Right out of the chute, kudos to WWE for holding back John Cena Monday night. With Brock Lesnar coming back, there really was no need for Cena to be on Raw, and it helped sell the beating he took from Kevin Owens after their match Sunday night. Owens took advantage of being on Raw without Cena to run down the United States Champion, calling him disrespectful in how he spoke to Owens after the match. It was a great piece of storytelling, with Owens, being offended that Cena tried to tell him that he belonged in WWE after their second match. Owens bristled that he knew that the moment I stepped in a WWE ring and that he didnt need Cenas endorsement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3NN67U0hW8 Its amazing how Owens can justify all of his actions very simply and without reservation. He managed Monday to validate his post-match attack and ring apron powerbomb as necessary because of the disrespect Cena showed him. In his mind, Owens is the good family man doing right against a guy who has the wool pulled over everyones eyes. Its really an interesting dynamic compared to the typical good guy/bad guy trope. Week by week, Owens continues to win fans over with both his in-ring performances and work on the microphone (and the occasional powerbomb of a musical act). He announced Monday that he wants a U.S. title shot. He could be a fixture in WWE for some time to come, and hes just getting started.
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.
