5 Potential finishes for Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon on SmackDown- Big return?

By Riju Dasgupta
Modified Oct 04, 2019 08:32 IST
This is certainly a match we should watch out for
This is certainly a match we should watch out for

In what has been described as the most exciting week in wrestling this year, we witnessed the season premiere of RAW, the debut of AEW on TNT, Finn Balor arriving at NXT, leading up to arguably the biggest news story of the week- SmackDown on FOX. WWE is tempting fans with a packed lineup, including the return of The Rock.

In all of the hype and the hoopla surrounding the event, one may tend to forget the ladder match between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens, part of a rivalry that has been brewing for a long time. These are two men not afraid to take risks, so this match could potentially steal the whole show.

Remember that careers are on the line in this very match. So, how could this clash potentially conclude on the debut of WWE SmackDown on FOX?

I will list out 5 possibilities in this article and invite you to voice your opinions in the comments.

#5 Shane McMahon wins the match clean

While I'm expected to examine every possibility as a reporter, let me just say at the very outset that I do not think that this possibility will happen. If Shane McMahon, who has hardly been portrayed as a full-time performer goes over someone like Kevin Owens clean, the fans will revolt and they will be very unhappy indeed. This is not the right look for the premiere of SmackDown on FOX, which is when fans should be happy with the output.

But in this scenario, Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens have a grueling bout where Kevin Owens is unable to climb the ladder but McMahon somehow fights against all odds and sends Kevin Owens out of WWE. I'm not saying that this will happen, and honestly, it probably won't.

#4 Drew McIntyre helps Shane McMahon win the ladder match

We know that Drew McIntyre has been on the shelf for a while having to undergo surgery recently, but he has been primed for a return very soon. There's no better stage for him to return than the debut episode of SmackDown on FOX which is when all eyes will be on the product to see just what's up with the show. And when Drew McIntyre does return, he could align himself with Shane McMahon once again, to send Kevin Owens packing.

What happens when Kevin Owens loses the match, you rightfully ask?! The simple answer is that he could always go to NXT for a brief spell, and help bolster the roster against the likes of AEW following in the footsteps of one Finn Balor who made quite a stir when he showed up on the black and gold brand, not very long ago. McIntyre could establish himself as quite the force on the blue brand and in time, he could be the man to unseat Kofi Kingston from his throne and coveted WWE Championship too.

Of course, this is provided Kofi Kingston manages to defeat Brock Lesnar through methods clean or dirty!

#3 Sami Zayn betrays Kevin Owens, Shane McMahon wins

Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura engaged in what was arguably the best match in the history of NXT, which was coincidentally Nakamura's debut. While one of the two men is the Intercontinental Champion at the moment, the other has been relegated to the position of the hype man, and this does not sit well with many in the WWE Universe.

So what if Kevin Owens is on the verge of winning the match and when he's about to grab the briefcase, you suddenly have Sami Zayn show up out of nowhere to topple the ladder? Not only will that elevate Zayn a rung, but it will also bring back the fantastic rivalry between two former best friends that we've enjoyed for such a long time.

Often, when Owens and Zayn fight against one another, the audience urges them to 'fight forever'. This could certainly be the case if Owens were sent packing, only to make a valiant return close to WrestleMania season, when he and Zayn could take each other to the limit.

But yeah, he could do it as a favor to Shane McMahon to protect his client, Shinsuke Nakamura.

#2 Kevin Owens wins clean or against all odds

Kevin Owens has been portrayed as the common man battling his evil boss, something many can relate to. There have been comparisons made to Steve Austin and Dusty Rhodes and even CM Punk, after the pipe bomb that Kevin Owens cut on SmackDown recently. Maybe the need of the hour is to have a strong babyface on either RAW or SmackDown Live, a man that the audience can relate to or gravitate towards in the days to follow.

So, Kevin Owens could certainly go over clean in the match and this is a decision that will make a lot of people very happy. Alternately, he could also have parties like Drew McIntyre and Elias show up, but fight them off to realize his destiny. Many believe that Kevin Owens should have been a much bigger star than he is right now and this could be his way to ascend to the top of the ladder, in a lot of ways.

Also, Shane McMahon could take some time off and return in a repackaged avatar to cause chaos once again. That may be just what his character needs at this particular point in time.

#1 The AoP return, send Kevin Owens packing

Part of the appeal of the newly cast AoP is that they speak in foreign languages, and as a consequence, they appear like they are international thugs. But this is something that will run its course, sooner rather than later, and they need a manager, a mouthpiece, or better yet, a leader that they carry out activities for.

Is there anyone better than Shane McMahon commanding them to carry out his devious deeds and nefarious tasks? They could be the muscle as they accompany McMahon and perhaps rise up the ranks to capture the SmackDown Tag Team Championships very soon.

And what better way to debut their new personas than the inaugural episode of SmackDown on FOX, when a lot more people will be watching the show than usual, to send shockwaves through the system (apologies to the Undisputed ERA)? Also, the association with Shane McMahon pretty much guarantees a longer life-span for these two men than usual, because we all know that the prodigal son will be a protected figure for a very long time.

In a nutshell, they basically show up and help Shane McMahon win, sending Owens packing!

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