Sometimes subtle changes lead to the biggest payoffs for WWE, which is the road Triple H appears to be taking with the recent repackaging of Kevin Owens. It wasn't the most dramatic of shifts for the former Universal Champion. Owens still walked out to the ring with the same music he's had since his NXT debut, but a few details were different.
The Game continues playing a giant "IYKYK" game regarding his former gold and black NXT favorites. For instance, introducing Dexter Lumis to the fold may have shocked fans who generally only pay attention to the main roster. Ditto for IYO SKY, who was frequently a standout on the developmental brand and could surprise the WWE Universe by winning the women's tag-team tournament alongside fellow NXT darling Dakota Kai. For Owens, the if you know, you know came into play with his titantron and ring attire. Gone are the Panda-adorned shirts and flashy entrance video. In their place is Owens' OG gear and titantron from his NXT days, and that's a great sign for fans of The Prize Fighter.
It's a return to a beloved character who whooped a whole lot of ass and won a whole lot of gold during his time in NXT. Moreover, it hints at a return to the main event scene on WWE's main roster for Owens, which has been a long time coming for the veteran wrestler. A week ago, his epic promo and the subsequent match with Drew McIntyre were barn burners. It was a direct reflection of what WWE can look like under Triple H's vision, and it's telling that it was KO and the Scottish Warrior who got some of that shine. Owens was back at it on the August 22 episode of Raw, this time beating Gable in a hard-fought match before dismantling The Alpha Academy entirely.
Kevin Owens Has A Rocket Strapped To His Back
McIntyre and Roman Reigns are set to fight for the unified WWE Championship at Clash At The Castle, and KO already has a storyline thread going with each man. The Usos cost Kevin his match against Drew last week, causing Owens to tell the Bloodline members that the Tribal Chief owes him one. That led Reigns to say to Sami Zayn (a longtime friend and career-defining adversary of Owens) on SmackDown that he doesn't owe Owens anything. That could lead to a possible feud between Reigns and KO, regardless of who wins the title at Clash At The Castle.
The same goes for McIntyre. Owens can say that he had him on the ropes before The Usos interfered, leading to another match that makes sense in WWE canon. Fans could also be hit with a swerve, where Owens is forced to save Zayn from the Bloodline once they inevitably turn on the former El Generico. No matter how these storylines unfold, one thing seems all but certain: Kevin Owens is back in WWE's main event scene, and it's been a fantastic thing to watch develop after how he's been handled over the last half-decade.