10 Quick Fixes For WWE’s Struggling Superstars

8. Kevin Owens - 'Relegation' To NXT

Al Snow Roman Reigns
WWE

When Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn lost to Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 34, they were banished from SmackDown Live! as per a stipulation inserted to end the pair's interminable rivalry with the authority figures. It had genuine stakes too, theoretically. Owens had raised the ire of former friend Stephanie McMahon by sticking the nut on her father Vince midway through 2017, so a move to Monday Night Raw was surely out of the question for the Montreal frenemies. Where else could they go?

Well, Raw, was where.

Showing disrespect for the angle and the performers, WWE's creative braintrust just sent them to the red brand anyway, apparently as the latest punishment for Kurt Angle by his malevolent McMahon manager. That Stephanie's husband Triple H just weeks later admitted he'd be happy to let main roster guys float across to NXT on occasion must have been heartbreaking for 'KO' to hear.

Like numerous Full Sail graduates, Owens' hasn't ever harnessed his incredible aura on the main stage in quite the same manner, but a return now would surely reignite a clearly-lost passion for the art-form. Can it get worse? His recent exchanges with Braun Strowman have certainly left him looking more than a little blue.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett