Braun Strowman has been notably absent from WWE's recent programming, including the January 3rd episode of SmackDown (which expanded to a 3-hour format) and the debut of Raw on Netflix on January 6th.

Braun Strowman reveals the circumstances behind his absence from "WWE Raw" as well as last week's episode of "WWE SmackDown."

The Monster Among Men says he lost 36lbs in a week after coming down with a bad case of the flu. Braun Strowman is still off the road as he recovers.

Braun Strowman has been out of action since the beginning of 2025 due to an illness. A six-man tag team match featuring The Bloodline against Sami Zayn, Jimmy Uso, and Braun Strowman was supposed to headline the January 3rd episode of WWE SmackDown. However, shortly after, WWE confirmed the match, substituting Jey Uso for Strowman.

Braun Strowman has been absent from WWE due to a severe illness, losing 36 lbs from the flu. He recently shared his struggles on Instagram, revealing he was bedridden with high fevers. Despite missing significant events,