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Kevin Owens is looking for a fight
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On August 12, 2014, WWE announced the signing of Kevin Steen to its NXT division, joining the list of recent high-profile acquisitions in KENTA and Prince Devitt. Included in the announcement on the company website was a photo of Steen shaking hands with Paul "Triple H" Levesque, WWE's Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events and Creative, at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
In an interview with the official WWE website, Steen said that one of his appearances for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in California led to his signing with the sports-entertainment organization.
"William Regal came to a wrestling show I was taking part in in California almost a year ago exactly, I believe it was Aug. 31 of last year, and it was for PWG, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The match I had that night, I think did a lot," Steen said. "I had never met William Regal before; I didn’t know him at all. I had great respect for him already; he’s actually been one of my favorite wrestlers for quite some time. To have him watch my match and take the time to tell me what he thought and give me advice was already great, but then a couple days later, I was contacted to see if I wanted to be part of a tryout camp."
He continued, "Just to have somebody like William Regal have enough esteem for me to go as far as to actually recommend me for a tryout meant a lot. Then I went to the tryout camp and I got through it, and what made me stand out were the promos, where we basically had to sell ourselves verbally. That’s always been one of my strong suits—the way I talk and what I say. I make it count, and I think that went pretty far in getting me to where I am now."
The burly, outspoken, Package Piledriving Quebec native reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida on August 25, 2014 to begin adapting to the WWE style of wrestling. He was re-branded Kevin Owens, and vignettes hyping his debut in the developmental league began airing on the November 20, 2014 episode of WWE NXT. Owens explained that he had competed for fourteen years before making it to WWE, having faced and formed friendships with a number of WWE and NXT Superstars on the independent wrestling circuit along the way, and was continuously bypassed. Now that he was in NXT, Owens vowed to fight “anyone and everyone."
Owens wasted no time in making his presence felt in his debut at WWE NXT TakeOver: R Evolution on December 11, 2014. In the show's opening contest, Owens obliterated CJ Parker to the delight of NXT fans. The 14-year veteran left an even larger impression later in the night when he attacked newly crowned NXT Champion Sami Zayn following Zayn’s title victory over Adrian Neville. Though Owens initially appeared supportive of his longtime friend, his true intentions were revealed when he powerbombed Zayn onto the ring apron to establish himself as a villain. As a result of Owens' attack, Zayn had to be stretchered to the backstage area.
Following another ferocious attack upon Zayn's return, the NXT Champion refused to wrestle unless his next contest was against Owens. NXT General Manager William Regal granted the irate grappler's request, but only for a non-title match. When the time came to sign the contract, Owens said he was a prizefighter and would not face off against Zayn unless the NXT Championship was on the line. Desperate for revenge, Zayn agreed put his title on the line at WWE NXT TakeOver: Rival, setting the stage for one of the biggest matches in the history of NXT.
At WWE NXT TakeOver: Rival on February 11, 2015, Owens struck Zayn with multiple vicious powerbombs, forcing the official to stop the match by order of WWE medical staff. Owens was awarded the NXT Championship in shocking fashion as the audience at Full Sail University looked on.
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Kevin Owens lets his NXT Championship victory sink in
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- Hulk Hogan participated in a Q&A session Sunday on Facebook from South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Highlights are as follows:
Did you get injuries for your career? which is the most serious one?
"it has to be around about 80 injuries...the back had to be one of the worst."
What was more fun? Being the all american hero with the (then) wwf? Or one of the best heels ever with the nwo and wcw?
"There was nothing like the 80s. That red and yellow. #Hulkamania running wild was unbelievable."
What has been the best WWE experience of your life?
"Has to be when I came back home. It was when I was in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The audience was electric it felt like 100 jet planes. So loud HH."
Besides travel and wear and tear on your body, what would you say has been the hardest part of being a professional wrestler?
"The hardest thing is taking everything in your life and making that second. Work has to be first."
Are you a fan of NXT, and if so, who impresses you most down there?
"In a huge fan of NXT. Kevin Owens is the guy right now who made me believe again. When Kevin came in and stepped up, it made me say WOW. HH."
- Brock Lesnar is not advertised for Raw at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. There was speculation that Lesnar would be added to the show after missing his scheduled appearance on Raw three weeks ago. Outside of WrestleMania, his only remaining WWE appearances on his current contract are for the Mar. 23 Raw in Los Angeles, and the post-WrestleMania Raw in San Jose.
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