[TwistedLogic]

So I'm just finishing watching NXT TakeOver Brooklyn for the first time, and shortly into the match between Owens and Balor, the crowd seems to be quite distracted. Obviously there's a "come-down" from the insane women's match that just preceded it, but something also seemed to happen in the audience that seemed to pull their attention.

Just as the crowd begins to stray from the match and picks up Zayn's "OLE" chant, Owens does this:

https://streamable.com/qpvl

I haven't watched much wrestling since Mania, and I haven't kept track of the wrestlers either, but I can tell immediately that Zayn was probably out with an arm injury. Sure enough, Google tells me he hurt his shoulder.

Owens took just 10 seconds out of his match to acknowledge the crowd and to taunt their hero with a very simple gesture, and he had them immediately drawn back into the match and into the palm of his hand.

There are prominent wrestlers, even guys who are extremely charismatic, like Orton, who can have a 15 year long career and still never learn how to keep an active connection with the crowd around them throughout a match. Anytime a crowd shits on one of his matches, Orton lets it get to him, and his visible frustration enables them to keep going. This kind of crowd craves attention, and within just his first few months with the company, Owens is already showing an ability to connect with and interact with a very large crowd.

A wrestler with that kind of psychology, crowd-awareness and improvisation doesn't come around often, and I really hope the WWE understands what they have in guys like Owens.

------

(Bonus Clip) Here he is just two minutes later, with yet another hilarious and unique way to troll the crowd:

https://streamable.com/brkc

Just brilliant.

 

[AT&T Stadium]

Wow! I totally missed that (mocking Sami) when watching the match. That was fucking hilarious.

 

[anirioc]

Owen´s very good in fact he, Reigns, Rollins, Ambrose and Cesaro will carry the company in the years to come.

 

[Nine99]

Owens is an entertainer and one of the best in the world. He's been doing that for a long time.

 

[Lone Star]

*waits for the inevitable, "he need to hit the weights" post*

:eyeroll

Good stuff, OP.

 

[Xenoblade]

Stephanie trolls the crowd better and is a far better heel.

 

[Chief of the Lynch Mob]

Owens is a rare case on the WWE roster, someone who actually has the ability to get the crowd's attention in almost any scenario, whether it's in the ring or on the mic.

It seems so simple to do but his mocking, trash talking and taunting when he's wrestling is easily one of the most important parts of his game. He seems capable of doing it no matter who he's against, or what's happening around him. He knows how to get people to focus on him, which is something you can't say for a lot of the wrestlers on the roster.

 

[Javier C.]

There are prominent wrestlers, even guys who are extremely charismatic, like Orton, who can have a 15 year long career and still never learn how to keep an active connection with the crowd around them throughout a match. Anytime a crowd shits on one of his matches, Orton lets it get to him, and his visible frustration enables them to keep going. This kind of crowd craves attention, and within just his first few months with the company, Owens is already showing an ability to connect with and interact with a very large crowd.

A wrestler with that kind of psychology, crowd-awareness and improvisation doesn't come around often, and I really hope the WWE understands what they have in guys like Owens.

That's the difference between a GOAT and a meh, that's the IT factor and that's why I will always be behind Stone Cold, The Rock, Owens, Jericho, Punk... and against Orton, Sheamus, Swagger, Ryback and scum like that.

 

[Lone Star]

Stephanie tries too hard, and nobody gives a shit about her. Triple H carries the Authority.

 

[Donezo]

Owens is one of the most natural heels you're ever going to see, the man does so many little things that you rarely even see on camera to get people to hate him and I'm not even going to mention his twitter. The only thing that isn't heel about him is his family and his love of zoos.

 

[Javier C.]

This is gold in my opinion.

:jericho2

 

[Piehound]

Owens is one of the very, few on current roster that seem to not only understand the concept a heel should be behave, but that also very good at actually doing it.

 

[NXT83]

Owens is brilliant at playing the heel and getting the crowd involved in the match. He's pretty old school in that way. It's something that you don't see heels do a lot anymore, but he's brilliant at it.
He's a great talent.

 

[Squeege]

Stephanie trolls the crowd better and is a far better heel.

The only reason Steph is a better heel is because Owens gets cheered for being awesome, even though he should be a heel. Whereas, Steph is just annoying as fuck and people wanna see her go away.

 

[ItsLastCall]

Stephanie trolls the crowd better and is a far better heel.

this. she is the best FEMALE heel that is, was, and every will be..

 

[L.I.O.]

But... but.... He's too fat!

WWE is so superficial.

 

[Rex Rasslin]

Like it or not, Kevin Owens should be the WWE WHC right now and not Roman Reigns. He is the hottest thing WWE have going on right now!

FIGHT OWENS FIGHT
FIGHT OWENS FIGHT
FIGHT OWENS FIGHT

 

[WakeUpMuricah]

Naw, he gets too many cheers. They need to turn him babyface.

 

[Lone Star]

this. she is the best FEMALE heel that is, was, and every will be..

The nuclear heat Vickie Guerrero had, will likely never happen again.

 

[Drago]

this. she is the best FEMALE heel that is, was, and every will be..