Kevin Owens Nearly Returned to NXT to Confront Johnny Gargano

Kevin Owens' love for professional wrestling nearly brought him back to NXT for a memorable segment with one of NXT's top stars, Johnny Gargano.

Owens talked about what had been planned on a recent edition of the Talk Is Jericho podcast. Owens, who now lives in Orlando, explained how he is still a fan at heart and still enjoys attending wrestling shows.

"I just like being around wrestling a lot, you know? So if my wife and kids are busy and there's a wrestling show around, I'm definitely gonna go," Owens explained.

Once this past summer, he had planned on attending an NXT event and had spoken with management about doing something (possibly on screen) with Gargano.

"Like even this summer when [my family was] about to move but I was gonna come out here on a Thursday before we moved just to kinda get things settled in before my wife and the kids get here. So I couldn't come because something came up at the last minute so I didn't end up coming to Orlando at all week. But I had already figured out that maybe Thursday or maybe even Friday there was an NXT show that night in Fort Pierce or something and I had already talked to Matt Bloom, I had talked to Hunter (Triple H), 'I'll show up at the NXT show and I'll do something with Johnny Gargano.'"

"So it was all planned but then that morning I had to call Bloom and tell him I couldn't make it because something happened — I think my daughter was sick or something so I had to stay home. But I was gonna come here, run all my errands for the apartment […] and I was gonna drive three hours to the NXT show."

Jericho pressed on and asked Owens what he was going to do at the show before the story had to be nixed.

"Yeah I was gonna do a promo or I think what we had planned was Gargano was gonna have a match and then start talking about what Tommaso Ciampa did to him about turning, his friend turning on him and I was gonna come out. [I'd say] 'Tommaso Ciampa knows what to do' and I think Gargano and I were gonna get into a little scuffle — it would have been a nice little treat for people at that show."

While this certainly would have been a memorable storyline, these two will probably have a chance to work together down the line on the WWE's main roster. They have worked together in the past on the independent circuit.

Gargano is expected to be one of NXT's main event stars throughout 2018, but there's no doubt he'll be called-up eventually and have the opportunity to become an even bigger star. With people like Kevin Owens wanting to work with him, there's bound to be some good opportunities in his future.

What this also illustrated is not only Owens' love for the business, but his willingness to help out other talent. One day when he hangs up his boots for good, Owens could likely excel as a coach and trainer for WWE.

[H/T to Talk Is Jericho and Still Real To Us for the transcription.]