7 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (8 Aug)

2. Ezekiel Gets Wrecked

Kevin Owens Ezekiel
WWE.com

Perhaps Kevin Owens' beatdown of Ezekiel could have been more emphatic. KO twisting the knife after putting the former Elias down with a single apron powerbomb, maybe by attacking him while he was being stretchered out, would have rubber-stamped this return to 'Prizefighter' form as a truly killer Raw moment.

Regardless, this is nitpicking. Owens took one of WWE's most one-note gimmicks and put it in the ground last night. The only man capable of taking the dreadful Ezekiel material and making it watchable jumped his foe at the bell, smashed him up in the corner, threw him around outside, and then hit the apron powerbomb that was once such a deadly weapon for him. Simple, effective, and ruthless.

Later, when approached by Kevin Patrick, Owens called the Ezekiel mauling an opportunity to remind everybody that Raw remains The Kevin Owens Show. Make no mistake, this was Triple H recognising that his former NXT Champion brings to the table in his most aggressive form, and bodes extremely well for KO's fortunes under this new regime.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.