WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for February 20

Kevin Owens Addresses The Crowd

Is there any doubt that Kevin Owens is at least loosely aligned with Triple H at this point?

Let’s recap: Last week, just before the Festival of Friendship, Triple H pulled Owens aside. They conversed, and minutes later Chris Jericho was left in a pile of television debris and broken artwork. Coincidence? Maybe.

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Tonight, Owens is literally in the spotlight in the center of the ring. And he’s upgraded his wardrobe – he’s back to the championship caliber suit and tie. It’s been a looooooong time since we’ve seen that, but don’t forget that right after KO won the title he dressed similarly.

How about his words tonight? “No one plays the game better than me”? The game? Hmmm, what member of WWE’s authority structure refers to himself as “The Game”?

All that aside, this was a brilliant promo by Owens, who is the most hated man in WWE right now. It’s all about Goldberg, and how he doesn’t present a threat to the Universal Championship. It’s pitch perfect. The whole thing comes from a position of logic and reality, and it’s perfectly reasonable to believe that Owens believes every word he’s saying.

To completely downplay Goldberg’s admittedly impressive stats and ability, and to outright refuse to speak of Jericho is exactly what you’d expect from Kevin Owens right now. How Triple H ultimately factors into this is going to be interesting.