Just My Opinion: Is Kevin Owens the next "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for WWE?

Hello and welcome to the very first edition of "Just My Opinion". We all have an opinion. Some are good, others are bad, while some lie in the grey area. Either way, it goes, we are entitled to have one.

Today, I'm talking about a man that has been through the rollercoaster of the WWE booking sheet. He is extremely talented inside the squared circle. He can wrestle and put on an amazing match with the best of the best. His microphone skills are brash, but right on point. The fact that Kevin Owens is not a main-event level WWE Superstar on a regular basis is a shock to both the WWE Universe and Kevin Owens as well.

Owens may not have the body or the natural look, but neither did wrestlers like Mick Foley, Yokozuna, Daniel Bryan, and so on. Each man was not the typical WWE mould of a muscle-headed, flag-bearing, all-American good guy like John Cena or Hulk Hogan. However, they got over and went on to be some of the biggest names in the history of WWE.

Kevin Owens has a lot of similar characteristics to Steve Austin. They both didn't have the bodybuilder mould, for one. Secondly, they naturally have a rebel-like attitude that makes them easy to love or hate by the WWE Universe. Austin could flip the bird to Mr. McMahon, give out a few stunners, throw back some beers and have a great time with the fans and get over. Owens has that characteristic where he is already using the Stunner as a finisher.

The one phrase that got "Stone Cold" Steve Austin over like rover in June 1996.

I can't see Owens being a complete copycat to Austin by swigging beers, but I would love to see him do more "hit and run" types of attack, where he comes in, hits the Stunner, taunts his adversary and bails out. His "Fight Owens Fight" t-shirts, along with his "KO-Mania" series of shirts are a big hit with the fans.

Merchandising wouldn't be an issue with Owens. Austin got over big with his "Austin 3:16" shirts and his line of shirts in general as well. Owens needs that one catchphrase that would be a good hook for him to connect with the fans and he will be well on his way to becoming another hot commodity in WWE. You can be similar to someone, but also develop your own flavor and style.

Kevin Owens came back and was given a storyline that could be found wanting. He filled in for Kofi Kingston at WWE Fastlane and failed to capture the WWE Championship from Daniel Bryan, last March. Afterwards, he was left off WrestleMania completely and was made to be a comedy act as a fill-in for Big E as part of The New Day. Owens got tired of that, turned heel and began a feud with the group. Owens realigned himself temporarily with longtime best friend and sometimes bitter rival, Sami Zayn, as both men defeated The New Day at Stomping Grounds.

We fast forward to the current day. He has begun a feud with Shane McMahon. He's been using his version of the "Stone Cold Stunner" as a finisher. His rebellious attitude, along with the current rivalry Shane O'Mac, brings back memories of the Austin vs McMahon era.

That's not to say Owens should be a direct copycat of Austin, but the WWE is in need of an Austin-like character to catapult their brand. Kevin Owens has that distinctively quality to become that wrestler to bring WWE to new heights.