Why Kevin Owens Will Bring Out The Best in WWE Champion Kofi Kingston

Kevin Owens’ betrayal of Kofi Kingston was a surprising moment for WWE fans. But of course, it probably shouldn’t have been. After all, KO has always been a heel on the main roster. It wasn’t until very recently that the former Universal champion flirted with the notion of a babyface turn. But from the moment he did, he popped the WWE Universe, who were anxious to see him finally make a change.

The fact that he joined The New Day didn’t hurt his cause. The trio of Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E remain the most popular faction in WWE today. Then there’s the fact that Owens is a very likable guy, which also helped his cause. But this is not about how over Owens could’ve been as a face. This is about what he will bring out of the current WWE champion.

This is precisely what Kofi Kingston needed. His WWE Championship victory at WrestleMania 35 was obviously the greatest moment of his career. It was also a dream come true, as Kofi has always fought for a top spot but never quite reached it. Finally, the African-born Superstar had made history and he did so with the full support of WWE behind him. 

But that was not the end of the story. Kingston had yet to begin a program with his first championship challenger. In fact, no one knew who that challenger would be. So while fans were indeed still celebrating Kingston’s title win, the obvious question of what happened next was surely being asked.

Watch Kevin Owens betray The New Day!

Of course The New Day continued to make it fun in the meantime. Even with Big E on the shelf due to surgery, the fact is that the power of positivity was very much alive and well. Every time Kofi and Xavier appeared together, fans were reminded of why they love The New Day. Every time they saw the WWE Championship around Kofi’s waist, they were reminded of just how important his new role was.

So when Kevin Owens entered the picture, it should have sent up a red flag for anyone paying attention. Owens is a great heel and he always has been. Just his presence alone should have been enough to make everyone nervous and leery of what was coming next. But instead, KO suckered many fans who just wanted to enjoy him for a change. 

But the fun and games are over. Kevin Owens is all business now and when he gets into this mode, there’s very little that can stop him. Despite how entertaining he is and no matter how funny he can be, Owens is a villain at his core. It’s what he does best and when he’s on his game, there are very few that can outperform him. Kevin is a scoundrel and this new heel run is only just beginning.

Watch The New Day’s reaction after Kofi won the WWE Title!

The truth is, this is indeed a good thing for Kofi Kingston. Yes, The New Day is mindless humor and mindless humor can be hysterical. But eventually, the bell has to ring and the comedy takes a backseat. It’s important for Kofi to focus and for his character to finally take this championship run seriously.

He really has no other choice now, as Kevin Owens is out for blood. KO wants the WWE Championship and he will likely stop at nothing to get it. So the real test for Kofi now is getting on task and putting himself into beast mode, just as Owens has done. The time has come for Kingston to prove he can handle the pressure and attack it head-on. He will surely do just that.

But he will have some help along the way. This is not only Kofi’s chance to take his game to a whole new level. It’s Kevin Owens’ chance to pull the absolute best out of Kingston. Kofi must rise to the occasion and match the intensity that Owens will bring to the feud. In doing so, Kingston will prove that he does have a whole other gear that he’s not even had the opportunity to tap into yet.

Watch The New Day backstage before Owens turned!

The best wrestlers bring the best out of their opponents. It’s the only way to not only get each other over, but to get the match and the rivalry over, as well. Each Superstar trying to one-up the other is what creates memorable moments that last forever. Kofi has 11 good WWE years under his belt. But now is the time for him to kick into overdrive. The company put the strap on him and now it’s time for him to play the part and earn it.

Kevin Owens will help that process along. The fact that KO is such a despicable heel will only help the situation because the more evil that Owens becomes, the more heroic Kofi will become. From a distance, it looks as though Owens is a bigger star than Kingston because of KO’s time on the main event scene. But that will change very soon.

Kofi wanted the opportunity to show what he can do in a top spot. Now that he has it, he will not waste it. This is the moment WWE begins to write Kofi Kingston’s main event legacy. But it cannot begin without Kevin Owens, who will do his part to get Kofi over. All Kofi has to do is fight his heart out and never stop despite how tough it gets. But that’s what Kofi Kingston has always done and no one does it better.

 

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live