Ranking What Was Really The Best Wrestling Debut Every Year 1990-2021

7. 2015 - Kevin Owens

The only person on this list to win across two consecutive years, it's astounding how badly WWE botched so much so repeatedly over the last six to create its own competition.

Owens was positioned as an instant megastar on Monday Night RAW in 2015. Using his trademark disingenuous tone as an menacing omen, he exchanged a tense and realistic promo volley with John Cena free of his usual goofy ha-ha comedy bullsh*t. This was intense, serious, potentially volatile drama as absorbing as it was much-needed.

WWE needed new stars and seemed to create one in Owens, who executed the sudden mid-sentence beat-down brilliantly and created what might have been an iconic image by stamping on Cena's United States Title.

Authored by Michael Sidgwick

Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!

First Posted On: 25th Aug 2021

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