First off, it’s great news for Kevin Owens to be getting a WWE title match as the first opportunity he gets following his return from injury. How can one help though not to have their heart go out to Kofi Kingston. This is a massive blow to not only Kofi but the entire New Day. This is not at all an indictment on Kevin Owens – it’s a statement of how everyone in the WWE universe is going to resonate and feel for Kofi Kingston. Vince McMahon surely orchestrated this on purpose to incite an emotional response from the crowd. Maybe he will elect to give Kofi a championship match down the road in the coming months.
It is doubtful that Kevin Owens will wind up facing Daniel Bryan for the WWE title at WrestleMania (it may be John Cena), but it’s encouraging to see Vince pushing him again as a legitimate title contender. A couple other matches to potentially look forward to at WrestleMania are AJ Styles and Randy Orton as well as Rey Mysterio vs Andrade. The latter may be one to keep an eye out for because it has the potential to steal the show, even though it is destined not to be a very publicized match.
It also needs to be noted that Kevin Owens became the first superstar that I’ve seen since Stone Cold Steve Austin to beat an opponent with a Stunner. Tom Phillips’ commentary was great when he said, “Oh Hell Yeah”. I am extremely impressed with Kevin Owens’ new demeanor in the ring as well as backstage in his interview. He seems extremely focused and confident, and I think Vince is attracted to that. He is clearly focused on his wife and two kids as the primary priority. Kevin looks like he is very healthy stage of his life after having five months at home with his wife and kids. He has reconnected with what is most important in his life.