ring performance after being on the sidelines for over a year due to neck issues.

Braun Strowman’s battle with injury

In June last year, Braun Strowman underwent neck fusion surgery and was on the shelf while recuperating from it. It certainly took a mental and physical toll on the heavyweight wrestler and he was candid about the same.

• “This is Hard” – Braun Strowman Says He’s Struggling Being Away from the Ring

In December, Strowman said that he wouldn’t rule out his return at WWE Royal Rumble 2024 but that did not happen. It wasn’t until April this year that the powerhouse made his return. He made his return after the surgery during the opening night of the 2024 WWE Draft where he was drafted to the Raw.

He came to the aid of Jey Uso, who was getting brutally attacked by Finn Balor and the United States Champion Logan Paul. Strowman also had a brief confrontation with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates before Jey Uso calmed him down.