WWE Hell in a Cell 2017: Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens Preview, Predictions

The story arch between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens has begun in April ever since Owens first joined SmackDown Live, and it will reach its conclusion tonight at WWE Hell in a Cell 2017.

Although Jinder Mahal will be defending his WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura, it is telling that the actual main event of WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 is the match between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens. It’s never been a secret that a “McMahon” will always take paramount importance in a storyline, but the build between Owens and Shane has been so good that this match is deserving of its main event status.

Owens is the WWE’s best “bad guy” right now, as the “Prizefighter” understands how to get under anybody’s skin while staying true to a vicious character that has been well-defined ever since his time with Ring of Honor. By attacking others, taking shortcuts, and commanding audiences with a wide range of savage insults, Owens consistently cements himself as a man who is equally respected and reviled.

Tonight’s match between Owens and McMahon will take place inside of the Hell in a Cell structure, and while Shane never beats actual wrestlers, there’s a strange undertone of a potential upset. While it would be a shock for Owens to lose, there’s a logic that if anyone can afford to take a loss to Shane, it’s Owens, who is a former Universal Champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, and three-time United States Champion.