It has been nearly a 12 months since Kevin Owens was forced to take a step back from wrestling, having picked up a nagging neck injury that is kept him out of motion since facing Sami Zayn at WWE Elimination Chamber. Health at all times comes first, but Owens being forced to miss a whole 12 months of his in-ring profession is a tragedy, as fans have missed out on dozens more performances from the previous world champion.
We here at Wrestling Inc. can not help occupied with what might have been, and with the following Elimination Chamber fast approaching, it’s an appropriate time to daydream about what the last 12 months in WWE might’ve looked like had Owens been fully healthy. Our vision includes Owens getting within the ring with an old rival in addition to a highly anticipated match-up. Plus, the 12 months would not be complete without some sort of involvement from Sami Zayn.
So with that in mind, strap yourselves in and skim on to journey through our theoretical idea of what 2025 may need looked like for Owens, all the way in which as much as WWE Crown Jewel. At the tip, if you’ve gotten any ideas of your individual, be at liberty to share them with us within the comments section.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn enter Hell in a Cell
Last we saw Owens, he was brutally attacked by Randy Orton, offering a fair further explanation for his time away and giving him something to do when he comes back. Nevertheless, taking his injury out of the equation, I would forego the Orton setup and proceed on with Owens’ feud against Zayn, which didn’t entirely seem resolved. As an alternative of Zayn being absent from WWE WrestleMania 41, he could have picked up an enormous singles victory over Owens. Considering their match at Elimination Chamber, it’d make sense for there to be a reasonably significant stipulation involved, and what better option is there than Hell in a Cell?
This match would accomplish a number of various things without delay. It’d give Owens and Zayn a trademark WrestleMania singles match (longer than 10 minutes) so as to add to their careers, for one. On top of that, it could proceed to raise Zayn as a serious contender, with the expectation that the perennial underdog will sooner or later climb that mountain and win a world title in WWE.
After taking a loss against Zayn contained in the cell on the largest stage possible, Owens would descend right into a bitter spiral that might take him to the summer. Let him take some losses – some truly embarrassing ones. The tenured performer can put over a number of the newer talent on the scene before taking just a little little bit of time without work. These losses won’t be directionless, because it’s all constructing to something larger for Owens. It is not a face turn we’re envisioning, though. As an alternative, Owens will sink to even deeper lows as he comes face-to-face with an old rival that just so happens to be approaching retirement.
Full circle with John Cena
John Cena’s final months as an in-ring competitor were crammed with highs and lows. One low that I’d like to take off the board is his eight-minute loss to Brock Lesnar at WWE Wrestlepalooza. As an alternative, let’s envision the aftermath of Cena’s match against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam just a little bit otherwise. As an alternative of Lesnar returning at SummerSlam and attacking Cena, let’s slot Owens into that role, making his comeback from some time without work over the summer.
Following the assault, Owens explains that his actions against Cena were justified. If Cena so desperately desires to play at being the bad guy, Owens (theoretically) explains, Owens will gladly show him what an actual bad guy looks like. The 2 can then spend several weeks going backwards and forwards ahead of Wrestlepalooza; they’ll even call back to Owens defeating Cena in his major roster debut.
Each men’s insecurities might be specified by plain view with the storyline, as Cena involves terms with the tip of his profession while Owens struggles with feeling stagnant in his own. All of it culminates with a marquee match on the first-ever Wrestlepalooza, ideally giving Cena one other strong showing on his way out.
Like Lesnar, Owens should get the win here, as he rebounds from his disappointing summer. After the match, Cena would inch closer to his final match against GUNTHER, while Owens would proceed stewing over the past with a feud that is been a protracted time coming.
Kevin Owens and CM Punk settle the rating
Consider it or not, Owens and CM Punk have never once shared the ring in a match. That doesn’t suggest the 2 haven’t got some history, though, as some hardcore wrestling fans may be well aware of.
Without getting too deep into the weeds, Punk and Owens were said to have had a disagreement during their shared days in Ring of Honor, with Punk apparently criticizing Owens for wrestling with a shirt on. Since then, rumors have occasionally popped up suggesting that there continues to be some bad blood, with Owens fueling that concept after Punk returned to WWE.
Nevertheless, Punk appears to be within the mode of burying hatchets, and it seems likely the 2 will put their differences aside and work together in some unspecified time in the future, as a feud with Punk was teased shortly before Owens’ injury. In our framework here, Punk can function Owens’ next goal after Cena, putting us across the time of WWE Crown Jewel 2025 in Australia. I’m booking Punk vs. Owens there, and moving the present Punk vs. Cena match to TV, so no one can complain about missing out on that one.
The match would feel personal, so the 2 would must put just a little work in to distinguish the story from a few of Punk’s other feuds, against the likes of Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. Still, it’s almost certain they’d have the option to place something brutal and exciting together.
Heading into Crown Jewel, Punk was the World Heavyweight Champion, and that title would obviously be on the road in a prospective match between he and Owens. Unfortunately, that might make it unlikely Owens would win, even in my dream scenario. Still, it would be one hell of a story, and something that may actually play out sooner or later.