WWE: We absolutely need to see Kevin Owens vs. Buddy Murphy
During the “Town Hall” meeting on the episode of WWE SmackDown after Extreme Rules, Buddy Murphy decided to call out Kevin Owens in support of his boss Shane McMahon. Here’s why that match needs to happen.
In 2018, Buddy Murphy was one of the absolute best wrestlers in the company, owning the WWE Network exclusive show 205 Live with his ridiculous athleticism and commanding presence as the brand’s top heel. His rivalries with Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander told some of wrestling’s best stories last year, and fans were overwhelmed with joy when he won the Cruiserweight Championship in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia at WWE Super Show-Down in October.
Murphy then went on to have a wonderful run with the title until WrestleMania 35, when he dropped the championship to his former best friend Tony Nese. Following ‘Mania, Murphy was called up to the main roster, joining SmackDown Live during the Superstar Shakeup.
And WWE have yet to take advantage of Murphy’s gifts on SmackDown.
That could be changing quickly, though. On the episode of SmackDown following Extreme Rules, Murphy finally played a significant role. He told Shane McMahon that he wants to fight Kevin Owens, who has been embroiled in a rivalry with the WWE executive. Shane was clearly impressed by Murphy’s vigor, and this match absolutely needs to happen.
More from SmackDown
- Randy Orton signs with SmackDown to go after The Bloodline
- Potential Challengers for Roman Reigns before WrestleMania
- WWE SmackDown Predictions: AJ Styles Will Help Randy Orton
- WWE SmackDown Predictions: Street Profits Will Dethrone Judgment Day
- SmackDown reminded us of how pointless the brand split is
Right now, Owens is producing the best work of his career, which is saying something since he’s always been one of the world’s best. Owens’s excellent matches with Seth Rollins are a great indicator of the type of match he and Buddy Murphy could have on SmackDown Live in the near future, perhaps even before SummerSlam.
While Owens seems more likely to face Shane at SummerSlam, Murphy vs. Owens would be a perfect match on weekly television. The two could get 10-15 minutes to put on a brutal, fast-paced match that showcases Murphy’s athleticism, and heel-ish ruthlessness. And in all honesty, Murphy could have benefited more from being Shane’s stooge than Drew McIntyre, who is already supposed to be a main eventer.
Murphy is on the shortlist of the best in-ring performers in WWE, as fans of 205 Live can attest. Main roster fans will quickly realize how brilliant Murphy is in the ring, just as they’ve taken to Ali as a heroic babyface after his days of starring on 205 Live.
Owens would presumably win this match to build momentum towards a bigger program, as he feels like one of WWE’s top stars. Once again, KO has caught lightning in a bottle, except this time he’s doing it as a babyface the fans can relate to. Murphy would be a great foil for him inside the ring, and a match with Owens could do a lot in putting over Murphy as one of SmackDown’s best up-and-coming heels, along with Andrade.
Next. Could Ali win the IC Title at SummerSlam?. dark
If anyone has future seven-time Intercontinental Champion written all over them, it’s Murphy. He can be one of those wrestlers like Mr. Perfect, Chris Jericho, Kofi Kingston, or Dolph Ziggler (in his prime!) who made the IC Title feel special with his in-ring work, and a killer SmackDown match with Owens would be a step in that direction.