Is Kevin Owens going to be 38-year-old WWE star's debut opponent at WrestleMania 41? Veterans weigh in
There is still a lot of time for WWE's creative team to freeze the undercard matches for WrestleMania 41, which most likely will include a high-profile Kevin Owens match, judging by the stellar year he has had. Wrestling veterans Konnan and Disco Inferno were asked to talk about the former Universal Champion's work of late on their podcast.
An interesting takeaway in the question raised during a Q&A was the fact that Kevin Owens has a few options for next year's spectacle as he has made quite a few enemies since turning heel. While Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton seem like obvious opponents for the near future, Owens could end up facing SmackDown's sheriff Nick Aldis on The Grandest Stage Of Them All in Paradise, Nevada.
On Keepin' It 100, Konnan and Disco Inferno praised The Prizefighter for his recent work, rating it "A+," meanwhile Inferno highlighted the "Kevin Owens is banned on SmackDown" storyline as something to take into consideration. The angle could work its way into the narrative down the line:
"I'll tell you what, [Kevin Owens has] been an A+ on this angle. He's been doing these things—they say he's not allowed at SmackDown, so he's been posting these videos from his phone in his car," Disco Inferno noted. [From 0:48 to 1:07]
It was Nick Aldis who forced Owens to sit out last week. The show's opening segment featured Cody Rhodes and the sheriff, during which The American Nightmare made a demand to Aldis that the latter should reinstate Owens. Rhodes threatened to not play by the rules otherwise, which led to the SmackDown General Manager backtracking on his decision.
Facing Kevin Owens could be the sheriff's full-circle moment on WWE SmackDown
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet a few days ago, SmackDown's authority figure opened up about his true feelings regarding his in-ring career. Nick Aldis admitted that he is not satisfied with how things have been left, but there is room for more.
He added that he has earned the right at this stage to wrestle for WWE, even if it is for one more match. The sheriff has a strong history with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, something longtime pro-wrestling fans are well aware of. But since signing with WWE, Nick Aldis has a history with Kevin Owens, too.
As seen in the video above, The Prizefighter was traded to SmackDown for Jey Uso by Nick Aldis himself, which was revealed on the night of the sheriff's appointment on the October 13, 2023, season premiere episode of SmackDown.
If you use the quote, please credit Keepin' It 100 and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.