Will Kevin Owens Win The WWE Title... NOW? | Notsam Wrestling Update
Sam Roberts discusses the upcoming WWE Championship match between Kevin Owens and CM Punk on SmackDown in Toronto, arguing that Kevin Owens should win the title. He analyzes the rivalry's depth, CM Punk's manipulative heel behavior in promos, and explains how a short-term title reign for Owens could benefit multiple storylines going forward.
Summary
Sam Roberts dedicates his Not Sam Wrestling update to analyzing the Kevin Owens versus CM Punk WWE Championship match scheduled for SmackDown in Toronto. He explains how this rivalry developed through only two weeks of segments since Owens returned at SummerSlam after a 17-month absence. Roberts details GM Nick Aldis's storyline of negotiating Owens's return and placing him in a number one contenders match, paralleling how Aldis previously negotiated CM Punk's arrival to SmackDown with a title match promise.
Roberts extensively analyzes the character dynamics between the wrestlers, noting that CM Punk treats Owens with condescension and disappointment, discussing his body and work ethic rather than specific grievances. He identifies this as manipulative behavior similar to what Punk displayed with Cody Rhodes, using psychological tactics like gaslighting. In contrast, Owens's complaints are specific instances of mistreatment. Roberts argues that this dynamic makes CM Punk the villain and Kevin Owens the babyface despite Owens being a heel in his previous appearances.
Regarding the match outcome, Roberts makes a passionate case for Kevin Owens to win the title, emphasizing that this would provide emotional payoff after only three weeks since Owens's return. He proposes a long-term booking strategy: Owens holds the title briefly until Money in the Bank on October 10th, where Sami Zayn interferes to cost him the title, which CM Punk then wins back. This structure would establish multiple heel characters while giving fans an immediate satisfying moment. Roberts contrasts this with merely having Punk retain in a dirty manner, arguing that taking the title from Owens is worse than retaining it and would more effectively establish Punk as a villain. He compares this to the Chelsea Green moment from the previous Friday, where giving fans what they wanted benefited multiple people in the story.
About this episode
<p>Listen to Notsam Wrestling LIVE Mon-Thurs from 12-2pm et on WWE Radio - SiriusXM channel 156</p><p><br /></p><p>Sam Roberts talks about Kevin Owens and CM Punk WWE Title match on Smackdown</p><p><br /></p><p>To get a Sam Roberts figure - you can order this WWE set from Amazon - http://notsam.com/figure</p><p>With all four figures, you will be able to build your Sam Roberts with both heads!</p><p><br /></p><p>Subscribe to the show YouTube page at YouTube.com/NotsamWrestling</p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>
Key Insights
- Roberts argues that CM Punk's condescending attitude toward Kevin Owens in promos uses gaslighting and psychological manipulation similar to his tactics with Cody Rhodes, such as questioning whether Owens is angry because of what Punk said or because Owens feels that way about himself.
- The speaker claims that despite Kevin Owens being presented as a heel during his last appearance, the promos in the past two weeks have established him as the clear babyface and CM Punk as the villain in this rivalry.
- Roberts contends that having CM Punk win the title from Kevin Owens with help is significantly different and more damaging to Punk's character than retaining it with help, as it demonstrates Punk's desperation to beat someone he doesn't respect.
- The analyst proposes that the optimal booking path involves Kevin Owens winning the title on August 21st, then Sami Zayn costing him the title at Money in the Bank on October 10th, which would establish multiple heel characters while giving immediate fan satisfaction.
- Roberts suggests that the post-SummerSlam to pre-Survivor Series period (August through early November) represents a unique window where the WWE Championship can move between competitors without building toward WrestleMania or other major storyline arcs.
Topics
Transcript
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