Since its inception in January 2016, SmackDown Live has consistently been elevated by one superstar: AJ Styles. Styles was unmatched in his versatile ability to put on a wrestling clinic with all up-and-coming talent on SmackDown Live. As part of the 2019 Superstar Shakeup, Styles was drafted to Monday Night Raw, which left a huge hole on SmackDown Live.
I’m here to tell you that Kevin Owens should be the person to fill that spot. Owens has recently morphed into an antihero on the blue brand, and the WWE Universe has been fully behind him. When SmackDown Live moves to Fox on October 4th, 2019, Owens should be the main focal point for the blue brand for the foreseeable future.
On the February 26th, 2019 episode of SmackDown Live, Owens made his return to WWE after double knee surgery. He was introduced by Vince McMahon as Kofi Kingston’s replacement for the upcoming WWE Championship match at the Fastlane pay-per-view. Owens came back as a babyface to overthrow the egocentric new Daniel Bryan and end his WWE title reign of terror.
Unfortunately for Owens, he made his return in the middle of the wave of Kofi-Mania. On the April 16th, 2019, episode of SmackDown Live, Owens congratulated Kofi on his triumphant victory at WrestleMania 35. The New Day’s Big E was sidelined with an injury, which left Xavier Woods and Kofi without a powerhouse for the trio. Owens enquired to become an “honorary member” of New Day under the moniker of Big O.
Owens’ run as a babyface was immediately halted when former WWE champion Bryan was injured and Kofi needed a top heel challenger for his newly acquired WWE title. A few weeks later, Owens would turn heel and viciously attack Woods and the WWE Champion, making his intentions crystal clear. The following week he would challenge Kofi for his WWE Championship at Money in the Bank. Owens put on a great performance but he was unable to stop Kofi’s momentum as WWE champion.
From there, Owens would join forces with his real-life best friend Sami Zayn to battle New Day members Big E and Woods at the Stomping Grounds pay-per-view. The following night on SmackDown Live, both Owens and Dolph Ziggler (who unsuccessfully challenged Kofi at two pay-per-views back-to-back) confronted ‘The Best in the World’ and Commissioner of SmackDown Live McMahon.
Both competitors wanted another shot at the top title on the blue brand, however, they were forced to join forces to clash with Heavy Machinery (Otis and Tucker) for a tag team title shot at Extreme Rules. Owens ate a Superkick from Ziggler inadvertently, which led to the loss. The next week, WWE showed footage in the parking lot, where Ziggler was talking trash about his recent tag partner. Owens pulls up and answers back and a brawl ensues, which led to superstars and McMahon himself breaking it up. Owens was sent home from the show.
Right as SmackDown Live goes on the air, Owens immediately comes through the crowd and grabs a mic. He delivers a fantastic, scathing promo about McMahon’s manipulation of power over the past few months, and it makes him sick. McMahon immediately came out and cut off his mic — but that wasn’t the last appearance of Owens that night.
Owens would make a direct statement to the self-proclaimed Best in the World when he nailed the boss with a Stunner during the main event. At the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Owens would squash Ziggler in seventeen seconds and pick up right where he left off on the mic. Owens said he was standing firm on his previous comments and fully cemented himself as the antihero that SmackDown Live desperately needs. The WWE Universe responded with a ‘Yes, Yes, Yes’ chant.
Recently, ‘The Big Dog’ Roman Reigns has been portraying the role of antihero against McMahon and his goons. One must question how long that continue before it becomes an overplayed song on the radio?
With October on the horizon, time is of the essence for WWE to make drastic changes to increase viewership and ratings. We’ve already witnessed small steps in the process, with more risky and raunchy segments and Kofi’s most recent defiant middle finger gesture to Samoa Joe. It’s abundantly clear that this is the direction WWE is heading.
It’s extremely ironic to think that just one year ago, Owens and McMahon’s roles were reversed, with Owens playing the obnoxious heel and McMahon the resilient babyface. The two tore each other apart inside of a Hell in a Cell. With SummerSlam four weeks away, this bitter rivalry is just heating up.
I am predicting that Owens will face off with The ‘Scottish Psychopath’ Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam. Despite multiple interferences from McMahon and his cronies, Owens will receive some unlikely help from another thorn in the authority’s side, Roman Reigns. The Big Dog will even the odds that will allow Owens to hit the Stunner for the 1-2-3.
The following night on SmackDown Live, Owens will address his newfound ally and thank him for his assistance at SummerSlam. The Best in the World McMahon will unleash hell on the defiant Owens and Reigns, pitting the former adversaries in a huge gauntlet match. They would face The Revival, Cesaro, AOP, Elias, and McIntyre. After utterly destroying the antiheroes, McMahon and his cronies stand tall to end the show.
Fast-forward to the build to the Clash of Champions pay-per-view, after weeks of being assaulted, both Owens and Reigns open SmackDown Live and challenge McMahon and McIntyre to a Falls Count Anywhere Tag Team Match at the pay-per-view.
McMahon would accept their challenge that night, but on the go-home show, McMahon would choose Elias to take his place in the match. Once again with the numbers game too much to handle, Owens and Reigns would face defeat at the hands of Elias and McIntyre at the pay-per-view.
The next night on SmackDown Live, an angry Owens would deliver another scathing promo to his boss, challenging him one-on-one, after McMahon doesn’t come out and answer him.
Owens would snap, assaulting superstars backstage and interfering in McMahon’s allies’ matches. Finally, at the end of the night, Owens once again would call out the boss and just as it seems he’s getting what he wants, the monstrous Viking Raiders come out. McMahon would join them with a huge, sly grin on his face, as Owens is obliterated.
The following week on SmackDown Live, the egocentric ‘Best in the World’ opens the show, showing a stellar video package of the past two months of Owens getting attacked by the authority. McMahon said this didn’t have to happen if Owens would have kept his mouth shut and showing him the respect he deserves.
Owens’ music hits and the two go back-and-forth, McMahon gives him his match at Hell in the Cell pay-per-view on one condition. Owens must compete in a five-man gauntlet elimination match, against the five opponents of McMahon’s choosing. In the main event, Owens would have to beat Samoa Joe, Randy Orton, Cesaro and McIntrye. In the final moments of the match, Elias and McMahon come out to interfere, but Reigns makes the save, which ensures Owens to get the victory.
Finally, we’re at the go-home show and Owens and McMahon have an official contract signing to end the show. McMahon arrives with his goons right by his side, followed by a cautious Owens with Reigns alongside him. McMahon starts it off, by gloating about Owens’s unfortunate losses over the past few weeks, all with a grin on his face.
McMahon then gives Owens a stern warning about what’s coming this Sunday. Owens gets the time to talk. McMahon is puzzled as Owens shares that privately today he spoke with the COO Triple H, and he granted him the opportunity to pick the stipulation for their match.
McMahon opens the contract to shockingly find out the match Owens has chosen is none other than Hell in a Cell. Owens’s face has an evil and elated grin.
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