10 Rare photos of Kevin Owens you must see

Has to be the only person in history to sport that expression when meeting the RattlesnakeKevin Owens has risen in prominence since the day he stepped foot in the WWE that has seen him win the NXT Championship two months into his debut, feud with the top dog of the company John Cena, amass two Intercontinental title reigns and eventually become the WWE Universal Champion. That is an envious start and the unlucky bunch of the roster would surely nod to that.What sets the Prizefighter apart from rest of the fizzled out pushes, though, is his experience and the pure gift of the business he's endowed with. KO is a naturally gifted pro wrestler and you can't teach that!The term old-school heel gets thrown around a lot when KO is being talked of, and it is apt considering the effortless heat he draws in spite being an indy darling.KO is more than capable on the mic, exceptional inside the ring and has a character that can draw heat at the drop of a hat. In other words, he has all the ingredients of a perfect WWE superstar (if you neglect the looks department). Yes, he's bulky in stature, but the stuff KO does in the ring would give the high flyers a run for their money.Having had his first match on his sixteenth birthday in 2000, KO is a certified veteran who has been around for a while and seen the product evolve over time. Throughout his 16-year career, KO has had a host of memorable moments captured in images, many that are known and some that you may not have seen before.Here are the 10 rare photos of Mr.Wrestling, Kevin Owens:

#11 Honorable mentions

Kevin Owens is a family guy and here is a photo of him with his wife Karina Steen, who herself could make for a good on-air personality for the WWE.

This photo of Owens with his daughter Élodie Leila is just a thing of beauty and perfectly encapsulates the man that is Kevin Owens.

#10 The indy darlings

Long before NXT became the proving grounds for becoming a WWE superstar, Ring of Honor was the go-to promotion for the WWE whenever they looked out for talents to lap up. ROH had the hottest indy talents coupled with breathtaking wrestling and storylines to back it up with, and Kevin Steen and Bryan Danielson were the best of the best from the long lineage of ROH products.

The backstory of the rise of Bryan and Steen into the company, despite not having the prototypical look (read Mr.McMahon’s desirable look) is what the pro wrestling business has evolved into.

The wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment is back to the fore thanks to these workhorses and many others who’ve toiled hard in the independent circuit for years to eventually see their WWE dream come to fruition.

#9 A youthful KO

Having developed a desire to become a pro-wrestler at the age of 11 after watching HBK and Diesel go at it at WrestleMania XI, KO didn’t waste any time in going for his dream. By the age of 16, KO made his wrestling debut and went on to work for various Canadian promotions before signed up by Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW).

In the years to follow, fans in countless gyms, basketball courts, and arenas echoed with ‘Kill Steen Kill’ or ‘Fight Steen Fight’ chants as KO went on to create a name for himself as an indy legend. The best part of it all is that the best phase in his career – the WWE chapter – is just in its premature stages and the best is hopefully yet to come.

#8 The Cowboy KO running riot

This one’s the most recent of the lot and it again showcased what KO is all about. His ringside anecdotes and the little things he does such mercilessly going off on Michael Cole and Byron Saxton are the better and the fresher bouts of programming WWE dished out.

The cowboy Owens was on a complete rampage in this one with JBL’s iconic hat perfectly setting the spot up. This is what sets Owens and his character apart from the rest – he’s a complete entertainer who focusses on the little things that have a massive impact in the big picture.

#7 With NXT\'s godfather

The late great Dusty Rhodes’s invaluable contributions in polishing NXT talents and the brand as a whole is what the business is all about – giving back in some capacity. Here, KO shares a candid moment with Rhodes when he was down at NXT as the champion.

A solid indy background isn't enough to guarantee success in the WWE, and Rhodes did his veteran best to mould raw talents into future WWE megastars. Rhodes used to call the NXT stars his ‘NXT kids’ and his sad demise ignited a desire to live up to his expectations in Owens and every upcoming rookie.

Rhodes was a father figure to the prospects and that is just another level of legendary.

#6 With the perrenial rivals

This image may be known to many, but for those who don’t, the priceless advice Austin gave KO in the earlier stages of his career was – in KO’s word – life changing in epic proportions.

When KO was asked on what the advice was, he said, ”And he said 'just run your mouth. Just never stop running your mouth. Just learn how to talk.' And I took that to heart from that moment on.”

The Great One and the Prizefighter in a single frame is just perfect. This photo was taken backstage during one of Rock’s once-in-blue-moon appearances n RAW, which has the Brahma Bull at his vibrant best along with Owens sporting the customary look you’d find in every KO photo.

#5 The emotional Zayn send-off

This particular image holds immense emotional value as it marked the last match of El Generico (Sami Zayn) or Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG) before he set foot for the WWE. Sharing the PWG ring with his proemial mate KO, the PWG fans – who are some of the most loyal and vocal fans in the business – were left teary-eyed by the heartbreaking send-off.

The Generico-Steen rivalry is the stuff of what indy legends are made of, and it was so damn good that WWE had no option but to continue it. Be it ROH, PWG, NXT or the main roster, the Zayn-Owens dynamic is timeless. Another chapter of the feud is set to be written at Wrestlemania after Zayn returned to resume his feud with Owens on the recent episode of RAW.

The main roster fans are in for a treat!

#4 The future past

Arguably two of the best heels on the roster at the moment – Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins put on a barnburner of a match for Ring of Honor under their previous ring names, Kevin Steen and Tyler Black. It was a bloody affair that ending up being a wrestling clinic after the final bell rang.

Owens and Rollins are two of the greatest ROH exports in the WWE, who have created a niche for themselves successfully in the most cut-throat promotion in the world. It is certainly a given that these two men would eventually lock horns some day – a feud every wrestling fanatic would be eagerly looking forward to.

#3 Hot Rod and Mr. Wrestling

Ask any aspiring heel on who they look up to and very few would leave out the legendary Roddy Piper off their list. Every, and I mean every heel in the game takes a page or two out of Hot Rod’s book.

The origins of this image were little known earlier, but it was later revealed to be from an upstart wrestling promotion in Montreal, Canada named TOW Wrestling. A segment between Hot Rod and Mr. Wrestling would make the IWC drool on any given day and this was no different.

Check out the segment in the video below:

#2 The indy stand-outs

Now this one’s gold! Kevin Owens and Adrain Neville – two of the best grapplers in the world in the same frame during the adolescent stages of their respective careers. The matches that the two have had in the WWE are nothing in comparison to their encounters from the indies.

Kevin Steen and Pac made a name for themselves for their unique styles of wrestling and overall packaging, and after years of toiling it hard in various promotions around the world, the two were picked up by the greatest company in the world – a dream deservedly fulfilled for the two future faces of the WWE.

Neville looks like the nerd who was inappropriately molested and forced to pose in this one. Well, he’s one angry mean dude now....so I’ll take my words back.

#1 Picture perfect

Family – the single biggest driving force behind Kevin Owen's character. KO's actions have always had a direct relation to his family as he has always stated that he needs to do what he has to to support his loved bunch.

In this photo, KO is seen with his son Owen (named after the legendary Owen Hart), daughter Élodie Leila and wife Karina Steen in a picture perfect moment. Having being engulfed in the spotlight of WWE TV, witnessing the superstars with their dear ones is always an adorable treat and it’s no different in this case too.