In prisons, (or at least the ones on TV) the most destructive inmates get banished to solitary confinement. In WWE, they get sent to RAW.
According to the Wrestling Observer, WWE is mulling over the decision to move Kevin Owens to Monday nights after next week’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The implications of this prospective move are bountiful. We reported last week, that Kevin Owens will not only win at Hell in a Cell but in a gratuitous manner. Owens is expected to lay a considerable beat down on Shane which would only enhance the Kevin Owens vs. The McMahons storyline. The extra punishment is likely to be so bad that Triple H will emerge as the McMahon family’s vengeful gladiator. This could happen on RAW or SmackDown.
Even further, Stephanie McMahon is believed to be returning to RAW at some point this fall. With John Cena and Brock Lesnar out of the picture, WWE will need to create intrigue. This is why the Shield is reuniting and why Stephanie would return.
Logically speaking, WWE has plenty of incentive to move Owens to RAW. As a destructive, poisonous force, SmackDown officials may have no choice but to fire him or get rid of him via trade. WWE could package it as taking measure to keep Shane McMahon safe.
If this is indeed leading to a showdown with Triple H, WWE is going to want that theater on Monday nights. RAW is and always has been WWE’s most important program, so it’s an easy choice to move their best story to their most-watched show.
That said, If Owens does leave, it will create yet another large hole on SmackDown’s roster. Having already lost WWE Champions like Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, The Miz, Alexa Bliss and of course John Cena, the Blue Brand would again be void of a main eventer. Naturally, SmackDown would have to get some kind of compensation for the loss of Owens.
This still feels like a pretty tenuous rumor. Some of feel valid, while other pieces still do not fit. Owens going to RAW in the middle of WWE’s hottest program would be a clear underlining that SmackDown is and will always be a secondary priority. But WWE may be fine with that. Look no further than the arbitrary usage of the show for the past decade. It’s had a nice renaissance as of late but it could be time for RAW to flex its muscles.
