Kevin Owens on Changes He Wants to See Implemented After Smackdown Moves to FOX, His Use of the Stone Cold Stunner, Playing a Villain

– Tuscon.com recently spoke to WWE Superstar Kevin Owens, who spoke on a variety of topics. Below are some highlights.

Kevin Owens on the impact of the Wild Card rule: “I kind of wish we kept things more separate, personally, but now I have the opportunity to go to Raw if I’m asked to or want to. And I love Raw, so why not? It’s an interesting opportunity to get a bit more exposure to get on any given week. That’s cool. You never know who is going to show up where. There is a cool surprise element. At the same time, I do enjoy Raw and SmackDown having two separate, distinctive rosters. I can go either way on it. I’ll see how it works out over the next few weeks here.”

Kevin Owens on his recent injury rehab: “A lot of rehab. You work hard to come back as soon as you can, but at the same time, WWE and the doctors tell you that you’re safe and do everything you can to be properly rehabilitated. It’s a bit of a mind game there. Sometimes you have to pull yourself back because there is a such a thing as too much rehab and just doing too much when you are trying to recuperate from a surgery like that.

I would say at the point I went to get these surgeries my mind needed as much of a break as my body did. I’d been going full tilt for four years from the time I showed up on the main roster to then — May 2015 to October 2018. It was really nonstop. I remember when I signed with WWE my daughter was three months old. When I came home in October, she was four-and-a-half. I had to take a step back for my own sanity. The time off — as good as it was for my knees and physically — it was so beneficial mentally. I’m the type of person who, when I’m not with my wife and my kids and thinking about them, I only think about this. To a point I’d say some people would say it could be a detriment, and it plays against me. That’s just how I am.”

Kevin Owens on playing a villain: “I don’t really think that I’m that much of a villain on TV. I’m just a guy who is trying to do what is best for his family just like Kofi is trying to do the best with his family. That moment he got at WrestleMania was awesome with his wife and kids. I want that, too. I don’t know, I don’t think I’m a bad guy for trying to get there. It’s all about perspective I’d say. People can judge. Even in NXT, yeah, you stabbed your best friend in the back, but I did it to make my life better. Guess what? He is a wrestler, so he should know stuff like that is going to happen. I enjoy the shades of grey with what we do more than anything else.”

Kevin Owens on using the Stone Cold Stunner and if he will keep using it: “I was using that move because I love it. It’s easy to do and hit. Nobody has done it justice in many years in WWE, and I felt like I could be the guy. I asked Steve [Austin] if I could many years ago, and he said he was more than happy to tell me “yeah” and do whatever I want. No wrestling move belongs to anyone really, but if the “Stone Cold” Stunner belongs to anybody, it’s definitely Steve Austin. Whether if I’ll do it now or not, I just do what feels right. If it feels right to do it, I’ll do it.”

Kevin Owens on if the atmosphere of the locker room has changed since he left: “There is a big difference between the Raw locker room and the SmackDown locker room. At least, there used to be. When we first did the brand extension, I was on Raw and then went to SmackDown. I could feel the difference between those two rosters. It was dramatic. I came back to Raw, then the differences were evident. I felt more at home on Raw. Now I’m back on SmackDown and still kind of feel like I belong on Raw, but less than before. I guess what I’m trying to say is, since my injury, I don’t think the locker room has changed that much… the SmackDown locker room feels the same as it did before I left to go back to Raw.”

Kevin Owens on what he’d like to see change after the Smackdown move to Fox: “I think a good idea would be to implement these incredible pieces on everyone that have ended up on YouTube. The digital team is so great, they are unsung heroes. These guys create these incredible pieces on people and characters, they put them on YouTube, and they are so good. The same thing with the Network, like with WWE 24 and 365 or Chronicle. I feel like we should implement these concepts and put them on TV because they would make for great television and complement our TV shows well. I’d like to see that happen moving forward.”