WWE Clash of Champions: Kevin Owens' WWE highlights so far
Universal Champion has never been far from the titles...
Sunday 25 September 2016 16:56, UK
Kevin Owens' recent WWE Universal Title triumph was just the latest in a string of achievements since he swapped the independent scene for wrestling's biggest company.
Before The Canadian defends Raw's ultimate prize at WWE Clash of Champions on Sunday night - you can watch the event live on Sky Sports Box Office from 1am - we chart his WWE career so far.
The dynamic debut
Having more than honed his craft on the independent scene as Kevin Steen - including winning the Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla world titles, as well as tag-team belts with Sami Zayn, who then wrestled under a mask as El Generico - Owens was signed by WWE in August 2014. The Canadian made his debut for the company at NXT TakeOver: R Evolution in December of that year, turning from fan favourite to hated villain in the space of two hours. Owens downed CJ Parker with a Pop-Up Powerbomb in the night's opening fight, despite breaking his nose in the process, but stunned NXT fans at the close of the show when he blasted long-time friend Zayn onto the ring apron after his countryman had beaten Neville to win the NXT Championship for the first time.
Winning the NXT Title
Owens' attack on Zayn was not a one-off. So incensed was the champion at his pal turning on him, Zayn agreed to put his title on the line against his fellow Quebecer at TakeOver: Rival on February 11, 2015. Bad move. Two months to the day that Owens made his NXT bow, he won the NXT crown when he Powerbombed a discombobulated Zayn five times to earn victory via technical knockout. Owens would go on to successfully defend the gold against Finn Balor and Zayn but his reign ended at 143 days when he lost to Balor at WWE's Independence Day 'Beast in the East' show in Japan, Balor securing the pinfall after hitting a second Coup de Grace. Owens also came up short in his rematch - a ladder bout at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn - but by then he had bigger fish to fry…
Beating John Cena
Owens had made a surprise appearance on the May 18 edition Raw while still NXT Champion, with The Prizefighter seemingly poised to answer Cena's United States Championship Open Challenge. Not so. Instead of competing, Owens attacked The Cenation Leader and disrespectfully trod on his title. An official bout between the two was set for the Elimination Chamber event, albeit with no championships on the line, with Owens tasting victory in his first match on WWE's main roster when he nailed Cena with a second Pop-Up Powerbomb. The 15-time world champion exacted revenge, though, and won their trio of matches by a 2-1 margin, following a triumph at Money in the Bank and then another at Battleground when his United States Championship was up for grabs.
Two-time Intercontinental Champion
Having battled Cena and then defeated fellow technical titan Cesaro at SummerSlam, Owens set his sights on then Intercontinental Champion Ryback, before beating him at Night of Champions thanks to a rake to the eyes and that trusty Pop-Up Powerbomb. The Pop-Up Powerbomb, however, wasn't so trusty at Tables, Ladders and Chairs in December as Dean Ambrose countered the move with a hurricanrana and rolled-up Owens to claim the championship. Owens failed to regain the belt on Smackdown and at the Royal Rumble but he was able to nab it on Raw in February after winning a Fatal-Five Way which also included Stardust, Tyler Breeze and Dolph Ziggler. The Canadian was dethroned at WrestleMania, though - Zack Ryder earning his 'Mania moment in a Ladder Match.
Becoming Universal Champion
A world championship had eluded Owens in November 2015 when he was dumped out at the semi-final stages of a tournament to crown a successor to the injured Seth Rollins as company kingpin, Roman Reigns the man to shatter his dreams. Yet, he overcame Reigns and Rollins - with the surprise help of Triple H, it must be said - to claim the Universal Title Balor had vacated a night after winning it at SummerSlam due to a debilitating shoulder injury. Owens eliminated Big Cass from the Fatal Four-Way with a frog splash before Triple H arrived to Pedigree Reigns and allow his protégé Rollins to pin him. Yet, any thoughts that Rollins and The Game were in cahoots quickly evaporated as the WWE's chief operating officer Pedigreed The Architect to help Owens claim Raw's top title.
The feud with Zayn
There has been one constant in Owen's pre-WWE, NXT and main roster career - Sami Zayn. The rivals rekindled their feud at the Royal Rumble in January when surprise entrant Zayn eliminated Owens from the 30-man match, before Zayn suplexed his foe onto a ladder at WrestleMania as Ryder pinched Owens' Intercontinental strap. Zayn and Owens have since squared off in two singles matches at WWE pay-per-view's, Owens knocking off Zayn at Payback in May with a Pop-Up Powerbomb and Zayn nailing a memorable and emotional win at Battleground in July when he connected with two Helluva Kicks. The Raw Superstars are battling other opponents at present but it would be a major surprise - and a major disappointment - if their paths didn't cross again.
Watch WWE Clash of Champions from 1am on Sunday night (Monday morning) live on Sky Sports Box Office and Sky Sports HD Box Office.
You will also be able to follow all of the Clash of Champions action with our live blog on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.
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