4 Reasons why Kevin Owens is reportedly choosing to stay with WWE over AEW
Kevin Owens has been tremendously successful in WWE. He first joined the Sports Entertainment juggernaut in 2014. From there, The Prizefighter quickly debuted and went on to win the NXT Championship.
Fast forward to his main roster call-up and Owens has found a lot of success. He's a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a three-time United States Champion, and a one-time Universal Champion. In fact, Owens has even won the Undisputed Tag Team Title in the main event of WrestleMania.
Recently, news came out that The Prizefighter's contract would end in the coming months. Many wondered if he'd be heading to All Elite Wrestling.
Instead, reports have come out indicating that Owens is all but certainly staying in WWE. Some might wonder why KO will likely remain with the Stamford-based promotion, but there are several contributing factors. This article will look at a handful of reasons why Kevin is likely staying with WWE and not moving to AEW.
Below are four reasons why Kevin Owens is reportedly choosing to stay with WWE:
#4. He likely received a lucrative offer
The first reason why Kevin Owens likely remains with WWE comes down to the offer Triple H and company officials gave him. Kevin Owens is a family man first and foremost, which means he has to do what's best for his inner circle.
There is little doubt that WWE would have offered The Prizefighter a lot of money to remain in the company. He has been a top guy for years, especially under Triple H's creative leadership. Financially speaking, the offer is probably a strong one.
However, it goes past just that. In the past, a positive thing about AEW was that the company had a less demanding schedule compared to WWE. However, under Triple H and TKO, time off is now suddenly something wrestlers can request, and there are fewer dates. This makes the offer even sweeter.
#3. Kevin Owens has a close relationship with people in WWE, including Triple H
The main reason why many fans expected Kevin Owens to potentially jump ship to All Elite Wrestling is his friends in the company. Owens is known to be friends with The Young Bucks, Adam Cole, and various other performers.
Of course, Kevin Owens has his fair share of friends in WWE, too. The most obvious is Sami Zayn. However, KO is friends with many men and women in the company. The SmackDown star has also even noted that he wouldn't want to leave the company, thanks to the relationships he has forged with production crew and staff.
Perhaps most notable is his relationship with Triple H. The Game is the one who decided to bring Kevin into WWE, and it changed Owens' life forever. The Prizefighter is very much considered to be a "Triple H Guy," and he surely knows that.
#2. He likely sees the writing on the wall for AEW
All Elite Wrestling is the number two wrestling promotion in the United States. While the company is nowhere near the size of WWE, it has offered a great living for various staff members and wrestlers for five years now.
There was a time when leaving the Stamford-based company for AEW was rage. It seemed as if there was a big earth-shattering debut every other week, and the company kept gaining momentum. Unfortunately, that is now in the past, and the Tony Khan-led promotion is struggling. Pictures of arenas mostly empty are all too common, and their television viewership numbers have sunk.
Kevin Owens keeps a close eye on the wrestling industry, and he likely has noticed the buzz for AEW dying down and the business struggling. Additionally, with the alleged backstage drama that is regularly reported, Owens may see the writing on the wall and would rather remain where he is.
#1. Kevin might want a 10-year anniversary return match with John Cena
Kevin Owens joined WWE's main roster in May 2015. He immediately attacked John Cena, and the two went on to have a bout, KO's first on the main roster, on May 31st of that year.
That match was huge for Owens, and it helped his career a lot. Now, almost a decade later, Kevin wants a rematch. There is a chance the company will hold a PLE ten years to the day of their epic encounter, and Owens recently expressed his desire to lock horns with The Franchise Player on the 10th anniversary of their debut match.
This is big; John Cena will commence his Retirement Tour in 2025. When 2026 comes around, the 16-time World Champion will be done as an active competitor. If Owens wants a rematch with John, he needs to do it next year. That's the reason to re-sign.