10 Best Raw Segments Of 2017 So Far

In an era where heels frequently receive applause and cheers, the amount of heat Owens received in this segment is a genuine accomplishment. With the arena in darkness and a sole spotlight on him, Owens absolutely commanded the microphone as he boasted, mocked, and threatened his way through a fantastically cold-blooded promo. The boos he received were probably audible from space. It's hard to imagine a more effective way to start an episode of Raw than this.

Owens managed to build himself up as a genuine threat to the all-conquering Goldberg with the wise decision to highlight the very real issue that Goldberg can't wrestle for long periods at a time. It seems naive looking back, but in the moment, Owens genuinely created the impression that he might outsmart and outlast the most destructive man on the roster, his confidence perfectly twinned with a calculated, dismissive arrogance. Owens heightened this even further by tearing down Da Man's aura, referring to him as merely 'Bill' and turning his 'You're Next!' catchphrase into a perfectly-delivered "You're... nothing'".

Despite the brilliance of his verbal attack on Goldberg, what the audience really wanted was for Owens to address his assault on his former best friend Chris Jericho. Like any good villain should, Owens refused to give the audience what they wanted. He began, "Now, as far as Chris Jericho goes..." at the end of his tirade, but threw his microphone away disdainfully and walked away to a cacophony of jeers and boos. It's an overused word in WWE, but the moment truly was electrifying.