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WWE: That Kevin Owens promo was a game changer

By Brett Grega

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Kevin Owens and Cesaro battle it out at the WWE SummerSlam 2015 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on August 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Kevin Owens and Cesaro battle it out at the WWE SummerSlam 2015 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on August 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images) /
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Kevin Owens intense and uncensored promo on Shane McMahon during SmackDown was a spectacular booking decision from WWE.

WWE turned a superstar into a top face in the matter of minutes on SmackDown. All it took was one promo.

Kevin Owens promo on Shane McMahon was arguably the best promo of WWE in 2019 so far. In fact, it was one of the best promos I can remember seeing in the company in quite some time. It had the perfect amount of edge for the era we’re in, or at least slowly shifting into.

Owens expressed everything that a large portion of WWE’s fan base has been thinking for quite some time about Shane McMahon’s storyline. The time-sucking nature of his promos, the unfulfilled promise that those promos were seemingly betraying, none of it was left out from Owens’ rant.

The result became arguably Kevin Owens best moment in WWE since the infamous “Festival of Friendship” such a long time ago. Owens came away SmackDown looking like the veritable Stone Cold Steve Austin of 2019. From that uncensored promo to the surprise stunner on McMahon to close the show, Owens felt like the ultimate anti-hero.

It’s a role that fits Owens perfectly too. Since his time in Ring of Honor ended, I’ve been dying to see what KO could do if he were given that same kind of creative direction in WWE.

He was the perfect embodiment of the “tweener” character in ROH that has been largely missing from WWE TV lately. I can’t help but think the sky is the limit for him now that he can recapture that part of his persona.

To think, all of this was possible because of those Shane McMahon promos too. You know, the ones that never seemed to leave our TVs. The ones that made Owens promo so satisfying to hear for fans. Those terrible promos.

Sure, that doesn’t validate WWE overusing them like they did. This same storyline could have easily taken place with just half of the time spent each week on McMahon, and still retained the same edge.

Nevertheless, I commend WWE for making lemonade out of lemons with good ole Shane O’Mac’s storyline. For that alone, it was a game changer of a segment. It gives WWE a clear direction for McMahon’s storyline, while elevating one of their most talented superstars to an entirely new level.

Next. Extreme Rules could elevate Ricochet to new heights. dark

Heck, it even makes me look forward to seeing Shane McMahon’s next promo. That’s quite the set of accomplishments for one opening segment on SmackDown.