10 Most Embarrassing Wrestling Botches Of 2021 (So Far)
6. Handcuffs Work Perfectly
Roman Reigns (with Paul Heyman) vs. Kevin Owens
WWE Championship
WWE Royal Rumble 2021
Despite being one of the main rosters most skilled talents, Kevin Owens often feels overlooked in the larger landscape of WWE. It was invigorating for wrestling fans to see Owens as SmackDown’s number one contender for the WWE Championship, even if we all knew he had little-to-no chance of ending Reigns’ run.
With the stipulation set as Last Man Standing, the pressure was on for both men to deliver a clash that could live up to the legendary bouts that have made use of the gimmick. The match had many spots that it could have been remembered for, such as Reigns taking Owens out with a golf cart and Owen’s using a forklift to hit a Senton Bomb through a table. However, the clash was overshadowed by the chaotic finish.
Owens used Reigns’ own handcuffs against him, securing 'The Tribal Chief' to the bottom of a lighting trellis, leaving Heyman fumbling with the key to release his charge. In an awkward on the fly call, the referee simply stopped the ten count until Reigns was released. Dave Meltzer revealed the issues were related to Heyman being unaware that the key whole was on the wrong side.