Top 5 reasons why Roman Reigns defeated Kevin Owens three times to retain the Universal Championship
At WWE Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns defeated Kevin Owens in a brutal Last Man Standing Match to retain his Universal Championship. From being handcuffed to the backstage equipment to running over his opponent with a golf cart, Reigns went through a chaotic journey en route to victory.
On the other hand, Owens put his body on the line again and again, but he still failed to earn the win. Though this match had everything fans could wish for from a third title match, it marked yet another loss for "The Prizefighter."
This article will examine the possible reasons why WWE allowed Roman Reigns to beat Kevin Owens three times for the Universal championship. Plus, it will explore how the result will affect Reigns and Owens moving forward.
#1 Roman Reigns needed to be established as the biggest heel in WWE
Ever since Roman Reigns turned heel, he has feuded with the likes of Braun Strowman, "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, and even his closest ally, Jey Uso. But none of his opponents quite fought him as hard as Kevin Owens did. The challenger was brutal in everything that he directed towards the Universal Champion.
"KO" was the first Superstar to call out Reigns for his hypocrisy in the way he treated Uso. In fact, it was Owens’ ruthless honesty that kickstarted this entire rivalry. He pushed Reigns to improve, and in the process, these Superstars delivered a memorable feud over the course of the last two months.
That said, the creative team has gone above and beyond to establish Reigns as the biggest threat in the entire WWE since SummerSlam 2020. That outcome was always the end goal. It was pretty evident when WWE built up Drew McIntyre as the company's biggest babyface during the Survivor Series feud between the two champions.
The creative team seemingly wanted to match Reigns against someone who could absorb three major losses. Owens fit the bill, as he is a Superstar who has been firmly established throughout his WWE career.
As a result, Owens was the perfect choice. His extended feud with Reigns kept the fans engaged. "The Prizefighter" deserves credit for delivering three great matches for the title. Any damage to Owens' standing on SmackDown could be restored the second he turns heel if WWE decides to pursue that path. For his part, Reigns ended up looking like a legitimate bad guy who always gets his way in the end.