5 things we need to see during Kevin Owens' title reign

Kevin Owens won the Intercontinental title at Night of Champions.Most of us knew it was only a matter of time before Kevin Owens won a championship on WWE’s main roster. The former NXT champ has the talent, charisma and presence that are needed for a believable champion, and his first match was a win over John Cena.Now that he took the Intercontinental title off of Ryback at Night of Champions, his first title reign can begin. Here's a few things we need to see while he has the white and gold belt to make the run matter for his career -

#1 The belt should matter

Kevin Owens beat up best friend Sami Zayn on his way to the NXT title.

When Kevin Owens came up to the main roster, he was billed as something of a prize fighter who only went to battle on his own terms. While he's kept some of that, he's also developed a tendency to check out of matches.

That works for his character, but as a prize fighter, this belt needs to be his top priority. That could manifest itself in another gear in the ring or in the form of cheating to keep the belt, like the eye rake he used to win it, but he has to make it matter to him

#2 Stay a heel

Fans like Kevin Owens, no matter how big of a jerk his character is. The fact remains, he's one of the most talented performers in the ring, and his move set is eye-catching, particularly for a big guy. Also, for some, his “every man” appearance is easy to relate to.

That said, Owens is also very gifted as a heel. He flat-out knows how to be a jerk and draw heat, and that's very valuable to have, particularly as a champion. It will also come in handy when it's time to take the belt off him one day, so WWE needs to resist the urge to make him a face

#3 Important feuds

Recently, the WWE has had real trouble keeping its belts relevant, besides the world title. That's partially due to the people fighting for the belt, like when Ryback’s first run of defenses came against The Miz and an aging Big Show.

There’s no reason for that to happen with Kevin Owens. He's already gone toe to toe in various matches with modern legends like Randy Orton and John Cena, with the latter being a full feud. Further, his style works well with technical stars like Dolph Ziggler and brawlers like Roman Reigns, and that's the caliber of star he should be working with.

#4 Long title reign

Owens should go ahead and get comfortable with the Intercontinental title.

Mostly due to injuries to guys like Wade Barrett and Daniel Bryan but also because of booking, the Intercontinental title has not seen much stability in the last couple years. Because of his talents in the ring and on the mic, Owens should change that trend.

He’s the ideal candidate to put a chokehold on the title and put his name among the likes of Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon and Chris Jericho as the next great Intercontinental champion. Both he and the belt would benefit from a run like that.

#5 A meaningful end

The end of Owens’ title reign could be the most important part.

Of course, a lengthy run would need to culminate in a meaningful end. The title doesn't need to change hands this time on a fluky roll-up or a cheap shot, which his heel status should prevent the latter. Instead this title reign needs to end with the kind of memorable match that those past Intercontinental icons gave us, like Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels in their Wrestlemania ladder match.

If done right, that type of end to Owens’ reign could elevate the career of whoever beats him while launching Owens to the main event